Russian, U.S. Presidents issue joint statement
05.12.2009 13:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ President of the United States of America Barack
Obama and President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev issued a
joint statement by the on the Expiration of the Strategic Arms
Reduction Treaty (START).

The statement reads:
`The United States of America and the Russian Federation recognize the
significant contribution of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of
Kazakhstan, and Ukraine to successful implementation of the Treaty
Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms
(START) Treaty.

The value of the START Treaty was greatly enhanced when the Republic
of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Ukraine removed all
nuclear weapons from their territories and acceded to the Treaty on
the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as non-nuclear-weapon
states. The actions of these states have enhanced the NPT regime, had
a beneficial impact on international security and strategic stability,
and created favorable conditions for further steps to reduce nuclear
arsenals.

The United States of America and the Russian Federation welcome the
commitment of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and
Ukraine to their status as non-nuclear-weapon states.

The fulfillment by these states of their obligations under the
Protocol to the START Treaty of May 23, 1992, (Lisbon Protocol) and
their accession to the NPT as non-nuclear-weapon states, strengthened
their security, which was reflected, inter alia, in the Budapest
Memoranda of December 5, 1994. In this connection, the United States
of America and the Russian Federation confirm that the assurances
recorded in the Budapest Memoranda will remain in effect after
December 4, 2009.’