Sergey Borisov: When reduce, do it honestly

When President Bush announced reduction of nuclear armament in the USA, the information pleased everyone. But in fact, it makes no great difference for survival of the mankind, how many warheads exist. The leaders of the largest powers understood, it is of no sense to have so many nuclear warheads in a full war-time state of alert. Even when weapons of mass destruction are considerably reduced, the total amount of them will still remain rather great. Large nuclear reserves have been created by the USA and the USSR over the period of the nuclear arms race. That is why Bush’s intention to reduce nuclear armament met the understanding and approval of most people. But later the US administration introduced more clarity in the statement: the USA plans to displace nuclear warheads and store them in storehouses. It is clear that the warheads in this case can be easily put in a war-time state of alert rather quickly and at any time. Then a question arises: what are the statements about nuclear weapons reduction for ? It has been probably done to draw attention away from the US’s withdrawal from the ABM Treaty.

The Christian Science Monitor newspaper asks, why the USA helps Russia reduce its nuclear armaments, on the one hand, and deposits its own warheads for probable use in the future, on the other hand ?

At the beginning of January Bush’s administration told, it would increase financing appropriated to Russia for dismantling of the weapons of mass destruction. The financing has been appropriated for ten years already. At the same time, the Pentagon says about the intention to store the US’s warheads. The Christian Science Monitor thinks, the Pentagon’s double standard is based upon an approach typical of the cold war period. The newspaper publishes that the Pentagon must be thinking, American warheads that are kept at storehouses are not so dangerous as Russia’s ones. It is also mentioned in the newspaper that President Putin’s military advisers would prefer to follow this example of the USA, as no danger from the USA is ruled out in the future.

Over the period of the US’s financing appropriated for Russia’s disarmament, thousands of warheads have been dismantled and deposited in storehouses. Several congressmen in the USA say it is necessary to increase the financing for reduction of more Russian warheads. The Christian Science Monitor says the USA must go further: not only help Russia reduce nuclear warheads, but also destroy its own warheads. And if a written agreement is required for it, it is necessary to sign such an agreement.

Sergey Borisov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/01/18/35691.html