Todd Jacobson
NS&D Monitor
5/2/2014
The United States should scale back its ambitions to restart arms control negotiations with Russia, House Republicans told a pair of State Department officials this week at a joint hearing of House Foreign Affairs Committee panels, citing tensions over Ukraine and Moscow’s alleged violation of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty. “The United States should not continue to seek agreements with the Russians when they either cheat or show no interest in those agreements,” Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas), the chairman of the Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade Subcommittee, said April 29. “I don’t think it’s now the time to be kowtowing to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.”
Anita Friedt, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Nuclear and Strategic Policy, acknowledged that Russia’s actions in Ukraine “have undermined trust” but noted that arms control has long provided an area of cooperation between the countries even during tense times. Responding to questions from Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), she said using arms control to punish Russia was not the right approach. “This Administration has made it very clear that it is important to continue to cooperate with Russia where we can, where our national security interests coincide, but then when we disagree, we disagree and we make our disagreement very clear,” Friedt said. “So there is no question that it is in our national security interests to continue to work with Russia and international partners in multilateral efforts that are key to global security.”
Still No Firm Answers on INF Violations
Friedt also declined to provide more details on allegations that Russia had violated the INF Treaty, even as she was chided by members of the panel for delays in making a decision on the violations. The State Department has delayed the submission of its annual compliance report to Congress, which is expected to contain an analysis of the INF violations. “We will continue to work with Russia to resolve our concerns and to encourage mutual steps to help foster a more stable, resilient, transparent security relationship,” she said. “We’re not going to drop the issue until our concerns have been addressed.”
Poe said Russia’s actions in possibly violating the INF Treaty—Russia is alleged to have tested a new land-based cruise missile that violates the treaty—have reinforced sentiments that “Russians are not our allies, they’re not our friends, and we certainly can’t take them for their word.” He added: “We had a reason to be distrustful of the Russians when the New START went into effect in 2010, and we have more reasons today,” he said. “The fact is Russia’s willingness to treat these treaties as less-than-binding when it suits them. That’s not how treaties are supposed to work.”
Arms Control Too Important to Break Off Communication?
Not everyone on the panel agreed with Poe’s sentiments, however. Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.) emphasized that New START data exchanges and inspections “provide much-needed stability and predictability at a time of increasing mistrust and uncertainty.” He said he supported the Administration’s decision to cut off defense cooperation with Russia, but suggested arms control was different. “When it comes to nuclear security, the stakes are much too high to break off communication,” he said. “Continued implementation of our arms control agreements with Russia is essential, especially given the unprecedented and unpredictable nature of the crisis in Ukraine. Last thing we need is another nuclear arms race in Europe.”
