The election of President Obama provides an opportunity to dramatically improve our relations with Russia and make major progress toward achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.
We call upon President Obama to initiate negotiations with Russia for a world free of nuclear weapons with the following four near-term goals:
1. A joint statement of commitment that a nuclear weapons-free world is a common and urgent goal of both countries;
2. An agreement to reduce nuclear arsenals, as a next step toward this goal, to no more than 1,000 nuclear weapons each by the end of the year 2010;
3. A commitment to de-alert nuclear weapons, taking the nuclear arsenals on both sides off hair-trigger alert; and
4. An assurance of verification of disarmament by extending the provisions of the 1991 START I agreement, which is set to expire in December 2009.
The future of the planet is at stake. Nuclear disarmament cannot remain on the back burner. It is an urgent priority issue, requiring action now.
I believe that your election provides an opportunity to dramatically improve our relations with Russia and make major progress toward achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.
We call upon you to initiate negotiations with Russia for a world free of nuclear weapons with the following four near-term goals:
1. A joint statement of commitment that a nuclear weapons-free world is a common and urgent goal of both countries;
2. An agreement to reduce nuclear arsenals, as a next step toward this goal, to no more than 1,000 nuclear weapons each by the end of the year 2010;
3. A commitment to de-alert nuclear weapons, taking the nuclear arsenals on both sides off hair-trigger alert; and
4. An assurance of verification of disarmament by extending the provisions of the 1991 START I agreement, which is set to expire in December 2009.
[Your comments]
The future of the planet is at stake. Nuclear disarmament cannot remain on the back burner. It is an urgent priority issue, requiring action now.
