Russian parliament drafts five amendments to new arms pact

Topic: START: Russia-U.S. nuclear talks

Russian parliament drafts five amendments to new arms pact

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The lower house of the Russian parliament has prepared five amendments and two draft 

statements on a new strategic arms reduction treaty with the United States, a senior lawmaker said on Thursday.

Konstantin Kosachyov, head of the State Duma International Affairs Committee, said the amendments set conditions for the treaty's ratification, specify the prerogatives of Russia's executive and legislative branches of government and spell out conditions that could compel Russia to withdraw from the treaty.

He did not elaborate.

The amendments also provide for further negotiations on other types of weapons.

They will be submitted for the second reading of the bill, which could take place in mid-January, he said.

The United States Senate ratified the new arms deal with Russia on December 22. The agreement will come into force after ratification by both houses of the Russian parliament.

The Duma approved the agreement in its first reading on December 24.

The new treaty replacing the START 1 that expired in December 2009 was signed in Prague in April by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama.

The document slashes the Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals to a maximum of 1,550 nuclear warheads, down from the current ceiling of 2,200.

MOSCOW, January 6 (RIA Novosti)