Abm Treaty Bilateral, Concerns Russia, Usa Alone: Britain

The 1972 ABM treaty is bilateral, and concerns only its signatories--Russia and the USA. Downing Street insists on that point, the British prime-ministerial office spokesman said by way of comment on President George W. Bush's official statement on the USA quitting the treaty. Strategic stability as a whole matters much more than any particular instrument concerning it. That has always been the British opinion. The US terror acts of September 11 changed the world. Russia's relations with the West were no exception. Russia is honourably contributing to the anti-terror crusade, and its contacts with NATO are getting closer. A recent US summit of Presidents Vladimir Putin and George Bush demonstrated their mutual understanding on strategic arms reduction in trends about which Britain remains enthusiastic.