Obama, Medvedev sign nuclear treaty
Agree new sanctions may be necessary on Iran
The United States and Russia pressed Iran yesterday to renounce its nuclear ambitions or face new sanctions as they signed a landmark strategic nuclear disarmament treaty, but differences flared over Kyrgyzstan.
Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev signed the pact at a ceremony in Prague Castle after talks that centred on possible extra sanctions over Iran's atomic programme, which the West believes is aimed at making bombs.
But their attempt to display a united front faltered over Kyrgyzstan, with a senior Russian official saying Moscow would urge the new leaders who toppled President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on Wednesday to shut a strategic US air base in the former Soviet central Asian republic.
That would be a severe blow to Washington, which has used the Manas base to supply US-led Nato forces fighting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan since losing similar facilities in Uzbekistan, apparently due to pressure from Moscow.
The arms treaty will cut strategic nuclear arsenals deployed by the former Cold War foes by 30 per cent within seven years, but leave each with enough to destroy the other.
Mr Obama said the agreement had "ended the drift" in relations between Moscow and Washington and sent a strong signal that the two powers that together possess 90 per cent of all atomic weapons were taking their disarmament obligations seriously.
"We are working together at the United Nations Security Council to pass strong sanctions on Iran and we will not tolerate actions that flout the NPT," he said, referring to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
"My expectation is that we are going to be able to secure strong, tough sanctions on Iran this spring."
But Mr Medvedev was more cautious, saying he had presented the US President with a list of what was acceptable or not.
The Russian leader said he regretted Tehran had not reacted to constructive proposals on its nuclear programme and the Security Council might have to take further sanctions, but they should be "smart" and not bring disaster on the Iranian people.
"Today we had a very open, frank and straightforward discussion of what can be done and cannot be done," he said.