Эта страница на русском языке

Hot on the Traces...

START-2 Treaty and Further Nuclear Arms Reductions page
Center's home page


Under this title, we cover public news media discussions of the most interesting events related with nuclear disarmament. Currently, the major events of December, 1997 are in the focus.

U.S. Nuclear Strategy Has Been Slightly Changed
Updated on May 15, 1998.

On December 7, 1997, The Washington Post reported about changes in U.S. nuclear strategy: (Clinton Directive Changes Strategy On Nuclear Arms, by R. Jeffrey Smith,  The Washington Post,  Page A01). The new plan calls for the U.S. to abandon its strategy of being able to win a protracted nuclear war.  However, the new guidelines could reinforce several negative aspects of America's nuclear doctrine. In particular, current doctrine assumes, that the U.S.could respond to chemical or biological weapon attacks with nuclear weapons even if the aggressor is a non-nuclear weapon state.

The new plan is discussed in the following publications:

More on the topic of the interest:

Russian President's New Nuclear Disarmament Initiatives
Updated on March 23, 1998.

On December 2, 1997, Russian President Boris Yeltsin declared a new initiative in the disarmament of nuclear arsenals. He announced in Stockholm that Russia would unilaterally reduce its nuclear warheads by one-third. Yeltsin emphasized that Russia "intends to persuade Britain, France, and China to join in the convention on the destruction of nuclear warheads". "We must bring the question to an end and totally destroy  these weapons on both sides", stressed the President (reported by RIA-Novosti, December 3, 1997).

Russian and Western public press continues  to comment President Yeltsin's statements:


This page is maintained by Eugene Miasnikov.
Additions are much welcome. Please, send your suggestions, comments and questions to eugene@iris.mipt.ru

©  Center for Arms Control, Energy and Environmental Studies at MIPT , 1997-98.