13 May 2002
Senator Biden Welcomes New U.S.-Russia Arms Control Treaty
(Salutes Bush for leadership on issue; expects ratification hearings
soon) (440)
Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (Democrat-Delaware), chairman of the
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, says it is "very good news"
that the United States and Russia have reached agreement to
significantly reduce their nuclear arsenals, and he commended
President Bush for his leadership on the issue.
In a statement issued May 13, Biden welcomed Bush's decision to submit
the new treaty to the Senate for its advice and consent to
ratification and said he has "every hope" that hearings would begin
this summer.
Following is the text of the senator's statement:
(begin text)
Senator Joe Biden
Press Release
Monday, May 13, 2002
BIDEN WELCOMES PROPOSED STRATEGIC FORCE REDUCTION TREATY, LOOKS AHEAD
TO SENATE REVIEW PROCESS FOR THE AGREEMENT
Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations, issued the following statement today:
"It is very good news that the United States and the Russian
Federation have reached agreement to significantly reduce our nuclear
arsenals. The treaty that President Bush has said he will sign will
cut the number of warheads each of our nations may retain to between
1,700 and 2,200, down from about 6,000. Eliminating these weapons of
mass destruction would make Americans more secure and the world a
safer place. I salute President Bush for his leadership on this issue
and his partnership with President Putin.
"I especially welcome President Bush's decision to submit this new
treaty to the Senate for its advice and consent to ratification, as
opposed to sending it to both houses as an executive agreement.
Requiring a treaty -- and so the support of two-thirds of the Senate
-- for arms control agreements contributes to a stable foreign policy.
Even as the White House and the Senate change hands, it is rare that a
treaty commitment, once made, is reversed.
"Once this treaty is formally submitted, the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee will approach it as we have all other arms control
agreements, asking some basic questions: Will this treaty make the
United States more secure? Will it reduce the danger of nuclear war?
Will it stand the test of time?
"We also will be looking at some very specific questions: Are the
reductions generally irreversible, or will most of the weapons be put
in storage for later use? Will the reductions take place promptly? How
well will we be able to verify Russian compliance with the treaty's
provisions? What are the mechanisms to effectively implement and
enforce the treaty?
"I have every hope that we will be able to begin hearings on this
treaty this summer."
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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