Voice of America

DATE=1/23/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-209143
TITLE=U-S/RUSSIA ARMS (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO: U-S DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE STUDYING FURTHER DEEP REDUCTIONS IN NUCLEAR WARHEADS UNDER A POSSIBLE START-THREE STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION ACCORD WITH RUSSIA. BUT THEY INSIST MOSCOW MUST FIRST RATIFY THE START-TWO AGREEMENT. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS MORE FROM THE PENTAGON.

TEXT: THE PENTAGON SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS PREPARED TO MOVE IMMEDIATELY TOWARD DEEPER NUCLEAR ARMS REDUCTIONS AFTER START-TWO IS RATIFIED -- AND THAT DEFENSE EXPERTS ARE ALREADY STUDYING WHAT FURTHER CUTS WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE.

THE START-TWO TREATY -- SIGNED IN 1993 BUT STILL NOT RATIFIED BY THE RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT -- WOULD CUT THE NUCLEAR ARSENALS OF THE TWO POWERS TO NO MORE THAN 35-HUNDRED WARHEADS EACH BY THE YEAR 2003.

THE ACCORD IS HUNG UP IN THE DUMA (UPPER HOUSE) IN MOSCOW OVER RUSSIAN OPPOSITION TO NATO EXPANSION, AND CONCERNS THAT THE TREATY TERMS WOULD FORCE RUSSIA TO SPEND HUGE AMOUNTS TO REPLACE MUCH OF ITS LAND-BASED MISSILE FORCE.

OUTGOING U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY HAS TOLD HIS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART, IGOR RODIONOV, THAT AN EVEN DEEPER ROUND OF CUTS UNDER A START-THREE FRAMEWORK WOULD SPARE RUSSIA EXPENSE OF REPLACING MISSILES.

HOWEVER PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THERE IS NO THOUGHT BEING GIVEN IN WASHINGTON TO NEGOTIATING A NEW TREATY BEFORE START-TWO IS RATIFIED BY RUSSIA:

I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RUSSIAN POSITION IS. AND OUR POSITION IS THAT IF THEY RATIFY START TWO, WE CAN MOVE VERY QUICKLY INTO START-THREE NEGOTIATIONS. AND WE HAVE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR TO THE RUSSIANS. THEY KNOW WHAT OUR POSITION IS. SO FAR THAT ALONE HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH TO CONVINCE THEM TO RATIFY START-TWO. BUT WE'RE HOPEFUL THEY WILL RATIFY START TWO BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE TO REDUCE TENSIONS AND RISK THROUGH ARMS NEGOTIATIONS.

MR. BACON SAID THE STUDY OF MORE SWEEPING ARMS CUTS -- REPORTEDLY TO AS FEW AS TWO THOUSAND WARHEADS EACH -- IS PART OF A WIDE-RANGING EXAMINATION OF U-S DEFENSE POLICY, KNOWN AS THE QUADRENNIAL DEFENSE REVIEW, NOW NEARING COMPLETION.

THE UNITED STATES HAS ALSO PROPOSED ADDITIONAL DISARMAMENT AID TO RUSSIA UNDER THE SO-CALLED NUNN-LUGAR PROGRAM TO HELP IT DEAL WITH THE COSTS ENTAILED IN IMPLEMENTING START-TWO. THE TREATY WAS OVERWHEMINGLY RATIFIED BY THE U-S SENATE ONE YEAR AGO BUT IT IS BEING RESISTED BY A LOOSE COALITION OF NATIONALIST AND COMMUNIST DEPUTIES IN THE RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT. (SIGNED)

NEB/DAG/PT

23-Jan-97 3:18 PM EST (2018 UTC)
NNNN