Report: Obama nears decisions on nuclear strategy

Mar 1, 2010, 9:20 GMT

   Washington - US President Barack Obama was to meet Monday with his defence secretary to discuss unresolved issues in his new nuclear strategy, The New York Times reported Monday.

   The meeting comes as the White House has begun making final decisions about the strategy, according to unnamed aides who were authorized to brief the Times about the status of discussions.

   The 'senior' aides said Obama will permanently reduce the US nuclear weapons arsenal by 'thousands of weapons.' But they said the administration has rejected suggestions that the US should renounce first use of nuclear weapons, the Times reported.

   The strategy discussions are part of a Nuclear Posture Review, undertaken by all presidents after entering the White House.

   Secretary of Defence Robert Gates was expected to meet with Obama late Monday afternoon, according to the White House schedule.

   'It will be clear in the document that there will be very dramatic reductions, in the thousands, as relates to the stockpile,' a senior official authorized to talk to the Times was quoted as saying.

   Other officials who were not authorized to talk told the Times that the administration has been exploring with European allies the withdrawal of US tactical nuclear weapons from Europe.