Current Issues
Arms Control & Non Proliferation
Related material from the State Department & America.gov:
- Cluster Munitions
- Glossary of Nuclear Terms
- Key Facts about the New START Treaty
- Arms Control policy : key documents
- Nuclear Policy : Key documents
- Nuclear Postur Review website
- Nonproliferation : Key documents
- Nuclear Security : Research Aids
- Nuclear Risk Reduction Center (NRRC, Red Phone)
- State Dept. Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (WRA)
Arms Control & NPT News
08 January 2013 State Dept. on U.S. Nuclear Security Infrastructure The U.S. Government is committed to the modernization of the nuclear weapons infrastructure in order to support a safe, secure and effective nuclear weapons stockpile in the absence of nuclear explosive testing.
03 January 2013 Fact Sheet on U.S. Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Life Extension Programs The end of nuclear explosive testing has resulted in the development and application of advanced processes for extending the service life of the warheads in the United States’ nuclear weapons stockpile. Extending the life of existing warheads helps to eliminate the need to build and test new weapons.
2012
20 December 2012 U.S. Nuclear Weapon Computer Simulations State Department factsheet including links to videos from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
07 December 2012 Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Thomas M. Countryman Travels to Pakistan, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Belgium.
04 December 2012 20-Year-Old Law Expands Fight Against Weapons of Mass Destruction President Obama marked the 20th anniversary of landmark legislation to dismantle weapons of mass destruction and said the prevention of nuclear terrorism around the world will remain one of his top national security priorities as the U.S. commander-in-chief.
03 December 2012 Obama on Reducing Threat of Nuclear Weapons "Missile by missile, warhead by warhead, shell by shell, we’re putting a bygone era behind us."
26 November 2012 Tenth anniversary of the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC) Since it was launched on November 25, 2002, subscription to the HCOC has grown to 134 countries, and the Code has contributed significantly to international ballistic missile nonproliferation through its efforts to delegitimize such proliferation.
30 October 2012 Facts on U.S. Destruction of Weapons in Balkans The U.S. Department of State invested $12.6 million of Fiscal Year 2012 funds in support for Conventional Weapons Destruction programs in South East Europe to help promote that region’s peace and security by reducing its Cold War-era stocks of excess arms and deteriorating munitions. The funds will also help to save lives and protect communities by safely clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance left behind from the conflicts in the Balkans region during the 1990s.
23 October 2012 Outer Space (Disarmament Aspects) Segment of Thematic Debate in the First Committee of the Sixty-seventh Session of the United Nations General Assembly Statement by the Delegation of the United States of America by Mr Walher S. Reid, U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament.
23 October 2012 State Dept. on Lassina Zerbo's Selection as CTBT Secretary.
22 October 2012 Thematic Debate: "Other Weapons of Mass Destruction" Remarks by Ambassador Laura E. Kennedy, U.S. Representative to the Conference on Disarmament.
03 October 2012 New START Treaty Aggregate Numbers of Strategic Offensive Arms Factsheet contains data declared current as of 1st September 2012.
29 September 2012 State's Burns at U.N. Meeting on Countering Nuclear Terrorism (Terrorism)
15 September 2012 25 Years of Enhanced Strategic Security Through the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers The U.S. Department of State commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the creation of the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers (NRRCs) which were established under President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev with the purpose of opening a communications channel to reduce the risk of conflict.
10 September 2012 State's Rose on Missile Defense Cooperation Frank Rose, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance speaking in Berlin, Germany on the implementation of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA), cooperation with NATO allies, the current status of U.S. and NATO missile defense cooperation efforts with Russia, and recent developments in missile defense cooperation in other key regions.
29 August 2012 Arms Control in the Information Age: Harnessing "Sisu" Remarks by Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller at the Finnish Institute for International Affairs, Helsinki, Finland.
10 July 2012 U.S. Envoy at U.N. Conference on Arms Trade Treaty Statement by Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Thomas Countryman, at the the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty Formal Meeting on Treaty Scope, New York, NY.
03 July 2012 State's Rose on Missile Defense and European Security
03 July 2012 Missile Defense Crucial in U.S. International Security Missile defense is a crucial element in the U.S. international security strategy, supporting deterrence and diplomacy, a senior U.S. diplomat said July 3 at an international conference in Paris.
