| Moscow, 8 April: There is no point in delaying ratification
of the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty [SORT], also known
as the Moscow Treaty between Russia and the United States, irrespective
of developments in Iraq, according to prominent members of the State
Duma, or the lower house of Russian parliament.
Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Vladimir
Lukin (YABLOKO faction), for one, thinks that ratification
of SORT should not be postponed for a long time. He is confident
that the treaty will be ratified before the end of the current
spring session. "This treaty is no less beneficial for Russia
than for the United States, as it implies maintenance of a strategic
balance between our two countries," added Lukin.
It is in Russia's interest to see prompt ratification by the
State Duma of SORT, according to the house defence committee chairman,
Andrey Nikolayev. "There is an unfavourable backdrop for
the move, related to the situation around Iraq, but there is no
point in delaying ratification," Nikolayev stressed.
Deputy chairman of the Duma committee for international affairs
Konstantin Kosachev stressed that it was necessary to put ratification
of the treaty to a vote in the lower house "without any delays
or attempts to link it to the speed or timeframe of the US operation
in Iraq."
According to Kosachev, the Duma international affairs committee
believes that there will be no artificial procrastination over
ratification in the State Duma.
See also:
Arms
Control
Russia-US
Relations
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