March 28, 2010 - 18:44 AMT
New START between Russia and U.S. to be signed on April 8 in Prague
During a telephone conversation the RF President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama have agreed to hold on April 8, 2010 a meeting in Prague for signing the Treaty between the United States and Russian Federation on measures for further reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms.


This agreement will replace the START Treaty of 1991, completed its action on Dec. 4, 2009. It will also replace the Treaty between the RF and the U.S. on Strategic Offensive Reductions of May 24, 2002 (SORT), the Kremlin press service reported.


The agreement duration is 10 years, before expiry of this period it will not be replaced by a subsequent agreement on reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. During the telephone conversation mutual satisfaction was expressed.

The presidents agreed that the new agreement marks the transition of Russia - U.S. strategic relations to a higher level. It will demonstrate the continuing commitment of Russia and the U.S., the largest world nuclear powers, to reduce their strategic offensive arsenals in accordance with the spirit of the NPT.