Early Talk on Arms Control Signals Strong Potential for Change
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 10, 2009
CONTACT:Travis Sharp
Washington, D.C. -- In the first few weeks in office, both President Obama and Vice President Biden have made clear that their administration is committed to securing loose nuclear weapons, engaging with Iran, and working with Russia to reduce nuclear arsenals, an expert said today at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
“Such encouraging statements within the first 100 days of the new administration send a strong signal that we can expect serious progress on arms control,” said John Isaacs, executive director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
In remarks at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 7, Biden expressed the administration’s desire to make a clean break from the Bush administration – especially on U.S. relations with Russia and Iran – with the hope that it may pay dividends on an array of stalled issues. It was the clearest verbalization yet of the administration’s foreign policy tone now that it has entered office.
The Center’s analysis of Biden’s remarks can be found online here.
Obama’s Feb. 9 press conference also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to further nuclear reductions and strengthened nuclear non-proliferation efforts. Read his remarks here.
“During the campaign, Obama talked frequently about his strong stance on nuclear arms control and what we’re hearing now shows us that this was not just an empty promise,” said Isaacs. “If this talk turns into action, there is potential for significant headway on nuclear non-proliferation.”
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