Hope for a reduced nuclear weapons arsenal

A nuclear bomb/Image courtesy of wikimedia.org

Barack Obama in his first weeks at the Oval Office shows that his period as President of the United States of America will be based on more peaceful and open politics.

One important step towards a less violent and aggressive future in of the world, is certainly the reduction of nuclear weapons in the world.

According to an article in “The Times”, the US is ready to work on that and make this reduction programme a priority throughout Obama’s presidency period, even though it brings risk to US state security.

The declaration to reduce warheads comes shortly after Iran successfully launched a satellite carrier to space but also does not want to stop uranium enriching programme and reports that North Korea will be testing long range missiles/rockets that can reach the US.

Barack Obama wants a new treaty/Image courtesy of Tyronetakesamerica.com

Mr. Obama is spreading the right message to his followers but also eternal enemies of the USA.

Washington’s proposal to Moscow  to reduce nuclear warheads and the re-negotiate the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), should find acceptance at the Kremlin.

Both countries are in possession of approximately 5000 nuclear warheads. The White House proposed to the Russian side to reduce the arsenal by 80% from 5000 to 1000 warheads, in both countries.

A new treaty would warm up relations between Russia and the USA, but the article in “The Times” also mentions that it would take hard negotiation rounds to actually sign a possible treaty. Russia are sceptical of this idea because their warheads are of worse quality and power, compared to the US warheads which are stronger.

A possible victim for a successful treaty might be the resignation of the missile defence system placed in Poland and Czech Republic, of which Russia is a strong opponent.

Medvedev and his predecessor open for proposals/Image courtesy of dailytelegraph.co.uk

Global citizens should be relieved to hear such an optimistic and peaceful appeal by the US President. Let’s hope that Mr. Medvedev, President of Russia, will accept this invitation for start talks.

The Birth of a European Nation

An announcement was made that declared Kosovo’s independence from Serbia.

Kosovo’s parliament begun an emergency meeting to decide on the future of Kosovo.

An overwhelming majority in the parliament accepted the declaration read out by Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

A declaration which splits the political world.

There is also no comprise on this matter among EU member states itself. Out of 27 countries, 20 support independence.

USA recognises and supports this move.

Russia, a close ally to Serbia, opposes Kosovan independence. Future economic and political sanctions are very probable. But no military action has been announced.

Nato troops moved in before the declaration to keep peace between the Kosovo Serbian and Kosovo Albanian groups.

Festivites, parties on main city squares have been planned to celebrate the new freedom.

This freedom is seen as dangerous by many countries with a minority. The minority might use Kosovo as an example to push for independence. Russia, Georgia and Spain have all been suffering from separationist groups.

Kosovo is a possible playground for future diplomatic and political debates between the West and Russia who currently see their relations on the lowest point since the end of the Cold War.

Who’s the next target Mr. Putin?How about Ukraine?!

Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, “recommends” to Ukraine not to join Nato, after Kiev has announced to keep closer ties with the West.

Russia’s security and sovereignty is under threat according to Mr. Putin. Therefore measures will have to be taken to guarantee the balance of power currently hovering between the East and the West.

The only way to keep the West at bay is to threaten and make references to the Cold War. A tactic that is very immature and will not help in the process melting the frozen relations between the West and the East.

If Ukraine was to join the Nato, certain targets of importance would be on the crosshair of the Russian rockets.

This situation comes after Poland pledged a close co-operation with the USA to build the missile defence system from which Poland would certainly gain advantage against possible enemies.

Moscow’s response could not have been more concerning to world peace, when Russia threatened to direct their nuclear warheads at Poland.

A recent gas distribution dispute has been laid aside as the two sides reached an agreement over the repayment of Ukraine’s big gas bill of $1.5 billion to Russia.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Julija Tymoschenko, appealed to the EU to keep a closer diplomatic look on gas delivered from the East in order to keep it flowing free from disruption.

At the moment a paranoid cloud hovers above the Kremlin and it certainly reflects on the foreign policy.

The lastest actions to close down Western, but also independent institutions, will only have a bad effect on the development of the Russian society and not the other way around.

Such threats and tactical manoeuvers can keep coming but it will not scare the people freed from this terror set up in the past by the Soviets (Russians), as this survey suggests.