TALLINN (Reuters) – The United States on Thursday appeared to rule out an early withdrawal of its nuclear arsenal in Europe, and said that, if so, that Russia would move its arsenal of NATO countries.
The scenario detailed by Secretary of State, United States, Hillary Clinton, will probably please the former Soviet satellites that joined the Western alliance and to consider nuclear weapons “tactics” as critical to contain Russia.
However, the comments frustrate those who consider that arsenal as a Cold War relic that has little justification, but represents great risk, including accidents or nuclear terrorism, for countries that possess .
“As long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance,” Clinton said in prepared remarks to be revealed at the meeting of foreign ministers of NATO.
“As a nuclear alliance, sharing the risks and nuclear liabilities is fundamental,” Clinton said in comments released by the Department of State.
Reviews imply that the 200 strategic nuclear weapons that the U.S. has in five European countries would still be there by now. The Russian stockpile weapons is estimated at 5400, of which 2,000 can be transferred.
Attention was focused on nuclear bombs “tactics” located in the countries of NATO and Russia since Washington and Moscow signed an agreement this month to reduce the number of nuclear warheads “strategic, long range by about 30 percent.
Coalition Government of Germany agreed in November to the withdrawal of U.S. nuclear weapons on its tere08ritory. In February, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Luxembourg called for a debate on the future of the missiles that the U.S. has in the region.
However, Russia has said it will not start to destroy its weapons until Washington did not remove their bombs in Europe, which worries the former Soviet bloc countries that joined NATO.
Clinton made it clear that the U.S. would reluctant to reduce its arsenal if Russia does not accept some compromises.
Secretary General of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said that while the Western alliance should discuss the matter personally believed that ” the presence of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe was an essential part of a deterrent. “
(Additional reporting by Ilona Wissenbach; Published in Spanish, Juan Jose Lagorio)
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