WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- President Bush took the first step in a historic reduction of strategic nuclear weapons Tuesday, slashing the U.S. stockpile by two-thirds and winning a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putin to "try to respond in kind."
In a joint news conference at the White House on the first day of a summit meeting, Bush said he had informed Putin "that the United States will reduce our operationally deployed strategic nuclear weapons to a level between 1,700 and 2,200 over the next decade."
"Current levels of our nuclear forces do not reflect today's strategic realities," Bush said, and the 1,700 to 2,200 range was a "level fully consistent with American security." These are nuclear missiles deployed on submarines and land silos in the United States and Russia. They are capable of wiping out virtually all the population centers of the two countries.
When codified, this will be one of the largest reductions of nuclear arms in history and the largest since both sides redeployed tactical nuclear weapons in the early 1990s, drawing them back from their frontline services.
The Russians have been seeking a reduction of this magnitude for some time. The Russian Federation's nuclear arsenal has been degraded over the years, and the cost of maintaining is sapping the nation's resources.
The two presidents did not report any decisions on the other strategic issue, the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Bush told reporters that the two countries "have different points of view about the ABM Treaty," but they will continue discussions over the next few days in Crawford, Texas.
The United States wants to develop a defense against missiles, which is not permitted under the 1972 ABM treaty. Bush has said that the treaty is outmoded and that the real danger is not from a nuclear attack by either country on the other, but from smaller states that have one or two missiles.
Putin at first opposed Bush's plan, claiming the treaty was the framework of nuclear peace for nearly 30 years. But as the relationship between the two leaders warmed over the past months, particularly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the United States, U.S. officials said the Russian position was softening. Two weeks ago in Moscow, Putin said Russia was "flexible" on the issue.
"On the issue of missile defense," Putin said Tuesday, "the position of Russia remains unchanged." But he said he expected to be continuing talking of the subject at Bush's Crawford ranch.
Arms control experts believe that Putin ultimately will agree to let the United States conduct tests without triggering the ABM treaty's sanctions -- in effect, as one arms control expert said by "turning a blind eye."
Bush said he is convinced the treaty "is a piece that's codified a relationship that no longer exists. It codified a hateful relationship. And now we have got a friendly relationship."
Bush also said he will move to lift the terms of Jackson-Vanik, a Cold War law that required countries of the old Soviet Union to meet certain human rights standards before they could trade with the United States The law covers several of the U.S. allies in the war on terrorism, Uzbekistan among them.
