Putin proposes deep nuclear cuts

Russia proposes limiting nuclear arsenals to 1,500 missiles

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed that Russia and the US cut their nuclear arsenals to 1,500 warheads each.

President Putin said that the cut could be carried out before 2008 and suggested that even deeper reductions were possible.

President Putin says the cuts are possible by 2008

The announcement followed an acknowledgement from strategic missile forces commander General Vladimir Yakovlev that the US was likely to press ahead with plans for an anti-missile defence system despite Moscow's opposition.

General Yakovlev suggested that the US could counterbalance the proposed system by cutting its strategic missile arsenal.

Previously Moscow has sharply criticised Washington's plans as a violation of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty which limits defences against nuclear attack.

Change of strategy

Under the current Start II Treaty, Russian and US nuclear arsenals are to be restricted to 3,000-3,500 warheads each.

Nuclear milestones

1972: Nixon-Brezhnev talks lead to Salt I and ABM anti-missile treaties

1979: Carter-Brezhnev summit ends in Salt II, limiting cruise missiles

1986: Reagan-Gorbachev meeting collapses over US Star Wars plan

1987: Reagan-Gorbachev treaty agrees to scrap mid-range missiles

1991: Bush-Gorbachev signing of Start I, cutting long-range weapons

1993: Clinton-Yeltsin Start II agreement on further cuts in strategic weapons

April 2000: Moscow ratifies Start II

And the two countries had been negotiating on the basis of cuts to 2,000-2,500 for Start III. But Russia has until now been insisting that these talks cannot begin unless Washington honours the anti-missile treaty.

The new proposal would allow the US to go ahead with its plans without jeopardising the Start III talks.

General Yakovlev's comments came during a lull in the ABM debate caused by the US presidential elections.

US President Bill Clinton decided in September to postpone the National Missile Defence (NMD) project for a year so that the technology could undergo further tests.

Both candidates in the US presidential election support the NMD, but George W Bush wants an expanded version of the system.

Mr Bush was critical of Mr Clinton's decision while Mr Gore favours a more cautious approach.