Obama, Russia Eye December Nuclear Treaty

U.S., Russian Presidents Boast Progress With New Pact at End of Asian Summit

(AP)  President Obama said Sunday the United States and Russia would have a replacement treaty on reducing nuclear arms ready for approval by year's end, an announcement designed as an upbeat ending to a summit with Asia-Pacific leaders.

While publicizing progress with Russia on arms control - part of Mr. Obama's agenda to advance nuclear disarmament - the president and other leaders bowed to the obvious on climate change. They discussed a compromise agreement for a 192-nation gathering next month in Copenhagen, indirectly admitting that the meeting would not produce a new global treaty to reduce the heat-trapping carbon emissions that are warming the planet.

Nearing the end of his two days in Singapore, Mr. Obama also attended a second summit with leaders of the 10 Southeast Asian countries that make up the ASEAN group. Mr. Obama was the first U.S. president to sit in on the meetings, that included a senior leader of Myanmar - part of a shift in U.S. policy away from isolating the repressive Myanmar military government.

Afterward, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Mr. Obama told the gathering, Myanmar Gen. Thein Sein included, that his government must free long-detained democracy leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

Mr. Obama "brought that up directly with that government," Gibbs said.

While Myanmar ranks high among nations that suppress human rights, a joint statement by the United States and the ASEAN group made no mention of Suu Kyi.

The whirlwind of summitry is part of Mr. Obama's first presidential trip to the region. Its emphasis on big issues like climate change, disarmament and the economic crisis is part of Mr. Obama's approach to persuade new emerging powers like China - where he headed later Sunday - to share in the burden of managing global challenges.

The change in emphasis has helped Mr. Obama shift relations to a more positive footing, away from disputes over human rights and the Chinese military buildup that have unsteadied ties. In Shanghai on Monday, Mr. Obama will address an audience of students from several universities and field questions from them and from submissions to the U.S. Embassy's Web site.

Mr. Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific summit of APEC nations to announce good progress in negotiations on an updated pact to replace the START nuclear arms agreement that expires on Dec. 5.

Sitting, gesturing and leaning toward his Russian counterpart, Mr. Obama said the pair discussed a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and described "excellent progress over the last several months."

"I'm confident that if we work hard and with a sense of urgency, we'll be able to get that done," Mr. Obama said, adding technical issues remain.

Medvedev said he hoped negotiators would "finalize the text of the document by December."

Mr. Obama and Medvedev agreed in April to reach a new nuclear arms reduction pact to replace and expand upon the one that was signed by former President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Michael Gorbachev.

During a July summit in Moscow, Mr. Obama and Medvedev further agreed to cut the number of nuclear warheads each nation possesses to between 1,500 and 1,675 within seven years.

U.S. officials say the two nations now have agreed on the broad outlines of a new treaty, which could be signed during Mr. Obama's travels to Europe in early December to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.

It still was not clear if Mr. Obama would use that same trip to attend the Copenhagen climate summit, given that any agreement reached on cutting greenhouse gas emissions would serve only as an interim, political document.

"There was an assessment by the leaders that it is unrealistic to expect a full internationally, legally binding agreement could be negotiated between now and Copenhagen which starts in 22 days," said Michael Froman, Mr. Obama's deputy national security adviser for international economic matters.

The prime minister of Denmark, Lars Loekke Rasmussen, the U.N.-sponsored climate conference's chairman, flew overnight to Singapore to present a proposal shifting the goal of the meeting to a "politically binding" agreement, in hopes of breathing life into the struggling process.

A fully binding legal agreement would be left to a second meeting next year in Mexico City, Froman said.

Mr. Obama backed the approach, cautioning the group not to let the "perfect be the enemy of the good," Froman said.

A major bill dealing with energy and climate in the U.S. Senate, a domestic priority of Mr. Obama's, is bogged down with scant hope of completion by next month. That would leave Mr. Obama little to show in Copenhagen.

During his Asia trip, which continued later Sunday to China, Mr. Obama also pushed for continued pressure on Iran and its nuclear program. Appearing with Medvedev, Mr. Obama said "we are now running out of time."

"Unfortunately, so far it appears Iran has been unable to say yes" to the proposal on uranium reprocessing, Mr. Obama said.

Medvedev continued: "We are prepared to work further and I hope our joint work will reach a positive result. In case we fail, other options remain on the table." He has said further sanctions against Iran were possible if it did not open its nuclear program to inspections to prove it was not trying to build a bomb.

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China - along with Germany have engaged Iran on its nuclear program, most recently with a deal for it to ship enriched uranium to Russia for further processing as fuel for an aging reactor used for medical treatments.

The United States and its allies believe Iran is using its nuclear program as a cover for building a bomb. Tehran says it only wants to build nuclear reactors to generate electricity.

Mr. Obama wrapped his official schedule in Singapore late Sunday afternoon by meeting with Indonesia's Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, president of the world's largest Muslim nation and Mr. Obama's home as a boy. Mr. Obama said he was excited about the prospect of improving relations with Indonesia and repeated his plan to visit next year.

