ctbto Spectrum

“But we will be safer, and the worldwill be safer, if we are workingtoward the goal of deemphasizingnuclear weapons and keepingthem out of dangerous hands – andultimately ridding our world of them.”If we are to be successful in dealingwith the hydra-headed threats of emergingnew nuclear weapon States, proliferationof enrichment, poorly secured nuclearmaterial and catastrophic terrorism – manynations must cooperate. We must recognize,however, that these tasks are virtuallyimpossible without the cooperation ofRussia. It is abundantly clear that Russiaitself faces these same threats and that itsown security is dependent on cooperationwith NATO and the United States.nations do. But we will be safer, and theworld will be safer, if we are working towardthe goal of deemphasizing nuclear weaponsand keeping them out of dangerous hands– and ultimately ridding our world of them.Strategic cooperation must become thecornerstone of our national defense againstnuclear weapons. Even a quick glance atthe steps we are proposing in our two WallStreet Journal essays reveals that noneof the steps can be accomplished by theUnited States and our close allies alone:▪ Changing nuclear force posturesin the United States and Russia togreatly increase warning time.▪ Reducing substantially nuclear forcesin all States that possess them.▪ Moving toward developing cooperativemultilateral ballistic-missile defenseand early warning systems.▪ Eliminating short-range“tactical” nuclear weapons.▪ Working to bring the ComprehensiveTest Ban Treaty into force – in theUnited States and in other key States.▪ Securing nuclear weapons and materialsaround the world to the highest standards.▪ Developing a multinational approach tocivil nuclear fuel production, phasingout the use of highly enriched uraniumin civil commerce, and halting theproduction of fissile material for weapons.▪ Enhancing verification andenforcement capabilities – andour political will to do both.▪ Building an international consensusbehind ways to deter and, whennecessary, respond stronglyand effectively to countries thatbreach their commitments.The most difficult and challengingstep is the need for redoubling our efforts toresolve regional confrontations and conflictsthat give rise to new nuclear powers.Establishing a durable securityrelationship with RussiaThere can be no coherent, effective securitystrategy to reduce nuclear dangers that doesnot take into account Russia – its strengths,weaknesses, aims and ambitions. So, itis remarkable – and dangerous – that theUnited States, Russia and the North AtlanticTreaty Organization (NATO), have notdeveloped an answer to one of the mostfundamental security questions we face:What is the long-term role for Russia inthe Euro-Atlantic security arc? Whethercaused by the absence of vision, a lack ofpolitical will, or nostalgia for the Cold War,the failure of both sides to forge a mutuallybeneficial and durable security relationshipmarks a collective failure of leadership inWashington, European capitals and Moscow.Global security dependson regional securityAs NATO prepares for its 60th anniversary,we must address a fundamental question.In the years ahead, does NATO wantRussia to be inside or outside theEuro-Atlantic security arc? The sameBiographical notecontinues on page 27Former SenatorSam Nunn is cochairmanand ChiefExecutive Officerof the NuclearThreat Initiative(NTI), a charitableorganizationworking to reducethe global threatsfrom nuclear,biological and chemical weapons. Heserved as a United States Senator fromGeorgia for 24 years from 1972 to 1996.During his tenure in the U.S. Senate,he was chairman of the Senate ArmedServices Committee and the PermanentSubcommittee on Investigations. ■C T B T O S p e c t r u m 9 | w w w. c t b t o . o r gPa g e