29 June 2012 Third P5 Conference: Implementing the NPT The five Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) nuclear-weapon states, or “P5,” met in Washington in the wake of the 2009 London and 2011 Paris P5 conferences to review progress towards fulfilling the commitments made at the 2010 NPT Review Conference, and to continue discussions on issues related to all three pillars of the NPT.
21 June 2012 Arms Reduction Treaty Progress Seen as Significant The New START Treaty ratified by the United States and Russia a year
ago is demonstrating significant progress in lessening the nuclear
dangers facing the Russian and American people while strengthening
global security, a senior U.S. diplomat says.
• State's Gottemoeller at Senate Hearing on New START Treaty
14 June 2012 Briefing on Department of State Efforts to Expand Defense Trade
11 June 2012 State's Gottemoeller on Freeing World of Nuclear Weapons Remarks by Rose Gottemoeller, Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, at the Joseph Rotblat Memorial Lecture, Hay Festival, Hay-on-Wye, Wales, United Kingdom.
06 June 2012 Reinforcing Stability Through Missile Defense Remarks by Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Rose at the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation, Vienna, Austria.
06 June 2012 "Generation Praguers" Hold 2012 Meeting on Weapon Reductions The Cold War may be over, but the weapons of mass destruction live on, and they too must be eradicated. That was the message that President Obama delivered in Hradčany Square in Prague in April 2009. The throng that had gathered in the square that day erupted in applause. Since then, young people around the world who have embraced that goal have become known as “Generation Prague.” To keep the message alive, the United States hosts an annual Generation Prague conference.
01 June 2012 New START Treaty Aggregate Numbers of Strategic Offensive Arms Data in this fact sheet comes from the biannual exchange of data required by the Treaty. It contains data declared current as of March 1, 2012.
16 May 2012 Missile Defense Cooperation Is the New Way Forward Special Envoy for Strategic Stability and Missile Defense Ellen Tauscher in Russia's Kommersant Newspaper.
12 May 2012 State's Rose on Reinforcing Stability Through Missile Defense
08 May 2012 State's Countryman on Middle East Issues Remarks at the First Session of the Preparatory Committee, 2015 Review Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Vienna, Austria.
30 April 2012 State's Gottemoeller on Science to Improve Arms Control Remarks to Committee on International Security and Arms Control, National Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, Washington DC.
19 April 2012 U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement on Nuclear Nonproliferation
16 April 2012 Positions for the United States in the Upcoming Arms Trade Treaty Conference Remarks by Assistant Secretary Thomas Countryman, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation
16 April 2012 State Dept. on Anniversary of Missile Technology Control Regime Formed by the (then) G-7 industrialized countries in 1987, the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an informal political understanding among states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and related technology; it is not a treaty. Since its creation, 27 additional countries have joined the MTCR, and many other countries have adhered unilaterally to the MTCR Guidelines or otherwise control exports of MTCR Annex items.
09 April 2012 Status of CTBT Signatures and Ratification (State Dept.) As of December 6, 183 nations have signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and 157 have ratified it. Of the 44 States whose deposit of instruments of ratification are specifically required by the CTBT for its entry into force, 41 have signed the Treaty and 36 have ratified it.
27 March 2012 Remarks by President Obama at Opening Plenary Session of the Nuclear Security Summit
26 March 2012 Ballistic Missile Defense: Progress and Prospects Special Envoy Tauscher: "Transforming missile defense from an issue of contention to one of cooperation will also help move us forward on the road toward greater nuclear reductions and, eventually, elimination."
26 March 2012 Obama Calls for More Cuts to U.S., Russian Nuclear Weapons President Obama said he plans discussions with Russian leaders aimed at further reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the U.S. and Russian arsenals, as part of his commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and eventually achieving a world without them.
21 March 2012 Seoul Summit to Focus on Nuclear Security During a two-day security summit in Seoul March 26–27, President
Obama will discuss his ongoing commitment to nuclear nonproliferation
and efforts to prevent nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of
terrorists or criminal organizations.
• U.S. Officials on Obama’s Trip to Nuclear Security Summit
20 March 2012 State's Countryman at Senate on Nuclear Nonproliferation Managing Interagency Nuclear Nonproliferation Efforts: Are We Effectively Securing Nuclear Materials Around the World?
