(NSI News Source Info) VIENNA - April 3, 2009: The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) welcomed on Thursday the newly announced U.S. and 
Russian commitment to reduce their nuclear arsenals.
Mohamed ElBaradei said in an IAEA statement that he believed Wednesday's joint statement by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama on starting talks on a new strategic arms reduction treaty demonstrated their leadership and "finally moves us beyond the Cold War mentality."
Obama and Medvedev met on Wednesday for the first time as world leaders gathered in London for the G20 summit. After their bilateral talks, they issued a joint statement on immediately beginning talks on a replacement for the START agreement on strategic arms control, which expires in December 2009.
"As leaders of the two largest nuclear weapons states, we agreed to work together to fulfill our obligations under Article VI of the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and demonstrate leadership in reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world," read the joint statement published Wednesday on the White House web site.
The two presidents also vowed to put an end to nuclear weapons testing.
ElBaradei said the two presidents' initiative would help to create the impetus necessary for strengthening commitment to IAEA agreements, and would also lead to an improvement in the system of security.
The IAEA head also welcomed the U.S. and Russian presidents' decision "to promote the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy for all countries."
Russian commitment to reduce their nuclear arsenals.
Mohamed ElBaradei said in an IAEA statement that he believed Wednesday's joint statement by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama on starting talks on a new strategic arms reduction treaty demonstrated their leadership and "finally moves us beyond the Cold War mentality."
Obama and Medvedev met on Wednesday for the first time as world leaders gathered in London for the G20 summit. After their bilateral talks, they issued a joint statement on immediately beginning talks on a replacement for the START agreement on strategic arms control, which expires in December 2009.
"As leaders of the two largest nuclear weapons states, we agreed to work together to fulfill our obligations under Article VI of the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and demonstrate leadership in reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world," read the joint statement published Wednesday on the White House web site.
The two presidents also vowed to put an end to nuclear weapons testing.
ElBaradei said the two presidents' initiative would help to create the impetus necessary for strengthening commitment to IAEA agreements, and would also lead to an improvement in the system of security.
The IAEA head also welcomed the U.S. and Russian presidents' decision "to promote the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy for all countries."
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