World welcomes Russia weapons vote

Moscow wants to avoid a costly arms race

The Russian parliament's long-delayed approval of the Start II nuclear weapons reduction treaty has been given a warm welcome by world leaders.

US President Bill Clinton said the decision set the stage for a new round of talks on further arms cuts, and would make the world a safer place.

"Start II will make our people safer and our partnership with a democratic Russia stronger," Mr Clinton said in a statement.

We and Russia can and must seize this opportunity to intensify our discussions on ... Start III

Bill Clinton

"It will open the door to further significant steps to reduce nuclear arms and the nuclear danger, a course that is strongly supported by the international community and has strong bipartisan support in the United States."

His comments came after the Russian parliament voted to ratify Start II, which was signed seven years ago in January 1993 and ratified by the US Senate in 1996.

ABM tensions

Under Start II, the United States and Russia agree to cut the number of nuclear warheads to no more than 3,500 on each side by 2007.

If the United States abandons the 1972 agreement, we will have the right to pull out not only of Start II but also from the entire arms reductions and control system

Vladimir Putin

This represents a cut of two thirds as measured against stockpiles held at the height of the Cold War.

"Now, we and Russia can and must seize this opportunity to intensify our discussions on both Start III and the ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) Treaty, so we can take further concrete steps this year to strengthen the security of the United States, Russia, and indeed the whole world," President Clinton said.

Russia is keen on Start III talks but is adamantly opposed to renegotiation of the ABM Treaty, which is designed to ensure that neither country has a full defence against the other's nuclear deterrent.

Putin: Warning to US

President-elect Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would withdraw from the entire disarmament process if the United States abandoned the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty.

"If the United States abandons the 1972 agreement, we will have the right to pull out not only of Start II but also from the entire arms reductions and control system," he told the State Duma before deputies voted.

US-Russia arms accords

1972: ABM Treaty forbids deployment of missile defence system

1979: Salt II Treaty imposes for first time ceiling on strategic nuclear weapons

1987: Reagan and Gorbachev sign treaty eliminating medium-range missiles

1991: Start I slashes nuclear arsenals by one-third

1993: Yeltsin and Bush sign Start II Treaty

1999: US Senate blocks nuclear test ban treaty

The US wants to revise the ABM Treaty in order to build a national missile defence system, designed to protect the country against missile attacks from rogue states, such as North Korea.

Mr Putin told the Duma that Russia could not afford a new nuclear arms race with the United States.

"This (delay) can prompt a nuclear arms race which Russia can ill-afford and whose consequence would be even worse than the last time."

Putin's power

Russian communists and their allies urged legislators not to approve the treaty, saying it would give the US a huge military advantage.

The vote was 288 in favour with 133 against and four abstentions.

If this is a sign of President Putin's resolve and of the ability of the Duma and he to work together it is a good sign for all of us

George Robertson

Correspondents say the vote enables Mr Putin to show that he has stamped his authority on the Duma, on the eve of his first trip to the West, starting in London on Sunday.

Nato Secretary-General George Robertson said the ratification cleared a logjam in the arms reduction process and promised a stronger relationship between Nato and Russia.

"If this is a sign of President Putin's resolve and of the ability of the Duma and he to work together it is a good sign for all of us" he told reporters in Brussels.

Japan's Foreign Minister Yohei Kono has also hailed the ratification, describing it as a "major contribution to promoting nuclear disarmament".

"Japan strongly hopes that the reduction of nuclear arsenals will greatly contribute to promoting an international movement towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation," he said.