Strategic Arms Reduction Talks

Phase in peace discussions dealing with disarmament, initially involving the USA and the Soviet Union, from 1992 the USA and Russia, and from 1993 Belarus and the Ukraine.

It began with talks in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1983, leading to the signing of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987. In 1989 proposals for reductions in conventional weapons were added to the agenda. As the Cold War drew to a close from 1989, negotiations moved rapidly. Reductions of about 30% in strategic nuclear weapons systems were agreed in Moscow in July 1991 (START) and more significant cuts were agreed in January 1993 (START II); the latter treaty was ratified by the US Senate in January 1996. Russia's Duma ratified START II in April 2000. just following the inauguration of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Under the treaty, which applies to inter-continental rockets, the USA and Russia will both halve their stocks of atomic warheads to between 3,000 and 3,500 each by 2007. A START III treaty, currently being negotiated, would increase arms reduction even further.