U.S. Senator Criticizes U.S. President

On Thursday, US President George W. Bush will announce his decision to withdraw from the 1972 Russia-US Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. On the same day, the US administration will officially notify the Russian government about this decision and about the beginning of a six-month term, the end of which is expected to mark the United States' formal withdrawal from the Treaty, CNN quoted a high-ranking source in the US administration as saying. Commenting on Bush's upcoming announcement, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Joseph Biden doubted the president's reasons for urgent withdrawal from the Treaty. According to the senator, the Pentagon notified the US Congress that testing of the national missile defence system could be done differently, so that it wouldn't be necessary to pull out of the Russia-US pact. Is this "a real action or a Christmas gift for the right wing [the Republican Party], which is never satisfied with arms control negotiations?" inquired Biden, addressing the US Senate on Wednesday.