US Mission Geneva

What I always like to say about the New START treaty database is that it is a living document: We have six-month comprehensive updates, but practically every single day there are notifications passed between Washington and Moscow to update the exact real-time status of weapons in our forces.

The New START arms-reduction treaty, an agreement between the United States and Russia to reduce each nation’s nuclear arsenals to their lowest levels in more than a half century, has been “a great success” since its February implementation, according to a senior U.S. diplomat.

Data in this Fact Sheet comes from the biannual exchange of data required by the Treaty. It contains data declared current as of September 1, 2011. Data will be updated each six month period after entry into force of the Treaty.

President Obama is committed to a more peaceful world by seeking a world free of nuclear weapons. He cautioned that achieving that goal will take patience and persistence. But in setting the destination, President Obama also mapped out the concrete steps we can take to get there, making the journey far less daunting.

Rejecting the notion that the world must glumly accept living with the fear of nuclear annihilation, President Obama two years ago in Prague declared the U.S. commitment “to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.”

Following the first meeting in Geneva of the Bilateral Consultative Commission (implementation body for the New START Treaty), the U.S. and Russian Commissioners issued a joint statement on the Arrival Time of the Inspection Team at the Point of Entry on the Territory of the Inspected Party.

From March 28 to April 8, 2011, the first session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC) on the new START Treaty took place in Geneva. In the course of the session the Parties began discussions on the technical issues related to the implementation of the Treaty. It was agreed to hold the second session of the BCC later this year in Geneva.

Our preference is to negotiate the FMCT within the Conference on Disarmament, but it is becoming increasing doubtful that the Conference can achieve consensus to begin such negotiations. As a consequence, we will begin consultations with our allies and partners to consider an alternative means to begin FMCT negotiations. To be successful, we will encourage all permanent members of the Security Council and other relevant parties to participate in this effort.

Delegations from the United States and the Russian Federation will meet in Geneva, Switzerland, from March 28 to April 8, for the inaugural session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC). The BCC is the implementation body created by the New START Treaty. Under the terms of the Treaty, it is required to meet at least twice each year, unless the Parties agree otherwise. The New START Treaty entered into force on February 5, and implementation of the Treaty is well underway.