Obama calls for a reduction in nuclear weapons
Source: Agencies |
June 20, 2013, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
US President Barack Obama renewed his call yesterday to reduce US and Russian nuclear stockpiles and to confront climate change, a danger he called "the global threat of our time."
In a wide-ranging speech that enumerated a litany of challenges facing the world, Obama said he wanted to reignite the spirit that Berlin displayed when it fought to reunite itself during the Cold War.
"Today's threats are not as stark as they were half a century ago, but the struggle for freedom and security and human dignity, that struggle goes on," Obama said at the city's historic Brandenburg Gate under a bright, hot sun. Obama called for a one-third reduction of US and Russian nuclear stockpiles, saying it is possible to ensure American security and a strong deterrent while also limiting nuclear weapons.
Obama spoke repeatedly of seeking "peace with justice" around the world by confronting intolerance, poverty, Middle East conflicts and economic inequality.
"Peace with justice means pursuing the security of a world without nuclear weapons, no matter how distant that dream may be," Obama said.
"We can ensure the security of America and our allies and maintain a strong and credible strategic deterrent while reducing our deployed strategic nuclear weapons by up to one-third," he said.
Obama said he intends to seek negotiated nuclear arsenal cuts with Russia, thus steering away from any unilateral US reductions. Moreover, Obama said he would work with NATO allies to seek "bold reductions" in US and Russian tactical weapons in Europe.
Obama could face objections among NATO countries where many strongly oppose removing US nuclear weapons because they worry the Russians have a far greater number of tactical nuclear weapons within range of their territory.
In Washington, reaction was mixed.
In Moscow, Russian foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said plans for any further arms reduction would also have to involve other countries.
"The situation is now far from what it was in the '60s and '70s, when only the USA and the Soviet Union discussed arms reduction," Ushakov said.
Russia remains wary of US missile defense plans in Europe, despite US assurances that the shield is not aimed at Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow's concerns about anti-missile shields the US and NATO are deploying, and said the development of high-precision, long-range conventional weapons could upset the strategic balance.
"These weapons are approaching the level of strategic nuclear arms in terms of their strike capability. States possessing such weapons strongly increase their offensive potential," said Putin.
In a wide-ranging speech that enumerated a litany of challenges facing the world, Obama said he wanted to reignite the spirit that Berlin displayed when it fought to reunite itself during the Cold War.
"Today's threats are not as stark as they were half a century ago, but the struggle for freedom and security and human dignity, that struggle goes on," Obama said at the city's historic Brandenburg Gate under a bright, hot sun. Obama called for a one-third reduction of US and Russian nuclear stockpiles, saying it is possible to ensure American security and a strong deterrent while also limiting nuclear weapons.
Obama spoke repeatedly of seeking "peace with justice" around the world by confronting intolerance, poverty, Middle East conflicts and economic inequality.
"Peace with justice means pursuing the security of a world without nuclear weapons, no matter how distant that dream may be," Obama said.
"We can ensure the security of America and our allies and maintain a strong and credible strategic deterrent while reducing our deployed strategic nuclear weapons by up to one-third," he said.
Obama said he intends to seek negotiated nuclear arsenal cuts with Russia, thus steering away from any unilateral US reductions. Moreover, Obama said he would work with NATO allies to seek "bold reductions" in US and Russian tactical weapons in Europe.
Obama could face objections among NATO countries where many strongly oppose removing US nuclear weapons because they worry the Russians have a far greater number of tactical nuclear weapons within range of their territory.
In Washington, reaction was mixed.
In Moscow, Russian foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said plans for any further arms reduction would also have to involve other countries.
"The situation is now far from what it was in the '60s and '70s, when only the USA and the Soviet Union discussed arms reduction," Ushakov said.
Russia remains wary of US missile defense plans in Europe, despite US assurances that the shield is not aimed at Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow's concerns about anti-missile shields the US and NATO are deploying, and said the development of high-precision, long-range conventional weapons could upset the strategic balance.
"These weapons are approaching the level of strategic nuclear arms in terms of their strike capability. States possessing such weapons strongly increase their offensive potential," said Putin.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
