| WASHINGTON
- October 19 - President Bush is expected to deliver his message about U.S. intentions regarding the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a scheduled meeting on Sunday in Shanghai. In response to reports that President Bush will give notice of his intention to withdraw from the treaty, arms control experts urged the President to refrain from acting unilaterally.
"At a time when U.S. diplomats are struggling to hold together an international coalition in the war on terrorism, it is simply not in the U.S. interest to unilaterally abrogate the ABM Treaty. We should not risk Russia’s continued participation in the struggle against global terrorism in a rush to deploy an unproven missile defense system," said John Isaacs, President of Council for a Livable World.
At this point, there is no need for the Bush Administration to take unilateral action. As Stephen Young, Senior Analyst at Union of Concerned Scientists, points out, "The United States does not need to withdraw from the ABM Treaty to continue its missile defense research and test programs. The Bush administration is rushing forward needlessly with technology that is simply not ready." The United States could continue with plans to pursue a missile defense system in ways that would not break the ABM Treaty, an agreement that many see as a foundation of nuclear arms control agreements.
Christine Kucia, Senior Analyst at the British American Security Information Council, suggests that Presidents Bush and Putin should capitalize on the recent accomplishments in U.S.-Russian relations and expand that rapport to include a broader scope of security issues. "If President Bush is truly interested in strengthening international cooperation, he must lead by example. Instead of alienating our allies in a time of imperative solidarity, the President has the unique opportunity to work with Mr. Putin on a variety of mutually beneficial agreements such as reducing existing stockpiles and safeguarding materials and weapons."
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The following experts will be available for comment and analysis before and after Sunday’s meeting between Presidents Bush and Putin:
John Isaacs, President, Council for a Livable World, (Work: 202.543.4100 ext.131, Home: 202.387-6474)
Daryl Kimball, Executive Director, Arms Control Association, (Work: 202.463.8270 Mobile: 202.546-6584)
Christine Kucia, Senior Analyst, British American Security Information Council, (Work: 202.347.8340)
Chris Madison, Director, National Missile Defense Project, Council for a Livable World Education Fund, (Work: 202.546.0795 ext.135 Home: 301.585.4995)
Robert Sherman, Federation of American Scientists, (Work: 202.546.3300 Home: 301.417.7266)
Stephen Young, Senior Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists, (Work: 202.223.6133 Mobile: 202.669.2541)
The Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers is a non-partisan alliance of 14 national nuclear non-proliferation organizations dedicated to the pursuit of a practical, step-by-step program to address the threat of nuclear weapons. For further information on national missile defense and nuclear reductions, see http://www.crnd.org.
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