CHELYABINSK. April 1 (Interfax-AVN) - The United States will stockpile some of the nuclear warheads decommissioned in accordance with the Russian-U.S. Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Potentials, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow told a news conference on Thursday.
Vershbow said that some of the warheads will be stored as a precaution for possible future emergencies. He said that under the treaty, the United States must reduce the number of deployed warheads to below 2,500 by 2010.
Vershbow said that both Russia and the United States intend to meet all their commitments under the treaty because nobody can predict the future considering the threat of terrorism and other global problems. He said that the United States does not expect any threats from Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush signed the Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Potentials on May 24, 2002. Under the treaty, the number of strategic warheads must be reduced to 1,700-2,200 by December 31, 2012. The treaty does not contain stages or a schedule for reductions.
Either country may opt out of the treaty by giving the other a three-month notice.
The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty in early March 2003, while the Russian State Duma did so on May 14, 2003.