The new Russian-American treaty of nuclear disarmament START signed April 8, 2010 came into force on Saturday, after the exchange of instruments of ratification between the chiefs of diplomacy of both countries.
"Today we have exchanged instruments of ratification of a treaty reducing nuclear dangers imposed on the Russian and American peoples and the world," said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a ceremony with his Russian colleague Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the annual security conference in Munich (southern Germany).
The treaty is the centerpiece of the "restart" of relations between Washington and Moscow after tensions emerged at the end of the presidency of Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush. It was signed by MM.Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev in Prague in April 2010 after lengthy negotiations.
This treaty is valid for ten years and renewable for five years provided that each country can deploy up to 1,550 warheads, a reduction of 30% over 2002.
It allows the resumption of mutually verifiable nuclear arsenals of both superpowers, interrupted in late 2009 at the expiration of the previous bilateral agreement on disarmament, in 1991.
It has however been criticized for its lack of ambition, because it ignores the thousands of nuclear warheads stockpiled by Russia and the United States.
Although six other countries (excluding North Korea whose capabilities are still embryonic) have nuclear weapons, Washington and Moscow still hold over 90% of the world's nuclear arsenals.
And it sets limits for vectors (missiles and bombers at long range) actually deployed - 700 countries by over 100 in reserve - more or less correspond to the reality on the ground already, the Russians were already below this threshold and the Americans very little above.
Mr.Lavrov told the Munich conference that the agreement would improve "international stability".
Whatever the limitations or reservations, the event marks a new era symbolically called for by his vows before the same conference two years ago the U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, namely to "press the button "to restart the Russian-American relations.
These had been damaged by the war between Russia and Georgia in August 2008.The U.S. intervention in Iraq in 2003 and criticism of Vladimir Putin against the American tendency to dictate to the world his behavior at that same forum in Munich in 2007, had already deteriorated relations between the two former Cold War adversaries .
This treaty will allow Washington to go to Moscow for further discussions on limiting short-range weapons as well as the famous stock mothballed nuclear warheads, which he will one day get rid of too, as confirmed Saturday Clinton.
The treaty was not ratified without difficulty and is accompanied by documents which are reported reserves of Moscow.
The fundamental point of disagreement concerns the decision of the Obama administration to pursue construction of a European missile shield. Russia said it would accept the project unless they can participate in their own right.
