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Obama, Medvedev sign nuclear arms reduction treaty (2nd Lead)

Apr 8, 2010, 14:22 GMT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and US President Barack Obama (L) smile during the signing ceremony of the \'New START Treaty\'. EPA/SERGEI CHIRIKOV

Prague - US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev signed a nuclear arms reduction pact in the Czech capital on Thursday.

The deal marks a thaw in relations between the former Cold War enemies and sets the tone for other countries with nuclear weapons or ambitions, the presidents said.

'Today is an important milestone for nuclear security and non-proliferation, and for US-Russia relations,' Obama said at a joint press conference, while Medvedev called the agreement a 'win-win situation.'

The presidents exchanged smiles after inking the deal and warmly shook hands to an applause from an audience of several hundred dignitaries and journalists.

Speaking through a translator, Medvedev remarked that he and Obama 'established a very good personal chemistry' during lengthy and tough negotiations.

The signing, which took place in an ornate hall of the stately Prague Castle, came about a year after Obama laid out his vision of nuclear-free world at the castle gates, a symbolic reason for his return to the Czech capital.

Obama said the treaty was a step towards a goal that may not be achieved in his lifetime. 'One of the steps that I called for last year was the realization of this treaty, so I am glad to be back in Prague today,' he said.

He said that Russia and the United States, who hold over 90 per cent of the world's atomic arms, intended to 'show significant leadership' to the rest of the world in nuclear non-proliferation.

They sealed the pact just days ahead of a high-level nuclear safety summit in Washington on April 12-13 and a five-yearly United Nations conference in May, which will evaluate adherence to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

But critics have countered that the commitments outlined in the deal are too modest to motivate other countries to disarm or drop intentions to acquire atomic weapons.

In their bilateral talks prior to the ceremony, Medvedev and Obama exchanged positions on the sanctions the United Nations may impose on Iran for its failure to adhere to non-proliferation obligations.

'My expectation is that we are going to be able to secure strong, tough sanctions on Iran this spring,' Obama told reporters.

Medvedev, meanwhile, called for 'smart sanctions' that would effectively force Iran to behave properly and yet maintain national interests. He said, without spelling out any details, that he told his US counterpart how far Russia was willing to go.

Despite the warm-up in ties, the two countries, however, remain split over US plans to develop a missile defence system against short-and-medium-range Iranian missiles, whose parts could be based in Eastern Europe.

Medvedev said that the new treaty could be only viable if Washington does not increase its defence capabilities, giving reporters the essence of a non-binding declaration on missile defence issued by Russia.

Obama, who reassured Moscow that its missile shield is not aimed at upsetting the US-Russian strategic security balance, said that the two countries would jointly asses emerging ballistic missile threats before further talks.

If ratified by the US and Russian legislatures, the treaty would replace the expired 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).

Under the so-called new START treaty, the two powers would cut their strategic warheads to 1,550 each, or about one-third below current levels.

The launchers, including submarines and heavy bombers, would be cut by a half to a total of 800 per country.

While the path to ratification of the treaty in the Russian Duma appears clear, the process could face hurdles in the US Senate. Medvedev said the two countries would 'synchronize' the approval 'so neither party feels in one way or another compromised.'

Later Thursday, the US president is to meet leaders of 11 former Eastern Bloc countries over dinner at the US ambassador's residence in a bid to remove worries in the ex-Soviet region from his friendly approach to Russia.

Meanwhile, Prague appeared to enjoy returning to the international spotlight a year after Obama's first visit. The most-red Czech daily, Mlada Fronta Dnes, carried the headline '24 hours at the centre of the world'.

Up to 5,000 policeman were summoned to patrol the city streets, dozens of which are shut down to traffic during the one-day summit, which was hastily organized within some two weeks.