Socialists Debate "New START" Treaty in Moscow

The Communist Party USA, their "friend" President Barack Obama, the Democrats and some Republicans want to ratify the New START nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia.

So to does the Socialist International;

Members of the SI Committee on Disarmament met in Moscow on 3 November 2010, with discussions centred on NATO strategy and missile defence. Addressing the participants at the opening of the meeting, Nikolay Levichev, Leader of A Just Russia faction in the State Duma, underlined the importance of dialogue between NATO and Russia on these important issues of disarmament, welcoming the SI initiative to bring the Committee to Moscow, where these discussions would have particular significance. He also highlighted the enhanced cooperation between A Just Russia Party and the International, and the satisfaction of his party in being able to once more host such a gathering of members of the common global political movement.

SI Secretary General Luis Ayala echoed the sentiment that the meeting was an invaluable opportunity to hear debate the issues of disarmament in a Russian context, and to hear different perspectives and points of view on these crucial themes. Stressing that peace and disarmament issues had always been at the heart of the SI agenda, he spoke of the importance in politics of seizing the moment and making use of the opportunities presented by current political conditions. Chair of the Committee Rolf Mützenich was likewise appreciative of the invitation to Moscow, referring to the need to search for common answers to current threats. The 10-point plan on disarmament adopted at an earlier meeting of the Committee in Berlin had been a comprehensive analysis of the steps towards joint security through disarmament, he added, whereas this meeting was a chance for the Committee to focus on specific issues of relevance in Russia...

The Committee adopted a resolution based on its discussions, under the title of NATO Strategy and Missile Defence, calling for ratification of the new START treaty, greater engagement between Russia and NATO on nuclear policy, a new arms control agreement, and the pursuit of binding agreements on the future of missile defence. This resolution will be presented at the forthcoming meeting of the SI Council.

Participants included S.I. Secretary General Luis Ayala, Rolf Mützenich (German Social Democratic Party), Yury Navoyan (Armenian Socialist Party), Paulina Lampsa, Konstantinos Foutzopoulos (Greek Panhellenic Socialist Movement), Nabil Borchally ("formerly" terrorist Palestinian Fatah movement), Nikolay Levichev, Genady Gudkov, Alexander Babakov, Semen Bagdasarov, Boris Guseletov (Just Russia Party)

President Barack Obama has a nearly 30 year association with the Socialist International's U.S. affiliate Democratic Socialists of America.