Arms Control & Non Proliferation

Related material from the State Department on:
 • Cluster Munitions
 • Glossary of Nuclear Terms from America.gov

18 March 2010 U.S.-Russian Arms Reduction Deal Expected “Soon”  U.S. and Russian negotiators in Geneva are reporting “substantial progress” on a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) that would reduce the number of nuclear warheads deployed in both countries by about one-quarter, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says, predicting a final agreement will be reached “soon.”

08 March 2010 Nuclear Treaty Still Curbs Spread of Weapons   While the threat of global nuclear war largely has passed, the danger of nuclear proliferation continues to make the 40-year-old Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as relevant today as it was during the height of the Cold War, President Obama says. The treaty, which is commonly known by its initials NPT, came into force March 5, 1970, and was intended to limit the spread of nuclear weapons. It was proposed by Ireland and Finland, which were the first nations to sign it.

05 March 2010 Statement by President Obama on the 40th Anniversary of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty  "Forty years ago today, in the midst of a Cold War, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) entered into force, becoming the cornerstone of the world’s efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.  Today, the threat of global nuclear war has passed, but the danger of nuclear proliferation endures, making the basic bargain of the NPT more important than ever: nations with nuclear weapons will move toward disarmament, nations without nuclear weapons will forsake them, and all nations have an “inalienable right” to peaceful nuclear energy. Each of these three pillars -- disarmament, nonproliferation and peaceful uses -- are central to the vision that I outlined in Prague of stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and seeking a world without them."

18 February 2010 Biden Discusses U.S. Nuclear Agenda  Vice President Biden says the United States will do everything in its power to keep nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists or spreading to states that do not already have them.But Biden also emphasized that the United States recognizes that as its own technology improves, researchers are developing non-nuclear ways to deter potential adversaries without relying on the nuclear weapons deterrence that characterized the Cold War period of the 20th century.

16 February 2010 Concern Grows over Potential for Middle Eastern Nuclear Arms Race  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wrapped up a three-day Gulf diplomatic mission after consultations with key Middle Eastern leaders in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference as well as with regional business leaders and college students. Clinton told Saudi college students February 16 that the long-term goal of the United States is to see the entire Middle East, including Iran, free of nuclear weapons.

29 January 2010 Vice President Biden on Obama’s Nuclear Vision  

09 December 2009 United States Introduces New Biological Weapons Security Strategy  The United States takes biological weapons threats seriously, and the Obama administration has adopted a new approach that is designed to counter today’s threats while preventing the misuse of science, Under Secretary of State Ellen Tauscher says.

04 December 2009 Joint Statement by Presidents Obama, Medvedev on START Treaty. Both countries will continue to work in spirit of treaty after its expiration.

04 December 2009 United States, Russia Extend START Arms Cut Pact Past Deadline  The United States and Russia have agreed to maintain a critical nuclear arms control agreement past its expiration date until a new agreement is reached, saying that strategic stability is very important.

30 November 2009 The United States is a World Leader in Humanitarian Mine Action  The United States shares common cause with nations who are working to address the harmful effects of indiscriminately used landmines on civilians. We are proud to be a world leader in humanitarian mine action, having provided more than $1.5 billion since 1993 to mitigate the threat from landmines and explosive remnants of war in nearly 50 countries.

30 November 2009 Nations that Dismantled Nuclear Arms Point the Way Forward   It lacks the drama of the Cuban missile crisis, but a generation ago Brazil and Argentina stepped back from a path that could have triggered a nuclear arms race in South America. Other countries — Libya, South Africa, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus — also offer examples of how to bank the fires that fuel nuclear ambitions. Can such nonproliferation success stories be replicated in the Middle East, Korean Peninsula and Indian subcontinent?

25 November 2009 U.S.-Russian Nuclear Pact Will Drive Future Weapons Cuts  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said the nuclear status quo is neither desirable nor sustainable. It gives countries an “excuse to pursue their own nuclear options.” But recently, U.S. and Russian officials have been through eight rounds of negotiations in Geneva to change the status quo. They’re hammering out the details of a new accord to succeed the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, often referred to as START, scheduled to expire December 5.

