"Obama-Medvedev Meeting -- Comments from Graham Allison, Chuck Hagel, and Matthew Bunn"
News
April 3, 2009
Author: Ruta Miniotas
U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued a joint statement after their meeting his week, which emphasized their desire to "move beyond Cold War mentalities." They agreed to seek a new version of the START treaty, and also committed their countries to a nuclear-free world.
Graham Allison, current Director of Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center and author of Nuclear Terrorism: The Ultimate Preventable Catastrophe, former Senator Chuck Hagel, and Matthew Bunn, Co-Principal Investigator of the Project on Managing the Atom, commented on the statement:
Graham Allison and Chuck Hagel:
The Joint statement demonstrates that Russia is ready, indeed eager, to press the “reset” button in relations with the U.S. Presidents Obama and Medvedev rightly prioritized nuclear security. Arms control will be the beginning, not the end, of an agenda for addressing 21st century nuclear threats. For the larger agenda, Obama and Medvedev can build on principles and specific goals affirmed by their predecessors: Bush and Putin. These include agreements on: accelerating existing programs to improve security at nuclear facilities in Russia and beyond; acting jointly to prevent nuclear terrorism; reducing nuclear material inventories and eliminating highly enriched uranium fuel from third countries; and working with the International Atomic Energy Agency to assure that all nations can enjoy the benefits of civilian nuclear energy without enriching uranium or reprocessing spent fuel.
Unfortunately, on most of these items, the previous administrations’ words were not matched by deeds.
To ensure that commitments are translated into action, the two presidents must establish mechanisms for effective cooperation.
In the hands of a terrorist like Osama bin Laden, a single nuclear bomb devastating the heart of one of the great cities of the world will change our world. Two new post-Cold War generation Presidents have an opportunity to establish a partnership to prevent this ultimate catastrophe.”
Matthew Bunn:
“President Obama and Russian President Medvedev have taken important steps to put their efforts to control nuclear weapons back on track, telling their negotiators to speed up efforts to negotiate a new nuclear reductions pact, continuing and expanding efforts to secure nuclear stockpiles and prevent proliferation, and committing both countries to the long-term objective of a world free of nuclear weapons. This is an excellent first step both in “resetting” U.S.-Russian relations and in addressing the serious nuclear dangers the world still faces.”
For more information about this publication please contact the Belfer Center Communications Office at 617-495-9858.
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