Russia's lower house ratifies US nuclear pact

Russia's lower house of parliament ratified a key nuclear treaty signed last April by US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, a move likely to boost arms control negotiations between the two former Cold-War foes.

The new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is to replace defunct treaty signed between the US and ex-USSR at the height of the Cold War. The State Duma, the Lower House of the Russian legislature, approved the New Start treaty by 350 votes with 96 deputies voting against and one abstaining.

Two main opposition - Communist and Liberal Democratic parties voted against the treaty, which was backed by ruling United Russia and left-leaning Kremlin loyalist "A Just Russia' parties. Before giving its approval in the final and third reading, the State Duma made several amendments to the document. One of them ensures that Moscow can step out of the treaty if it

feels that the US missile defence plan in Europe poses a threat to Russia's national security.

It has also legally linked offensive strategic arms and missile defence, which was one of the stumbling blocks in the long-running negotiations between Moscow and Washington. The new pact slashes the Russian and US nuclear arsenals to a maximum of 1,550 nuclear warheads, down from the current ceiling of 2,200. It will allow Russia to take its ageing weapons out of commission while keeping parity with the United States for the decade that the treaty remains in effect.

The US Senate ratified the new arms deal with Russia on December 22, 2010, but added several amendments to the resolution on ratification, including a demand to build up US global missile shield. Before coming into force new START has to be ratified by the upper house -the Federation Council, which could vote on it tomorrow at its first session in the New Year.