23 November 2009 U.S. and Russian Negotiators Cutting Nuclear Weapons, Launchers  President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed in April to reduce nuclear arsenals below the levels called for in the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START I.  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a press conference October 13 in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the United States and Russia are making progress in replacing the current treaty and easing perceived tensions over nuclear weapons.

19 November 2009 START Aggregate Numbers of Strategic Offensive Arms  Fact Sheet: Data compiled as of July 2009.

15 November 2009 United States, Russia Close to New Arms Control Treaty  President Obama held consultations with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on the sidelines of the 17th annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Singapore, and their talks focused on two areas: a new arms control treaty and what to do about efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Since their first meetings in London and later Moscow, Obama and Medvedev have agreed on the urgent need to reduce U.S. and Russian nuclear arms stockpiles. Negotiators from both nations have been working feverishly on a replacement treaty for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START I, which expires December 5.

21 October 2009 Secretary Clinton Remarks at the United States Institute of Peace

13 October 2009 United States, Russia Making Progress on Arms Reduction Treaty  The United States and Russia are making progress in replacing a current treaty for reducing nuclear arsenals with one that goes further in physically reducing arsenals and also lessening perceived tensions over nuclear weapons, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed at a meeting in April to reduce nuclear arsenals well below the levels called for in the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START I.

07 October 2009 Nuclear Nonproliferation a Shared Responsibility, Official Says Efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and prevent nuclear terrorism must be shared, including "collective efforts" by countries to prevent others from crossing "the nuclear threshold," the State Department’s top diplomat on arms control told the United Nations General Assembly.

24 September 2009 Fact Sheet on the United Nations Security Council Summit on Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Disarmament UNSC Resolution 1887

24 September 2009 Weapons Talks Spur New Cooperation Between U.S., Russia  As the two major nuclear superpowers, the United States and Russia have made a substantial commitment to reduce their nuclear weapon stockpiles and both say they will reach an agreement on further reductions by the end of 2009.

21 September 2009 The New System Offers A Real Missile Defence  Financial Times op-ed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

17 September 2009 Remarks by the President on strengthening missile defense in Europe

17 September 2009 Obama Announces New Plan to Defend Europe from Iranian Missiles  Citing the need for a more adaptable missile defense architecture for Europe that uses "proven and cost-effective" technology, the Obama administration unveiled plans for a phased deployment of sensors and missile interceptors designed to reduce the threat from Iran’s ballistic missile program.

17 September 2009 Fact Sheet on U.S. Missile Defense Policy  President Obama has approved the recommendation of Secretary of Defense Gates and the Joint Chiefs of Staff for a phased, adaptive approach for missile defense in Europe.  This approach is based on an assessment of the Iranian missile threat, and a commitment to deploy technology that is proven, cost-effective, and adaptable to an evolving security environment.

02 September 2009 Remarks by Ambassador Rice, outlining the Security Council's September Program of Work

31 August 2009 State's Gottemoeller on Arms Control Priorities  Says a new START accord will persuade other nations to reduce arms.

12 August 2009 Strengthening the Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime: A Blueprint for Progress

05 August 2009 Obama to Lead U.N. Session on Nonproliferation  President Obama will chair a high-level meeting of the U.N. Security Council on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament when the United Nations convenes for the opening of the General Assembly in September, U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said. "The Security Council has an essential role in preventing the spread and use of nuclear weapons and is also the world’s principal multilateral instrument for global security cooperation," Rice said in an announcement August 4 in New York.

16 July 2009 Fact Sheet on Legacy of START and Related Arms Control Policies  Arms control efforts reduce numbers of bombers, missiles, nuclear warheads.

