    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [March 7, 2003]
    [Page 256]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Senate Ratification of the Moscow Treaty on Strategic
    Offensive Reductions
    March 7, 2003

        I commend the Senate's action to give its consent to ratification of
    the Moscow Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions that President
    Putin and I signed on May 24, 2002, in
    Moscow, Russia. I also thank Senator Lugar
    and Senator Biden  Jr. for their leadership
    in successfully negotiating a unanimous, bipartisan vote in support of
    the Moscow Treaty.
        This historic agreement will reduce the nuclear arsenals of the
    United States and Russia to their lowest levels in decades. The treaty
    will benefit both our peoples and contribute to a more secure world.
        The Moscow Treaty helps lay to rest the legacies of cold war
    competition and suspicion and marks a fundamentally new era in relations
    between the United States and Russia. The strategic offensive reductions
    codified and made binding under international law in this Treaty are
    essential steps toward achieving greater political, economic, and
    security cooperation between our two countries.
        Shortly after assuming office, I pledged to the American people my
    commitment to achieve a credible strategic deterrent with the lowest-
    possible number of nuclear weapons consistent with our national security
    needs, including our obligations to our allies. Under the Moscow Treaty,
    the United States and Russia will both reduce their operationally
    deployed strategic nuclear warheads to a level of 1700-2200 by December
    31, 2012--nearly two-thirds below current levels. At my direction, the
    United States has already embarked upon its reductions by starting to
    deactivate the Peacekeeper missiles located at Francis E. Warren Air
    Force Base in Wyoming, and by taking the first steps to remove four sea-
    launched ballistic missile submarines from strategic service.
        I am hopeful that the Russian Duma and Federation Council will soon
    give their approval to ratification, so that President Putin and I can exchange instruments of ratification and
    the Moscow Treaty can enter into force.