START Treaty now before Russian Duma

MOSCOW, May 28 (UPI) -- The new U.S.-Russian strategic arms treaty has been submitted to the Duma, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Friday.

Medvedev said he hopes the Duma, the lower house of Parliament, ratifies the treaty in tandem with the U.S. Senate, RIA Novosti reported. He spoke at a meeting of members of the United Russia Party.

The START treaty replaces the 1991 agreement, which expired in December. The treaty calls for simultaneous reductions in the number of warheads to 1,550, down from 2,200; and the number of delivery vehicles to 800, down from 1,600.