Suchergebnisse

AFTER SIX MONTHS OF STEADY PROGRESS, THE MOMENTUM OF THE STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TALKS SLOWED AT THE APRIL 1990 MEETING BETWEEN U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE BAKER AND SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTER SHEVARDNADZE. THE TWO SIDES IDENTIFIED DISAGREEMENTS OVER LIMITATIONS ON SEA- AND AIR-LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILES AS THE MAIN STUMBLING BLOCKS. DESPITE THE LACK OF PROGRESS, THE DATE FOR THE UPCOMING BUSH-GORBACHEV SUMMIT WAS MOVED FORWARD BY ALMOST ONE MONTH.

THE DEBATE OVER THE NATURE OF SOVIET STRATEGIC MODERNIZATION HAS IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE U.S. DEFENSE BUDGET. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE CHENEY HAS TRIED TO JUSTIFY HIS DEPARTMENT'S FY 1991 FUNDING REQUESTS FOR STRATEGIC NUCLEAR FORCES IN PART BY ARGUING THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO REDUCTION IN SOVIET STRATEGIC EFFORTS. BUT AN EXAMINATION OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE USSR RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT CHENEY'S POSITION.

THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION HAVE COMPLETED TRIAL INSPECTIONS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE TO HELP NEGOTIATORS DEVELOP VERIFICATION PROVISIONS FOR THE STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TALKS (START) AGREEMENT.

THE START NEGOTIATIONS ARE VIRTUALLY STALLED, WITH LITTLE HOPE OF MEETING THE 1990 DEADLINE UNLESS THE PROCESS IS ACCELERATED BY HIGH LEVEL OFFICIALS ON BOTH SIDES. SECRETARY OF STATE BAKER HAS IDENTIFIED THREE MAJOR OBSTACLES TO A START ACCORD: RESTRAINTS ON SS-18 FLIGHT TESTING AND MODERNIZATION, LIMITS ON THE SOVIET BACKFIRE BOMBER, AND THE DETAILS OF A PROVISION DESIGNED TO PREVENT EITHER SIDE FROM CIRCUMVENTING THE TREATY.

BALLOONING BUDGET DEFICITS AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE WARSAW PACT HAVE SET THE TONE FOR THIS YEAR'S CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET DEBATE, WITH ALL PARTICIPANTS ANTICIPATING DECLINING DEFENSE SPENDING FOR YEARS TO COME.

TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS OF IMPLEMENTING THE START I AND II TREATIES, THE UNITED STATES HAS UNDERTAKEN SAFETY, SECURITY, AND DISMANTLEMENT (SSD) NEGOTIATIONS WITH FOUR SOVIET SUCCESSOR STATES--BELARUS, KAZAKHSTAN, RUSSIA, AND UKRAINE. IN THIS INTERVIEW, FORMER SPECIAL ENVOY WILLIAM F. BURNS DISCUSSES THE OBJECTIVES AND STATUS OF THE SSD NEGOTIATIONS.

IN THIS INTERVIEW, AMBASSADOR C. PAUL ROBINSON DISCUSSES THE U.S.-SOVIET NUCLEAR TESTING TALKS IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, WHERE HE HAS SERVED AS CHIEF U.S. NEGOTIATOR SINCE FEBRUARY 1988. HE ALSO EXPLAINS THE VERIFICATION PROTOCOLS FOR THE 1974 THRESHOLD TEST BAN TREATY AND THE 1976 PEACEFUL NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS TREATY.