DATE=4/14/2000
TYPE=NEWSFILE
TITLE=CN-064 RUSSIA START
NUMBER=CN-064
CONTENT=


Russian lawmakers have ratified the START-Two nuclear 
arms reduction treaty.  In Moscow, lawmakers in Russia's 
lower house of parliament, the Duma, approved the 
measure today (Thursday) by a two-to-one margin.  The 
treaty commits Moscow and Washington to a maximum of 35-
hundred nuclear warheads each by 2007.  The treaty was 
signed in 1993 and ratified by the United States three 
years later.  U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright 
praised the Russian move as, in her words, "an historic 
step which will help improve security" for both sides.


MAIN: CN-064 RUSSIA START 

#

Russian lawmakers have ratified the START-Two nuclear 
arms reduction treaty.

In Moscow,lawmakers in Russia's lower house of 
parliament, the Duma, voted 288 to 133 today (Thursday) 
to approve the measure, after Russian President-elect 
Vladimir Putin urged the chamber to pass it.  //OPT// 
Mr. Putin told lawmakers that Russia did not want to be 
dragged into a new global arms race by not approving the 
accord. //ENDOPT// 

START-Two calls for Russia and the United States to 
reduce the number of warheads in their arsenals to about 
35-hundred each by 2007.

The United States and Russia signed the accord in 1993.  
The treaty was ratified by the U-S Senate three years 
later.  Communists and other hard-liners have opposed 
START-Two on the grounds it would weaken Russia and pose 
a security threat.

However, they lost control of the Duma in December 
elections to pro-Kremlin parties, who say ratification 
will help Russia save money.

The United States welcomed the Duma's approval of the 
arms control treaty.  U-S Secretary of State Madeleine 
Albright praised the Russian move as, in her words, "an 
historic step which will help improve security" for both 
sides.

//  Rest Optional  // 

The upper house of parliament (the Federation Council) 
is expected to approve the START-Two treaty later this 
month.  That would pave the way for negotiations on a 
START-Three treaty with yet more reductions.
##

(voa-adv)
eura/art/reb



14-Apr-2000 08:58 AM EDT (14-Apr-2000 1258 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.