06 March 2012 The 2012 Nuclear Security Summit Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs says: In April, 2009, during a speech in Prague, President Obama shared his vision for a world without nuclear weapons, free from the threat of nuclear terrorism, and united in our approach toward shared nuclear security goals. He also said that nuclear terrorism is, “the most immediate and extreme threat to global security” and that the United States would host a nuclear security summit within the next year. Recognizing the importance of the Summit process and that its goals require a long-term commitment, the Republic of Korea will host the [2012] Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul on March 26 and 27."
05 March 2012 Fact Sheet: 42nd Anniversary of Nuclear Weapons Treaty Forty-two years ago today, the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) entered into force, becoming a cornerstone of U.S. and international security. The Treaty, the most widely adhered to international nonproliferation and disarmament instrument, also promotes the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The United States remains steadfast in its support for the NPT.
02 March 2012 Arms Control in the Information Age Remarks by Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller at Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
07 February 2012 Decision on the Number of Launches of ICBMs and SLBMs Conducted in 2011, on Which an Exchange of Telemetric Information Will Be Carried Out in 2012 (State Dept., Bilateral Consultative Commission)
07 February 2012 Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance press releases from the Bilateral Consultative Commission:
• Agreement Number 1 On Procedures for Conducting Demonstrations of Recording Media and/or Telemetric Information Playback Equipment
• Agreement Number 2 On the Amount of Telemetric Information on ICBM and SLBM Launches That Each Party Shall Provide
03 February 2012 Factsheet : New START Treaty Implementation Update On February 5, 2011, the New START Treaty entered into force. From that day and every day that has followed, the Treaty has been contributing to U.S. national security.
30 January 2012 State’s Gottemoeller Interviewed by International Herald Tribune Remarks on the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE), Russia, NATO, nuclear weapons and missile defense.
24 January 2012 U.S. Seeks Halt to Production of Nuclear Weapons Materials At the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament, the United States called for a worldwide halt to the production of materials used in the making of nuclear weapons. Gottemoeller, who is the assistant secretary for arms control, verification and compliance, is in Geneva for the opening week of the Conference on Disarmament’s 2012 session.
17 January 2012 From Telegraph to Twitter: Arms Control Diplomacy in the Information Age Remarks by Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Gottemoeller at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
2011
23 December 2011 Briefing on 7th Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Review
19 December 2011 Clinton at Release of Tenth “To Walk the Earth in Safety” Report Excess and unstable munitions, along with the countless number of landmines still buried around the world, pose a grave danger to the lives and safety of men, women, and children everywhere. ... This report documents the $201 million in aid the United States provided in 2010 to help 49 countries clear explosive remnants of war and destroy excess stockpiles of weapons and munitions. And there are a lot of good news stories to tell coming out of this.
07 December 2011 Clinton: Bioweapons Threat Is Growing Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for a renewed effort among nations to prevent countries, terrorist groups and criminal organizations from developing, acquiring or using deadly bioweapons.
05 December 2011 White House on Biological Weapons Convention Review Conference Fact Sheet on the Seventh Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
01 December 2011 New START Treaty Aggregate Numbers of Strategic Offensive Arms The New START Treaty specifies that each party
to the Treaty may release to the public data on its own strategic
offensive arms. Accordingly, today the United States has made available
the unclassified U.S. data for the most recent data exchange, effective
September 1, 2011.
To view the updated fact sheet on New START aggregate data, with a supplemental summary of U.S. data, click here.
The complete unclassified data for the United States is available upon
request from the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.
Please contact Jamie Mannina at ManninaJF@state.gov
16 November 2011 U.S. Position on the Convention on Conventional Weapons Negotiations on Cluster Munitions Protocol Department of State Legal Advisor Harold Koh and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Bill Lietzau discuss the U.S. position on the Convention on Conventional Weapons negotiated on a protocol on cluster munitions.
03 November 2011 State Department Fact Sheet on Chemical Weapons Convention
03 November 2011 Leading with International Cooperation to Strengthen Stability in Space Remarks by Frank A. Rose, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance at the Near Space Security Conference, London.
02 November 2011 Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Interview with State’s Gottemoeller Interview by Rose Gottemoeller,
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.
27 October 2011 From the Manhattan Project to the Cloud: Arms Control in the Information Age Rose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, giving the Sidney Drell Lecture at Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
26 October 2011 New Arms-Reduction Treaty Builds U.S., Russian Confidence The New START arms-reduction treaty, an agreement between the United
States and Russia to reduce each nation’s nuclear arsenals to their
lowest levels in more than a half century, has been “a great success”
since its February implementation, according to a senior U.S. diplomat.
