ACCESSION NUMBER:382066
FILE ID:EUR208
DATE:03/07/95
TITLE:DUMA LEADER CITES HIGH PRIORITY FOR START II RATIFICATION (03/07/95)
TEXT:*95030701.GWE
*EUR208   03/07/95
DUMA LEADER CITES HIGH PRIORITY FOR START II RATIFICATION
(Piskunov calls for even lower level of strategic weapons) (700)
By Jacquelyn S. Porth
USIA Security Affairs Correspondent
Washington -- The deputy chairman of the Russian Duma Defense Committee says
the second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is "one of the highest
priority" arms control agreements to be considered for ratification by the
parliament.

Speaking through an interpreter at a March 6 press conference, Alexander
Piskunov said there should not be "any serious objections" to ratification,
although he alluded to some "technical and economic problems" associated
with the Russian ratification process, noting that the timing of U.S.
efforts to develop Ballistic Missile Defenses (BMD) could create "some very
serious problems."

Following three hours of consultations between members of the Russian
Defense Committee and the American National Security Committee, Piskunov
said new BMD development "would have some serious consequences and
negatives overlaying" of the upcoming Duma ratification, given the fact
that both sides are talking about "partnership."

But Representative Floyd Spence, chairman of the House National Security
Committee, told the visiting delegation that "a global defense initiative"
is needed to protect the United States from "new world realities."
Committee member Duncan Hunter told the Russians that the United States
1xperienced casualties from an Iraqi Scud ballistic missile attack in Saudi
Arabia during Operation Desert Storm.

"We are somewhat unique in that sense," he explained, "and we intend to
protect our troops in theater, and we are developing a number of systems to
do that."  At the same time, Hunter noted that the United States does "not
wish to build a new ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) Treaty that will constrain
the development of those theater systems."

Piskunov noted that there is a sentiment in his committee that the level of
weapons remaining after START II implementation is still "very high" and
that ratification would be "immensely helped" if the two sides express
their intention "to go down to even lower levels."  By the year 2003, both
the United States and Russia are expected to retain no more than 3,500
strategic nuclear warheads.

Piskunov said a statement issued by the Russian and American presidents
pledging to seek even lower levels of strategic arms "would also help bring
in other members of the nuclear club to get them to freeze and reduce the
levels of their own armaments."  Such an expression of intent, he
suggested, would be "very timely" as the deadline approaches to extend the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty this spring.  In the absence of such a
public statement, the Russian official suggested that the concept to
further reduce arms levels  could be captured in a written document to
accompany START II through the ratification process.

Spence said the meeting with Duma members covered a number of subjects
including NATO expansion and nettlesome conflicts in Bosnia and Chechnya.
There was also discussion of U.S. objections to Russian plans to sell
civilian nuclear reactors to Iran.

Russian Defense Committee member Vladimir Avercheve suggested that the
United States and Russia could revise the 1972 ABM Treaty and develop a
strategic ballistic missile defense system "jointly."  This would not
involve either side's taking any unilateral steps or abrogating the treaty,
he said, but would require both sides to "jointly revise" the ABM Treaty if
it were in their national security interests to do so.  Such an
undertaking, however, would require the two sides to have even closer
military ties, the official added, embracing an "alliance relationship."

Spence noted that the Russians, unlike their American counterparts, already
have a small ABM system in place.  In terms of providing limited defense of
territory, he said, Russia is in "better shape" than the United States.

Piskunov said members of the American and Russian committees recognized that
there is an existing dichotomy between trying to manage the ABM Treaty and
dealing with the subject of theater ballistic missile system.  There is
"nothing that guides us," he said, on the dividing line between theater and
strategic defenses.  While acknowledging the need to develop ways to
protect populations and troops from ballistic missile attacks, the official
also called for the two sides to discard "mutual suspicions."

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