Within the framework of their meeting today, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and US President Barack Obama issued a joint statement on nuclear disarmament. Commenting on this development, Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier issued the following statement today (1 April):

“I welcome this new momentum on the issue of nuclear disarmament. Presidents Medvedev and Obama have sent an important signal today with their joint statement on a successor agreement to the START I Treaty: They are making a commitment to further reduce their nuclear arsenals.

This agreement should mark the beginning of a fresh start for disarmament and arms control. In addition, we need the US to follow through on its intention to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) as well as the further development of the CFE Treaty and an agreement prohibiting the production of weapons-grade fissile material (the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty or FMCT). This would be a good starting point for the substantial disarmament policy I am working to achieve.”