He said, however, the schedule would depend on his family; he wanted to plan a trip with "Michelle and the girls so they can take a look at some of my old haunts."

[endurorob_5]

bubbadubba November 15, 2009 10:22 AM EST
How can the US have security if we cannot destory the world 50 times over?
How can Obama do this to us. The idea of thousands and thousands of huge nukes just sitting around waiting to be lost or stolen by (or sold to) terrorists just makes me sad. How can the US defend itself with only a 1500 nuclear warheads? That's only enough to destroy the entire planet 10 times over.
I can't wait to hear the Limbetts and Hannitones scream about this one.
LOL
No joke, I would really like to here the right winger OBama hater argument against the US "only" having 1500 nukes.
Reply to this comment by velma179 November 15, 2009 10:26 AM EST
Oh bubbadubba... you will always hear/read the comments against ANYTHING President Obama does.

The man could cure cancer and he'd be called out for doing it on a Sunday!

It's pathetic... the unfounded hate and hypocrisy, isn't it?




Hey, Velma. You know what sarcasm is? Obviously not. Bubba is an Obamaniac like you and approves of all of Obama's policies no matter how poorly thought out.

[dronemonk]

Our national deficit might as well be a nuke, if you consider what it will do to us.

[us_1776]

I wish the last 3 Republican administrations had thought about it this way before they ran up more than 9 TRILLION DOLLARS of needless spending. Exploding the national deficit. Even the most far left Democrat has never contemplated anywhere near this level of spending.

[jade84116]

Shouldn't disarmament involve all nuclear nations?

[Mkw789]

You get to employ a carrot + stick approach when you are talking. When you isolate, it's just stick. So the opposite side hardens, and 3rd parties don't come over to your side of the matter -- saw a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth

[jgg000015]

ok, everybody who trusts russia raise your hands! How 'bout N. Korea?
Lemme hear a shout out if you trust Iran! Pakistan? Do you Isreal bashers trust them? Why do I feel that the USA is the only country that will come close to honoring any agreement we make with any of them. I know, I know, I'm paranoid. These countries LOVE us. The world will be a better place. Hopie. Changie. Kumbaya. mmm mmm mmm

[hungry1968-17]

I trust Russia, N Korea, AND Iran more than I trust American conservatives.

Conservatives have PROVEN that their goal is to destroy America. The other three are nothing more than the bogeyman that the republicans keep creating: "Be afraid! Only we can protect you!"

Unfortunately for them, there's nothing to be afraid of.

[jgg000015]

when the revolution comes, the first place we will look for you is under your bed!

[msimamaji]

Obama has displayed true statesmenship. I hope the signing of the nuclear treaty will open a new door in Russian-American relations. Nuclear proliferation is only one serious problem that the US and Russia face. The other is global climate change. Russia is full of fre-for-all cowboy capitalists, and Russia is a libertarian paradise. As a result, Russia has created a host of environment threats, like the melting of the perma frost and the massive release of methane, that seriously endanger the future of the planet.

We need to take steps to save the planet - and that means getting a head start on green technology, the world's next multi-trillion dolllar industry. I am glad Obama is taking bold initiatives - Now if we need to get the Senate to do its JOB, rather than obstructing all important, life-saving legislation.

[bubbadubba]

Now this make the point perfectly.
When you have too much of something things get misplaced or lost.
"ORLANDO (CBS4) ? Beginning next month the Army Corps of Engineers will begin a detailed search on the grounds of an Orlando middle school for left over World War II munitions."

Now the headlines 100 years from now if nothing is done "The Army began searching today for nuclear weapons misplaced almost a century ago near major cities, water supplies, national parks, and populated areas"

[us_1776]

Even the military knows that the use of nuclear bombs as military weapons is highly dubious. Most of the 'damage' comes from the nuclear fallout and nuclear fallout is totally unpredictable and can even be carried onto your allies or back to your own country. Todays high-precision conventional weapons are far superior for military purposes. And both Russia and the US recognize this. Now at least they are giving the world a great gift in dismantling and getting rid of the dangerous nuclear weapons before some group of terrorists figures out a way to get their hands on them.

[velma179]

YouVeryWrong

When you see these ads you have to report them (see the triangle with the (!) in it)

There is NO automatic "CBS censor" except for words that a computer program could recognize... people and posts are taken off from reports by OTHER users ... we're all just using our free speech here on CBS


Have a great day

[Overruled1]

You only think you're free..............

[bubbadubba]

How can the US have security if we cannot destory the world 50 times over?
How can Obama do this to us. The idea of thousands and thousands of huge nukes just sitting around waiting to be lost or stolen by (or sold to) terrorists just makes me sad. How can the US defend itself with only a 1500 nuclear warheads? That's only enough to destroy the entire planet 10 times over.
I can't wait to hear the Limbetts and Hannitones scream about this one.
LOL
No joke, I would really like to here the right winger OBama hater argument against the US "only" having 1500 nukes.

[velma179]

Oh bubbadubba... you will always hear/read the comments against ANYTHING President Obama does.

The man could cure cancer and he'd be called out for doing it on a Sunday!

It's pathetic... the unfounded hate and hypocrisy, isn't it?