Obama tells Medvedev START treaty a "top priority"

Obama tells Medvedev START treaty a "top priority"

2010-11-14 12:19:35 GMT+7 (ICT)

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN (BNO NEWS) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that getting the U.S. Senate to ratify the new START treaty is a "top priority" of his administration.

"I reiterated my commitment to get the START Treaty done during the lame duck session, and I've communicated to Congress that it is a top priority," Obama told reporters after a bilateral meeting with Medvedev in Yokohama.

Both leaders signed on April 8th the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) to reduce their respective arsenals to a maximum of 1,550 warheads, a 30% cut on the limit set by the Moscow Treaty, concluded in 2002.

Obama also reiterated his support for bringing Russia into the World Trade Organization (WTO), after saying that "Medvedev is doing an outstanding job trying to reform and move Russia forward on a whole range of economic issues."

"We have seriously moved forward the question of Russia WTO accession. And I hope this process will continue and promptly Russia will join WTO," Medvedev told reporters.

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