ABM Treaty Useful for Fighting Terrorism: Russian Top DiplomatA series of key bilateral agreements reached between Russia and the United States, especially the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty, is part of the worldwide struggle against terrorism and efforts to preserve a sound world order, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister George Mamedov said Monday.Discussing strategic stability with visiting U.S. Under Secretary of State John Bolton, Mamedov noted that Tuesday's terrorist attacks against the U.S. have proved that Russia and America are faced with the same real threat from terrorism. One of the ways to thwart such threats is to strengthen rational global order and the cooperation in fighting terrorism, he added. All existing Russian-U.S. accords on strategic offensive weapons and ABM issues are part of such world order and represent efforts to uproot terrorism, he said. Strengthening international order is an effective way to combat crime, including terrorism. In this sense, preserving the ABM treaty helps to intensify the crackdown on terrorism, he said. Bolton arrived here Sunday for talks on strategic stability and nuclear disarmament with the Russian side. He was also expected to prepare a meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers slated for Wednesday and a later summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart, George W. Bush. |
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