Res Communis

Russian General States that New Arms Control Treaty Must Ban Space Weapons

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From RIA Novosti:

New arms treaty must exclude weapons in space – Russian general

18:5310/06/2009

BALABANOVO (Russia), June 10 (RIA Novosti) – A new strategic arms reduction pact with the United States must prohibit any kinds of offensive weapons in space, Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces commander said on Wednesday.

“Our country is interested in including limitations not only on the number of nuclear warheads, but also on the number of their delivery vehicles in the new arms reduction treaty. We also stand for maintaining the ban on the deployment of strategic weapons, offensive and defensive, outside national borders, the prohibition of any kinds of offensive weapons in space, and a more efficient use of inspection and data exchange mechanisms established in line with the START 1 treaty,” Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov said.

Russia and the United States are currently negotiating a replacement to the Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START 1) treaty, which expires in December. . . .[Full Story]