Duma says Yes to Start treaty with US

Russia’s parliament has given preliminary approval to a new nuclear arms reduction treaty with the US.

The American Senate approved the deal on Wednesday.

Russia’s foreign minister said the treaty would boost US-Russian relations, and said rejection of the deal would have dealt a serious blow to Moscow’s reputation on the world stage.

However, Sergei Lavrov did attempt to allay domestic fears that Russian security could be compromised.

He also said Moscow did not agree with the view in the US Senate that there was no connection between the New Start treaty and US anti-missile defence plans.

Moscow has stressed it could pull out of Start if a defence shield weakens its nuclear deterrent. But President Medvedev had praise for his American counterpart.

“It’s easy for me to work with President Obama,” he said. “He’s someone who knows how to listen, to hear his counterpart. He’s not a slave to stereotypes. He’s someone who possesses the most important quality for a politician: he keeps his promises.”

The new treaty will cut long-range strategic nuclear arms deployed by Russia and the US to no more than 1,550 on each side within seven years.

Deployed missile launchers will be cut to no more than 700 on each side.

Copyright © 2012 euronews