• With New START, U.S., Russia Commit to Disarmament (April 2010)
25 October 2011 Updated Fact Sheet: New START Treaty Aggregate Numbers of Offensive Arms Data in this Fact Sheet comes from the biannual exchange of data required by the Treaty. It contains data declared current as of September 1, 2011.
18 October 2011 Trans-Atlantic Missile Defense: Phase II and the Lead Up to the NATO Chicago Summit Under Secretary Tauscher on Trans-Atlantic Missile Defense.
03 October 2011 Effective Approaches for US Participation in a More Secure Global Nuclear Market Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Tauscher in Remarks to Bipartisan Policy Center's Nuclear Initiative Conference.
29 September 2011 Key P-5 Public Statements on the scope of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
• Fact sheet: Scope of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
26 September 2011 State Dept. Fact Sheet: Benefits of Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty
23 September 2011 Under Secretary Tauscher at Nuclear Treaty Conference in New York Remarks by Ellen Tauscher, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, CTBT Article XIV Conference in New York City.
15 September 2011 U.S.-Poland Missile Plan Enters into Force The United States and Poland announced that an
agreement to place land-based SM-3 interceptors at a small air base near
the northern town of Redzikowo, Poland, part of a broader limited
missile defense system for Europe, has entered into force.
• White House Fact Sheet: Implementing Missile Defense in Europe
01 September 2011 U.S. Priorities for the NPT and Moving Forward
Remarks by Marcie B. Ries, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.
01 September 2011 Fact Sheet: The Case for the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty: Some Key Points
26 August 2011 Fact Sheet: Securing Dangerous Materials’ Stockpiles in Libya Libya has been a country of proliferation concern and attention by the United States for many years. Since the beginning of the crisis in Libya this year, the United States has focused on the potential that increased insecurity on the ground could increase proliferation risks, including with the country’s remaining stockpiles of uranium, chemical agents, and conventional weapons.
04 August 2011 21st Century Deterrence Challenges Remarks by Rose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.
28 July 2011 Arms Control and Nonproliferation: The Road from Prague to Today Remarks by Ellen Tauscher, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.
25 July 2011 U.S. Missile Defense and Regional Security Frank Rose, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, talks about the U.S. approach to missile defense and cooperation with other countries, including Israel.
19 July 2011 Countering Weapons Proliferation in Libya a Top U.S. Priority Countering the proliferation in Libya of small arms and light weapons, including surface-to-air missiles, is a top U.S. national security priority, according to the State Department.
13 July 2011 U.S., Russia Sign Agreements on Adoption, Plutonium Disposal Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised the advancement of U.S.-Russian relations under the Obama administration and said both countries need to “continue and maintain the momentum” for the good of their people. Clinton met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Washington, where they signed agreements to increase cooperation in nuclear-weapons-grade plutonium disposal, air navigation, visa services between the two countries, research on the effects of radiation exposure safeguarding adoption procedures.
01 July 2011 Joint Statement on First P-5 Follow-Up Meeting to the NPT Review Conference
28 June 2011 P-5 Conference on Confidence Building Measures towards Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Ellen Tauscher, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, will travel to Paris, where she will lead a U.S. delegation to the second Conference on Confidence Building Measures towards Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation from 29 June to 01 July 2011. She will be joined by Rose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, and a distinguished inter-agency delegation, including Gary Samore, Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for Arms Control and Weapons of Mass Destruction.
16 June 2011 Twelfth Royal United Services Institute Missile Defense Conference Remarks by Ellen Tauscher, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, at RUSI in London, United Kingdom.
14 June 2011 Obama Committed to Ratifying Nuclear Test Ban Treaty The Obama administration will urge the U.S. Senate to ratify the 1996 treaty that bans all nuclear testing, and U.S. officials say they are in a position to make a strong case to overcome the objections lawmakers had when it came up for consideration in 1999.
01 June 2011 New START Treaty Aggregate Numbers of Strategic Offensive Arms (State Department Factsheet)
12 May 2011 Statement on Export Control Reform Ellen Tauscher, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security
10 May 2011 U.S. Makes Progress Toward World Without Nuclear Weapons The Obama administration has dedicated “unprecedented financial, political and technical resources to prevent proliferation” and is making progress in moving toward a world without nuclear weapons, says Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ellen Tauscher.
