Russian FM: Make Middle East nuclear weapons-free zone

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1069219.html

Last update - 14:25 07/03/2009

Russia repeated on Saturday its call for the Middle East to be made a nuclear weapons-free zone.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, addressing a disarmament conference after holding bilateral talks in Geneva on Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said:

"The task to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime in the Middle East remains urgent. We consistently advocate this region to become a nuclear-weapon-free zone, and eventually, a zone free from all other types of weapons of mass destruction," he said.

Lavrov also called for a successor deal with the United States to their Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), saying this was a priority in 'resetting' their relations as Washington has urged.

"We are prepared, as was suggested by our American partners, to "reset" our relations ... Conclusion of a new legally-binding Russian-American treaty on strategic offensive weapons could become a priority step in that direction."

[randr]

1. Now comes the reality check

Do we support PEACE in the middle east or the continued domination of Zionistfacist/pseudoChristianaramagedian/Islamicknuckledragger thinking?
What is our relationship to the vast majority of Islamic peoples?
Can the rational world step away from the fundamentalists on all sides for just this moment and act in an adult manner for the betterment of all life on earth?

[Iterate]

2. Jump on it, and expand it

to move toward the "Path to Zero plan" for global nuclear disarmament that was supported by Obama (and many others) during the primary. I don't recall any mention of it during the general election campaign, but we were busy talking about other things. With support from George Shultz and other moderate Republicans (never thought I would say that), it would also go a long way to ease tensions with Iran and N. Korea. And be safer. And save lives. And save money.