Cautious welcome for arms reductions

Scottish CND today gave a cautious welcome to the announcement of a new treaty reducing the number of American and Russian nuclear weapons. The agreement, which is expected to be signed at a summit between Putin and Bush on 24 May, is likely to agree to a cut to between 1,700 and 2,200 operational nuclear weapons by 2012.

It is not clear how many of the weapons will be kept in reserve. The US wanted the extra weapons kept in reserve while Russia has been arguing that they should be destroyed.

There is also concern that the US wants to have fewer, but more useable nuclear weapons. This policy shift was revealed in a Nuclear Policy Review leaked in March. The review calls on the development of smaller nuclear bombs and weapons designed for use against bunkers. It also suggested that nuclear arms might be used against a range of countries including Iraq.

"This is a significant step in the right direction. The next move should be that Britain should join in - and announce that we no longer need the nuclear weapons based at Faslane."

Said John Ainslie, Administrator, Scottish CND