A Fresh Start? An Interview with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak

Interviewed by Daryl G. Kimball and Miles A. Pomper

Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Russia's new ambassador to the United States, has assumed his post at a critical time in U.S.-Russian relations and at a point when presidential transitions are underway in both Moscow and Washington. Kislyak has served in a number of senior foreign policy positions in Moscow. Most recently, he served as Russia's deputy foreign minister where he played the lead role on arms control and nonproliferation issues. On November 14, Arms Control Today spoke with Ambassador Kislyak about his views on a number of issues in U.S.-Russian strategic relations, including missile defense, future strategic arms reductions, the status of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, and Russian views on how to deal with Iran's nuclear program.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Three thoughts jump out. First, Kislyak has laid out the general set of Russian concerns in what are the opening plays in the next phase of arms control.

Second, Russia’s position that intrusive verification of limits placed on both warheads and delivery systems is necessary in a new arms control regime echoes long-held U.S. positions that impacted U.S. arms control policy prior to the last eight years.

Third, Russian questions regarding dual capable (conventional or nuclear warheads) are valid. Limits on such systems will be difficult to characterize in a treaty unless all of a type are considered nuclear. Verification for mixed systems will be a sticky wicket.