Russia supports the idea that START-2 be released in full

Chairman of the Russian State Duma's Defence Committee Andrei Nikolayev does not think that Russia should revise Start-1, if the USA withdraws from the 1972 ABM treaty. Russia has already been acting within the framework of START-1, which is of great importance for the international strategic security as well as the Russo-U.S. relations. As to the implementation of agreements within the framework of START-2, the head of the Defence Committee noted that this issue is difficult. The deputy said that the treaty was signed in 1993 considering the 1972 ABM treaty. The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty in 1995 without any amendments. The Russian State Duma ratified it in 2000. The Russian version of the treaty is not that of 1993 and 1995. It was ratified by Russia considering the New York protocols, signed in 1997. They differentiate strategic and non-strategic ABM systems, in co-ordination with the implementation of the 1972 ABM treaty, RIA Novosti reports. "Russia has supported the idea that START-2 be realised in full".