03 May 2011 Fact Sheet: Phased Adaptive Approach to European Missile Defense
20 April 2011 Security Council Strengthens Global Nonproliferation and Counterterrorism Measures Today, the United Nations Security Council reaffirmed its strong commitment to international nonproliferation and counterterrorism efforts by unanimously adopting resolution 1977, and extending the mandate of the 1540 Committee for 10 years. Resolution 1977 reaffirms Security Council resolution 1540, which obliges states to implement measures to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
14 April 2011 U.S. Inspectors Begin Verifying Reduction of Russian Nuclear Arms A team of U.S. inspectors has arrived in Russia as part of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which reduces and limits the nuclear arsenals of both countries. The treaty calls for on-site inspections in order to verify that the world’s two largest nuclear powers are complying with the terms of the agreement.
13 April 2011 Commencement of New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Inspection Activities
Related:
• Fact Sheet: Role of Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers
• Fact Sheet: Implementation Timeline for New START Requirements
04 April 2011 Strengthening Stability in Space Remarks by Frank A. Rose, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), Space Security Conference 2011: Building on the Past, Stepping Towards the Future
31 March 2011 U.S. To Make Voluntary Contribution to United Nations Nonproliferation Efforts "Today, the United States announced its planned voluntary contribution to UN nonproliferation efforts pursuant to UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1540. The United States plans to contribute $3 million to the UN Trust Fund for Global and Regional Disarmament later this year."
21 March 2011 Under Secretary Tauscher on U.S. Missile Defense Plans
03 March 2011 Clinton Urges Negotiators to Adopt Nuclear Materials Treaty Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for the Conference on Disarmament to move ahead quickly on a proposed treaty that would ban the production of nuclear-weapons-usable fissile materials.
28 February 2011 Secretary Clinton's Remarks At the Conference on Disarmament Remarks made in Geneva, Switzerland.
09 February 2011 The Way Forward After New START Remarks by Rose Gottemoeller Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance
08 February 2011 U.S., Russia Arms Reduction Begins Next Stage Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have ratified the New START treaty, an arms reduction agreement that Clinton says "lessens the nuclear dangers facing the Russian and American people and the world." The agreement will reduce each nation’s nuclear arsenals to their lowest levels in more than a half-century.
08 February 2011 United States, China Partner to Fight Nuclear Threats The United States and China pledged to cooperate on combating nuclear proliferation and enhancing nuclear security during Chinese President Hu Jintao’s recent visit to Washington.
05 February 2011 United States and Russia Conclude New START Arms Cut Pact
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov exchanged diplomatic documents February 5 in Munich,
concluding a two-year effort to reduce nuclear arsenals to their lowest
levels in more than 50 years. The instruments of ratification signed by
Clinton and Lavrov to implement the New START pact govern reducing the
number of nuclear warheads to 1,550 for each nation from 2,200 warheads.
The treaty succeeds the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that
expired in December 2010.
• Fact Sheet: Role of Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers
• Fact Sheet: Implementation Timeline for New START Requirements
02 February 2011 President Obama signs new START Treaty The President signs a landmark nuclear arms treaty with Russia, New START, which will advance our security, our relations with Russia, and our progress toward a world not imperiled by nuclear weapons.
• Message from the President to the Senate on the New START Treaty
27 January 2011 Opening Statement to the Conference on Disarmament Remarks by Rose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.
13 December 2010 Investments in Ballistic Missile Defense The Administration is committed to defending the U.S. homeland against the threat of limited ballistic missile attack and defending against regional missile threats to U.S. forces and Allies. This commitment is reflected in substantial investments in ballistic missile defense (BMD).
24 November 2010 Vice President Joe Biden on the Case for Ratifying New Start OP-ED in the Wall Street Journal.
18 November 2010 President Obama's Remarks at Meeting on New START Treaty
16 November 2010 Statement by Vice President Biden on New START Treaty "Failure to pass the New START Treaty this year would endanger our national security. Without ratification of this Treaty, we will have no Americans on the ground to inspect Russia’s nuclear activities, no verification regime to track Russia’s strategic nuclear arsenal, less cooperation between the two nations that account for 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, and no verified nuclear reductions. The New START treaty is a fundamental part of our relationship with Russia, which has been critical to our ability to supply our troops in Afghanistan and to impose and enforce strong sanctions on the Iranian government."
