USA: SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL SAYS U.S. AND RUSSIA HAVE MADE PROGRESS ON ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT BUT DISAGREEMENTS REMAIN
Record ID:
222880
USA: SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL SAYS U.S. AND RUSSIA HAVE MADE PROGRESS ON ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT BUT DISAGREEMENTS REMAIN
- Title: USA: SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL SAYS U.S. AND RUSSIA HAVE MADE PROGRESS ON ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT BUT DISAGREEMENTS REMAIN
- Date: 3rd May 2002
- Summary: (W7) WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MAY 3, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. MV: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV EMERGING FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT BUILDING FOLLOWING THEIR TALKS 0.13 2. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL SAYING: "As you might expect, we had a long discussion today on the strategic framework. We have made progress toward the completion of our work on a strategic framework document. There are still some outstanding issues, but I think I can say that we're both encouraged by the progress that we made today." 0.33 3. SV: REPORTERS 0.38 4. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian with English Interpretation) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV SAYING: "Today we had very constructive negotiations, and on many issues we achieved substantial progress. A number of questions remains to be agreed before the time of the President Bush visit to Russia. We hope to have them agreed to ensure that, by the time of the visit, we have a very solid package of important documents." 1.26 5. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL RESPONDING TO WHETHER THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIAN ARE MOVING TOWARD A FORMAL ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT WHICH INCLUDES NEW REDUCTIONS OF WARHEADS SAYING: "Yes, we are working to codify what we have announced and agreed to in the legally binding document. And we are hard at work on that document. And there will be some additional work, both by the foreign minister and me, as well as with our defense ministers, I expect, as well as Ambassador Mamedov and Mr. Bolton. So we're hard at work. And as I said earlier, I'm encouraged by the progress that we made today." REPORTER: "One quick one. Treaty, executive agreement, or is that still up in the air?" POWELL: "We haven't decided yet. Both the treaty and an executive agreement are legally binding in international law. It's a political judgement we'll be making in the days ahead." REPORTER: "... Have you agreed counting roles? Is that one of the areas that you've made progress on?" POWELL: "We've made progress on all areas, but what I'd rather not do is single out where the remaining differences are. I'm encouraged by the progress we made. And remaining differences are there, and we need to spend more time working on them and discussing them to see if we can resolve them in time for the Moscow summit. If we can, fine. And if we're unable to, the work will continue. But I am encouraged." /CUTAWAY OF IVANOV (3 SHOTS) 2.49 6. MV: POWELL AND IVANOV SPEAKING OUTSIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT BUILDING 2.53 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 18th May 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA2NLSQYGNBBX1PWWC8GI3UXLTE
- Story Text: The United States and Russia made progress on Friday in
negotiations on an arms control agreement but disagreements
remain, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Russian
Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, charged by their presidents to
write the framework of a new nuclear arms control agreement
before a May 23 summit in Russia, said they had made good
progress but that still more work was ahead.
"We have made progress toward the completion of our work
on a strategic framework document. There are still outstanding
issues but I think I can say that we're both encouraged by the
progress that we made today," Powell said after his talks with
Ivanov at the U.S. State Department.
Powell and Ivanov will continue their work along the
sidelines of a NATO gathering in Iceland later in May. Russia
has been invited to observe the NATO meeting.
"A number of questions remains to be agreed before the
time of the President Bush visit to Russia. We hope to have
them agreed to ensure that, by the time of the visit, we have
a very solid package of important documents," Ivanov said.
The goal of the two foreign ministers is to agree on a
legally-binding document slashing the American and Russian
nuclear arsenals by about one-third, which amounts to roughly
1,700 to 2,200 warheads each.
The Bush administration's decision to formalize the arms
cuts in a legally-binding document, initially resisted in
Washington, was supposed to help allay Russian fears about
U.S. plans for a missile defense.
Suspicious of treaties, the Bush administration is striving
to keep the document to as few pages as possible, unlike the
lengthy arms control agreements of the past.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None