MOSCOW. May 24 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush believe that the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions that they have signed reflects realities and is a great step forward in disarmament.
The nuclear arsenals of both countries will be reduced from 6,000 to 1,700-2,200 warheads within a very short period of time, Bush told a news conference in Moscow on Friday.
Bush advocated the U.S. plan to stow away, rather than destroy the reduced warheads by saying that friends do not need weapons, but there is no telling what will happen within a decade and what future presidents will say. Still, much progress has been made, he said.
Putin agreed, but reiterated the Russian view that it would be better to destroy the reduced warheads.
Those who had ever held weapons in their hands know weapons are safer when they are not loaded, he said.
The understanding already reached is a great step forward, Putin said.