Secretary of State John Kerry during a diplomatic forum in New York yesterday urged Russia to return to compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and underscored that the U.S.’ offer to Russia to reduce nuclear stockpiles by one-third below New START levels remains on the table. “I want to emphasize our deep concerns regarding Russia’s clear violation of its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty,” Kerry said in remarks during the first day of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference at UN Headquarters. “For decades, that treaty has contributed to the peace and the security in Europe and Asia. And there is no reason–no reason–to create new dangers by undermining it now.” Released in July, the State Department’s annual report on arms control stated that Russia had violated the INF Treaty by developing a ground-launched cruise missile in the agreement’s prohibited range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers. Russia has denied the allegation.
Kerry touted the fact that New START has put bilateral nuclear disarmament on track to reduce nuclear stockpiles to the lowest levels since the era of President Dwight Eisenhower and Soviet Union First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev. “Implementation is going well and it remains on track, and it will reduce our current stockpile of weapons significantly,” Kerry stated. “But we know that we can cut back even further, and President Obama has made clear our willingness, readiness, now, to engage and negotiate further reductions of deployed strategic nuclear weapons by up to one-third below the level set by New START. Let me underscore: That offer remains on the table, and we urge the Russians to take us up on it.”
On the first day of the once-every-five-years RevCon, Kerry also announced a $50 million contribution to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Peaceful Uses Initiative and touted that the U.S. was the biggest donor to IAEA, providing $200 million to the organization since the last RevCon. “These resources will further expand global access to the peaceful atom, putting it to use for sustainable economic development,” he said. “The fact is that nuclear energy can be an incredible resource, with a stunning range of applications.” He also said that the U.S. would seek to increase the rate of dismantlement of retired warheads by 20 percent. About 2,500 retired warheads remain in a backlog to be dismantled, he said.