03 November 2010 New START Treaty: It’s Time for Senate to Vote A fact sheet from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Arms Control, Verification & Compliance.
15 October 2010 The New START Treaty Remarks by Delegation of the U.S.A. to the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, New York City
in mid-September.
06 August 2010 The U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative
• Q&A: Civil nuclear cooperation with India on the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT)
27 May 2010 Prospects for U.S.-Russia Missile Defense Cooperation Remarks by Deputy Assistant Secretary Frank A. Rose at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, London
13 May 2010 Joint Statement By The Delegations Of The Russian Federation And The U.S. On New Start Treaty
04 May 2010 Toward a World Free from Nuclear Danger "I want to thank the United Kingdom as they join us this week as we work with our partners to reinvigorate the NPT, the cornerstone of the international nonproliferation regime and an essential foundation for eventual nuclear disarmament".
03 May 2010 Secretary Clinton press availability at the United Nations
• The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: Promoting Non-Proliferation
12 April 2010 Remarks by the President at the Opening Plenary Session of the Nuclear Security Summit
08 April 2010 With New START, U.S., Russia Commit to Disarmament The signing of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) demonstrates the commitment of both the United States and Russia to live up to their obligations as nuclear armed states under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to move toward disarmament and make the world a safer and more secure place, President Obama said following the treaty’s April 8 signing ceremony in Prague.
08 April 2010 START & the Prague Summit
• A New
START in Prague (White House)
• U.S. Embassy Prague website on START signing
• Secretary Clinton on START in the
Guardian
06 April 2010 Obama Administration Revamps Nuclear Policy The Obama
administration issued a new U.S. nuclear strategy April 6 that sharply narrows
the use of nuclear weapons, but maintains their traditional role to deter a
nuclear strike against the United States. The Nuclear Posture Review (PDF, 2.7MB) was unveiled at a Pentagon
briefing by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• Nuclear Posture Review website
29 March 2010 New START Treaty and the Obama Administration's Nonproliferation
Agenda Briefing by the
Under Secretary for Arms Control and
International Security, Ellen Tauscher, in Washington DC.
26 March 2010 Remarks by the President on the Announcement of New START
Treaty
• Key Facts about the New START Treaty
26 March 2010 New Treaty Reduces U.S., Russian Nuclear Arsenals President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev finalized a landmark agreement that will cut the number of deployed nuclear weapons by 30 percent. Obama and Medvedev completed the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which had been in negotiation for almost a year, with a telephone call on March 26.
05 March 2010 Statement by President Obama on the 40th Anniversary of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty "Forty years ago today, in the midst of a Cold War, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) entered into force, becoming the cornerstone of the world’s efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Today, the threat of global nuclear war has passed, but the danger of nuclear proliferation endures, making the basic bargain of the NPT more important than ever: nations with nuclear weapons will move toward disarmament, nations without nuclear weapons will forsake them, and all nations have an “inalienable right” to peaceful nuclear energy. Each of these three pillars -- disarmament, nonproliferation and peaceful uses -- are central to the vision that I outlined in Prague of stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and seeking a world without them."
30 November 2009 The United States is a World Leader in Humanitarian Mine Action The United States shares common cause with nations who are working to address the harmful effects of indiscriminately used landmines on civilians. We are proud to be a world leader in humanitarian mine action, having provided more than $1.5 billion since 1993 to mitigate the threat from landmines and explosive remnants of war in nearly 50 countries.
21 October 2009 Secretary Clinton Remarks at the United States Institute of Peace
13 October 2009 United States, Russia Making Progress on Arms Reduction Treaty The United States and Russia are making progress in replacing a current treaty for reducing nuclear arsenals with one that goes further in physically reducing arsenals and also lessening perceived tensions over nuclear weapons, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed at a meeting in April to reduce nuclear arsenals well below the levels called for in the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START I.
07 October 2009 Nuclear Nonproliferation a Shared Responsibility, Official Says Efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and prevent nuclear terrorism must be shared, including "collective efforts" by countries to prevent others from crossing "the nuclear threshold," the State Department’s top diplomat on arms control told the United Nations General Assembly.
