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Untitled Document On the Adoption by State Duma of a Federal Law on Ratification of the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Daily News Bulletin May 15, 2003
On May 14 the State Duma passed a Federal Law on Ratification of the Russian-American Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions (SOR Treaty), signed in Moscow on May 24, 2002, by the Presidents of Russia and the United States.
This decision was preceded by a comprehensive discussion of the provisions of the Treaty, as well as of the likely implications of its implementation in the political, military, economic and other fields during the hearings in committees of the State Duma and the Federation Council with the participation of authoritative experts from federal bodies of executive power.
The SOR Treaty is called upon to become an important landmark on the road of a drastic reduction of the strategic offensive arms of Russia and the United States and in the historic process of nuclear disarmament as a whole. It provides for the lowering of the levels of strategic nuclear warheads to 1,700-2,200 for each party by the end of 2012, that is, approximately by three times, compared to the levels provided by the START Treaty.
The SOR Treaty fully meets the national security interests of the Russian Federation and will serve as a weighty contribution to the cause of strengthening international security and strategic stability.
After the adoption by the State Duma of the Federal Law, as is expected, it will in the next few days be considered by the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and in the case of approval will be submitted for the signature of the President of the Russian Federation. The Treaty will enter into force after the exchange of instruments of ratification between the Russian and American sides.
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