Lt. General Robert Gard (USA, ret.), chairman of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, noted that "The Bush administration has missed important opportunities to reduce the grave danger posed by the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and dismissed tools that have served us well during the Cold War and continue to be our best bet to address this threat effectively."

Gard added: "Senator McCain's remarks signal a significant change from the Bush administration in certain important areas, including a renewed commitment to pursuing further legally-binding and verifiable reductions in the number of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons, opening a discussion on the ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, strengthening efforts to secure vulnerable bomb-grade material, pursuing negotiations for a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty and increasing funding for the IAEA."

Leonor Tomero, Director of Nuclear Non-Proliferation at the Center, added: "These issues are extremely important for non-proliferation efforts as the world will look to the new President to make significant progress on the promises that were made over a decade ago and that have not been fulfilled."

"Questions remain, including whether Senator McCain will continue the successful engagement with North Korea to achieve a verifiable dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program, and whether he will be willing to negotiate directly with Iran. Another concern is his support of an ineffective and provocative missile defense which rankles the Russians and does nothing to reduce the risk of a hostile country or terrorist group," Tomero concluded.

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