24 September 2009 Fact Sheet on the United Nations Security Council Summit on Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Disarmament UNSC Resolution 1887
24 September 2009 Weapons Talks Spur New Cooperation Between U.S., Russia As the two major nuclear superpowers, the United States and Russia have made a substantial commitment to reduce their nuclear weapon stockpiles and both say they will reach an agreement on further reductions by the end of 2009.
21 September 2009 The New System Offers A Real Missile Defence Financial Times op-ed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
17 September 2009 Remarks by the President on strengthening missile defense in Europe
17 September 2009 Obama Announces New Plan to Defend Europe from Iranian Missiles Citing the need for a more adaptable missile defense architecture for Europe that uses "proven and cost-effective" technology, the Obama administration unveiled plans for a phased deployment of sensors and missile interceptors designed to reduce the threat from Iran’s ballistic missile program.
17 September 2009 Fact Sheet on U.S. Missile Defense Policy President Obama has approved the recommendation of Secretary of Defense Gates and the Joint Chiefs of Staff for a phased, adaptive approach for missile defense in Europe. This approach is based on an assessment of the Iranian missile threat, and a commitment to deploy technology that is proven, cost-effective, and adaptable to an evolving security environment.
02 September 2009 Remarks by Ambassador Rice, outlining the Security Council's September Program of Work
31 August 2009 State's Gottemoeller on Arms Control Priorities Says a new START accord will persuade other nations to reduce arms.
12 August 2009 Strengthening the Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime: A Blueprint for Progress
05 August 2009 Obama to Lead U.N. Session on Nonproliferation President Obama will chair a high-level meeting of the U.N. Security Council on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament when the United Nations convenes for the opening of the General Assembly in September, U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said. "The Security Council has an essential role in preventing the spread and use of nuclear weapons and is also the world’s principal multilateral instrument for global security cooperation," Rice said in an announcement August 4 in New York.
16 July 2009 Fact Sheet on Legacy of START and Related Arms Control Policies Arms control efforts reduce numbers of bombers, missiles, nuclear warheads.
10 June 2009 July Moscow Summit Seeks to Reduce Nuclear Arsenals President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev committed to reducing their nuclear arsenals through a proposed arms reduction treaty that would take effect late this year. As owners of more than 95 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, the United States and Russia will lead by example, Obama said after a meeting with Medvedev in early April.
01 June 2009 Defense Secretary Gates on Missile Defense Discussions
29 May 2009 U.S. Helps Nations Reduce, Destroy Excess Weapons and Munitions Huge stockpiles of small arms, light weapons and aging munitions that were likely acquired decades ago now pose security and safety concerns for nations in every region of the world, say U.S. officials. The United States is committed to helping other nations reduce and destroy stockpiles of excess weapons and often unstable munitions, a State Department official says.
18 May 2009 State Department Fact Sheet on Open Skies Arms Control Treaty
15 May 2009 P-5 Non-Proliferation Treaty The Delegations of China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America affirm their collective support for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
07 May 2009 Reducing Nuclear Arsenals Is a Critical U.S.-Russian Concern Reducing nuclear arsenals is among the highest priorities for the United States and Russia, but an array of other international issues from the Middle East to North Korea also fills the crowded agenda of the two nations.
05 May 2009 Preparations for 2010 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review State’s Gottemoeller notes need to strengthen convention.
24 April 2009 U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms Reduction Talks Begin The first round of "very productive" negotiations to replace a 1991 nuclear arms reduction treaty have begun in Rome between senior U.S. and Russian diplomats. The new arms control negotiations are aimed at developing a replacement for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START-1, before it expires December 5, 2009.
05 April 2009 Obama Seeks World Free of Nuclear Weapons President Obama vowed that the United States will take concrete steps toward a world free of nuclear weapons. "We will reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy and urge others to do the same," Obama said in an April 5 speech in Hradcanske Square outside the medieval Prague Castle in the Czech Republic.
05 April 2009 Obama Condemns North Korea's Missile Launch President Obama condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range Taepodong-2 missile April 4 as a threat to the security of Northeast Asia and international peace and security. "With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations," said Obama.
09 March 2009 Clinton Hails Renewal of U.S.-Russian Arms Control Talks A “fresh start” in U.S.-Russian relations will begin with a renewed commitment to shrinking stockpiles of nuclear weapons, after Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announce plans to start negotiations on a new arms control treaty.
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