MainProjectsArms control and ways toward nuclear disarmament
Arms control and ways toward nuclear disarmament
The immense majority of countries and peoples stand for a nuclear-weapons-free world. The Russian Federation shares this noble goal.
Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev
The project has been implemented since October 2008. Within its framework PIR Center elaborates set of practical steps for the preparation of new international negations aimed at deep reduction of nuclear arsenals; develops recommendations on the issue of possible significant reduction of all types of nuclear weapons; analyses possibilities of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the USA in the field of missile defense
“Ways towards Nuclear Disarmament” project includes several integral parts:
Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons – In recent years the US/NATO has sought Russian agreement to increase transparency on Russian NSNWs in the European part of the country and relocate these weapons away from the territory of NATO member states; and Russia, in its part, has insisted on the complete withdrawal of the U.S. NSNWs from Europe. But this endless circle does not promise much room for negotiations. PIR Center’s Project is aimed at analyzing the current position of Russia, the United States and other NATO countries on the NSNW arms control issue and associated problems. The project also examines how the forward-deployed U.S. NSNWs in Europe affect the perception of the NSNW issue in the military-political leadership of Russia.
Conventional Arms Control in Europe – Having fulfilled its main task – to liquidate surplus of conventional arms – the CFE Treaty started to increasingly transform into a tool of collective control over Russian armed forces and of discriminatory limitations. Therefore setting a moratorium on the operation of the treaty was a consistent decision of Russian leadership and did not come unexpectedly for other parties. What comes next? Now it is apparent that there can be no return neither to the CFE Treaty of 1990, nor to the Agreement of its Adaptation of 1999, and authors are candid about it. Equally, there can also be no return to flank limitations for Russia in any form, even reduced. In response to Russia’s concerns about deployment of missile defense system in Europe our western partners emphasize openness and transparency. Maybe the same approach should be taken in the sphere of conventional arms? PIR Center experts try to answer the question within the framework of this Project.
Transparency in Nuclear Arsenals and Doctrines. PIR Center in its work pays much attention to studying the mechanisms for transparency in nuclear arsenals and doctrines and future nuclear weapons reductions, holding events and organizing discussions in the Security Index journal on the subject.
Missile Defense Issue. Real partnership on missile defense would provide a better missile defense of Europe, including European Russia. It would make NATO and Russia allies in protecting Europe, which could prove a ”gamechanger” in altering lingering Cold War attitudes in both Russia and NATO member-states. While studying the missile defense issue, PIR Center experts provide a set of recommendations which should lead to establishing the real (not declarative) partnership between Russia and its partners on the missile defense issue.
