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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

INFORMATION AND PRESS DEPARTMENT
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32/34 Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl., 119200, Moscow G-200; tel.: (095) 244 4119, fax: 244 4112
e-mail: dip@mid.ru, web-address: www.mid.ru


DAILY NEWS BULLETIN


29.05.2003

Unofficial translation from Russian

PRESS RELEASE

The Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Approves the Federal Law on Ratification of the Russian-US Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Potentials

1276-28-05-2003


On May 28, 2003 the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation approved the Federal Law on Ratification of the Russian-US Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Potentials (SOP Treaty) signed by the presidents of Russia and the US in Moscow on May 24, 2002. The other day the law was passed by the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

The SOP Treaty is to become a major landmark on the way towards drastic reduction in the strategic offensive weapons of Russia and the US. It provides for reducing the strategic nuclear warhead stockpiles of each party to 1,700-2,200 units by the end of 2012, which is roughly one-third of the level provided for by the START Treaty.

The SOP Treaty fully meets the national security interests of the Russian Federation, and its implementation will become a solid contribution to strengthening international security and strategic stability.

The Federal Law will now be submitted to the President of the Russian Federation for signature. The Treaty will take effect following the exchange of the instruments of ratification.


May 28, 2003



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