WASHINGTON (Reuters) - a second Republican bid change President Barack Obama with the Russia strategic nuclear weapons treaty failed during the debate in the Senate on Sunday and page top Democrats expressed confidence that they have the votes to approve the agreement.
Republican senators concerned by the large disparity in the tactical nuclear weapons, at short distance between the Russia and the United States rallied behind a modification of the Treaty-murder which would have inserted a reference to the question in the preamble to the agreement. The amendment was defeated 60-32.
Democratic Senator Bob Casey said the members of both parties were concerned about Russian tactical nuclear weapons, but there was a simple reason that New START nuclear Treaty addresses not - because it is dealing with strategic agreement or long-distance, atomic weapons.
Russia believed to be about 2 000 deployed tactical nuclear weapons, versus 500 for United States, according to the Federation of American Scientists. U.S. lawmakers fear that weapons are less securely stored and could fall into the hands of extremist groups.
They also fear that the Russians are more likely to use.
"Military doctrine is actually use these weapons, said Republican Senator Jon Kyl, who was a critique of the agreement START." "For the Russians, tactical nuclear weapons are a battlefield weapon like artillery."
Kyl said U.S. negotiators ought to use Russian interests in a new Treaty on strategic arms as a lever to encourage them to engage in discussions on nuclear weapons this.
OBAMA SNOOKERED?
"I know if it is due to a lack of direction by the Commander in Chief or poor negotiating, but one way or another we snookered," Kyl said. "We're snookered on missile defense." ... We have snookered tactical nuclear. We have snookered on verification. »
Kyl expresses frustration unable to Republicans amend the Treaty. The Democrats, who are able to block the changes with a majority vote, saying an amendment of the agreement or the preamble would effectively kill by forcing a complete renegotiation with the Russia.
This "" what we're doing here a Sunday afternoon?"" Kyl said. "... I hope that our colleagues will take into account the prospect to make a few changes here... I do not know why the other side is of the opinion that the u.s. Senate is here as a self-portraits.".
Democratic Senator John Kerry, who, as Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, has led the substantive debate said Russia would be "laugh we" if Washington tried to open negotiations on a treaty without first passing tactical weapon
START.
"If we pass the START Treaty, if we cannot reach a bilateral agreement on strategic arms reduction, no there is no discussion of tactical weapons," said Kerry. "It's as simple as day".
Treaty New START Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed in April, former adversaries of the cold war should be cut strategic nuclear warheads deployed to 1 not more than 550 each of seven years.
It would also reduce the number of deployed strategic missiles and bombers to 700 per side and establish a system of verification and inspection to ensure that they comply with the terms of the agreement.
Debate on the Treaty would continue at least until Tuesday. He did not know if it would gather 67 votes needed for the passage to the 100-member Senate.
The Agreement settles in the floor of the Senate debate on a vote of two-thirds majority which included nine Republicans. But some of these legislators, including 2008 Republican presidential rival Obama John McCain joined attempts to amend the Treaty.
Top Democrats of the page, including Vice President Joe Biden said Sunday that they were convinced to ultimately necessary to approve the Treaty vote and send it to Obama for ratification.
Their comments were even as leader of the Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said program "State of the Union" CNN that he would vote against the agreement.
"I have decided that I cannot support the Treaty," said McConnell. "I believe that the audit provisions are inadequate and I worry about the implications of missile defence it."
(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)
No comments:
Post a Comment