START Treaty to Bring All National Military Forces Under the Control of the United Nations

Russian Parliament Ratifies Arms Pact With U.S.

January 25, 2011

AP – Russia's lower house of parliament on Tuesday ratified a landmark nuclear arms pact with the United States, virtually assuring passage of an agreement President Barack Obama has described as the most significant arms control deal in nearly two decades.

The State Duma voted 350-96 with one abstention to pass a bill to ratify the New START treaty, which was approved by the U.S. Senate late last year. The treaty will now go to the upper house for final approval.

The New START would limit each country to 1,550 strategic warheads, down from the current ceiling of 2,200 and also re-establish a system for monitoring that ended in December 2009 with the expiration of the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty signed by Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and President George H.W. Bush.

The treaty's passage has never been in doubt in the Kremlin-controlled parliament, but Russian lawmakers wanted to counter a U.S. Senate resolution raising some Republican concerns that accompanied the December ratification by adding on a similar motion.

Obama pressed strongly for the pact's approval, and Democrats sought to appease some Republican senators by allowing them to raise their concerns about the treaty in the accompanying resolution.

Neither the Senate, nor the Duma resolution would affect the text of the treaty, which is a centerpiece of Obama's efforts to "reset" ties with Russia.

While the Senate resolution said the treaty shouldn't restrict U.S. plans to develop a missile defense system, the Duma ratification bill states that the treaty can only be fulfilled if emerging missile defenses don't erode the Russian nuclear deterrent.

The Russian draft bill also mimics the Senate resolution's concerns that the remaining nuclear arsenal is effective by emphasizing the need to modernize Russia's nuclear forces.

The Russian legislators said they felt obliged to present their view of the treaty's provisions, given the Senate interpretation.

"The State Duma proceeds from the assumption that the New START treaty can be functioning and viable only in conditions when there is no quantitative and qualitative buildup of the U.S. missile defense systems, developed independently or jointly with other countries," the Duma said in a statement accompanying the passage of the ratification bill.

NATO has approved a plan for a U.S.-led missile defense in Europe last fall and invited Russia to join. Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev was receptive of NATO's proposal but didn't make a definitive commitment.

Medvedev has warned that the failure to reach agreement on a joint European missile shield with Moscow may force Russia to deploy new offensive weapons and trigger a new arms race.

In its statement on Tuesday, the Duma also turned a cold shoulder to the U.S. push for a quick start of U.S.-Russian talks to cut short-range nuclear weapons.

Following similar statements from the Russian foreign minister, legislators said in their statement that such talks should also include missile defense, potential deployment of space-based weapons and conventional armaments. They also urged the United States to withdraw its tactical nuclear weapons in Europe.

U.S. Republican Lawmakers Taking Aim at UN

January 25, 2011

AP – Newly empowered Republican lawmakers are taking their first shots at the United Nations, depicting it as bloated and ineffective as they seek to cut U.S. funding for the world body.

On Tuesday, a House of Representatives panel aired criticisms of the U.N. at a briefing expected to prescribe congressional action.

Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs committee, is seeking cuts and has introduced a bill intended to pressure the United Nations to change the way it operates and to make dues voluntary. She also is promising investigations into possible corruption and mismanagement.

"U.S. policy on the United Nations should be based on three fundamental questions: Are we advancing American interests? Are we upholding American values? Are we being responsible stewards of American taxpayer dollars?" she said in a statement that was read at the briefing, which she could not attend. "Unfortunately, right now, the answer to all three questions is 'No.' "

U.N. spokeswoman Marie Okabe said that U.S. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would work with U.S. lawmakers.

"The United Nations has always worked constructively with the United States, and we share the same goals: for a stronger United Nations, one that is efficient, effective and accountable," she said.

Congress at various times has withheld funding from the world organization, but last year, under Democratic leadership in both the House and the Senate, the United States paid its dues in full as well as some back dues.

The United States is the largest single contributor to the U.N., responsible for 22 percent of its regular budget and 27 percent of the funding for its peacekeeping operations.

Tuesday's briefing comes as Republicans are pressing for broad spending cuts as they seek to reduce the U.S. budget deficit. Where those cuts should be made will be a major issue as President Barack Obama appears before Congress several hours later to deliver his annual State of the Union policy address.

The United Nations has long been a target for conservative U.S. lawmakers. Investigations by Republican-led congressional panels in the last decade helped spur an independent investigation into the U.N.-run oil-for-food program in Iraq.

Peter Yeo, executive director of the Better World Campaign, which advocates U.S. support for the United Nations, said he expected Tuesday's briefing would mark the "beginning of a long examination" by congressional Republicans. But Yeo, who appeared before the panel, said he hoped to convince lawmakers that the United Nations is a good bargain for the United States.

"The U.N. serves our interest in a cost-effective way to promote global security," he said.

He also pointed to U.N. changes already carried out, including creation of an ethics office in 2006.

Rep. Howard Berman, the ranking Democrat on the committee, also defended the world body. While offering a long list of criticisms, he outlined a list of ways that the United Nations operations serves U.S. interests and noted the recent reforms.

It is unclear whether the Republican critiques will lead to cuts in the U.S. contribution. Ros-Lehtinen's bill probably would face resistance in the Democratic-controlled Senate and from the Obama administration.

U.N. dues must be financed through annual congressionally-approved spending plans and are thus subject to approval by both the House and Senate.