09 July 2009 The Obama Administration’s arms control and non-proliferation strategy.   Gary Samore, Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for Arms Control and Weapons of Mass Destruction, Proliferation, and Terrorism spoke on “The Obama Administration’s arms control and non-proliferation strategy” at the International Institute For Strategic Studies.
From the IISS: Watch the Speech and the Q&A Session.

08 July 2009 Joint Understanding by Obama, Medvedev on Missile Defense  Leaders outline elements in the START follow on treaty.

24 June 2009 Military Leaders from U.S., Gulf States Discuss Security Threats  U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told military leaders from the Gulf region that today's security environment in the Gulf poses dilemmas and opportunities that span all borders.

10 June 2009 July Moscow Summit Seeks to Reduce Nuclear Arsenals  President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev committed to reducing their nuclear arsenals through a proposed arms reduction treaty that would take effect late this year. As owners of more than 95 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, the United States and Russia will lead by example, Obama said after a meeting with Medvedev in early April.

08 June 2009 U.S. Seeking Strong Response to North Korea's Nuclear Actions  Not taking significant and effective action against North Korea's recent "provocative and belligerent behavior" to test a nuclear weapon and launch repeated short-range missiles could spark an arms race in Northeast Asia that nobody wants, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says.

01 June 2009 Defense Secretary Gates on Missile Defense Discussions

01 June 2009 U.S. Will Not Accept North Korea as Nuclear Weapons State  The U.S. will not accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told an annual Asian security conference in Singapore. "Dependent on the charity of the international community to alleviate the hunger and suffering of its people, North Korea's leadership has chosen to focus the North's limited energies and resources on a reckless and ultimately self-destructive quest for nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles," Gates said.

29 May 2009 U.S. Helps Nations Reduce, Destroy Excess Weapons and Munitions  Huge stockpiles of small arms, light weapons and aging munitions that were likely acquired decades ago now pose security and safety concerns for nations in every region of the world, say U.S. officials. The United States is committed to helping other nations reduce and destroy stockpiles of excess weapons and often unstable munitions, a State Department official says.

18 May 2009 State Department Fact Sheet on Open Skies Arms Control Treaty

15 May 2009 P-5 Non-Proliferation Treaty  The Delegations of China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America affirm their collective support for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

07 May 2009 Reducing Nuclear Arsenals Is a Critical U.S.-Russian Concern  Reducing nuclear arsenals is among the highest priorities for the United States and Russia, but an array of other international issues from the Middle East to North Korea also fills the crowded agenda of the two nations.

05 May 2009 Preparations for 2010 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review  State’s Gottemoeller notes need to strengthen convention.

24 April 2009 U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms Reduction Talks Begin  The first round of "very productive" negotiations to replace a 1991 nuclear arms reduction treaty have begun in Rome between senior U.S. and Russian diplomats. The new arms control negotiations are aimed at developing a replacement for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START-1, before it expires December 5, 2009.

05 April 2009 Obama Seeks World Free of Nuclear Weapons  President Obama vowed that the United States will take concrete steps toward a world free of nuclear weapons. "We will reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy and urge others to do the same," Obama said in an April 5 speech in Hradcanske Square outside the medieval Prague Castle in the Czech Republic.

05 April 2009 Obama Condemns North Korea's Missile Launch  President Obama condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range Taepodong-2 missile April 4 as a threat to the security of Northeast Asia and international peace and security. "With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations," said Obama.

09 March 2009 Clinton Hails Renewal of U.S.-Russian Arms Control Talks   A “fresh start” in U.S.-Russian relations will begin with a renewed commitment to shrinking stockpiles of nuclear weapons, after Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announce plans to start negotiations on a new arms control treaty.

National Security Strategy

National Security Strategy of the United States, September 2002 

Humanitarian Demining Initiatives

07 November 2006 U.S. Urges Agreement To Restrict Deadly Anti-Vehicle Mine Use   Mines designed to explode when a vehicle passes over them continue to maim and kill innocents around the world long after conflicts have ended, and they pose a particular problem for international relief organizations.

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