Russian MPs submit amendments to new START treaty

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Four members of the lower house of the Russian Parliament, or the State Duma [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], have drafted amendments to the new strategic arms reduction treaty (START) with the United States, the Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday.
The four politicians, including Head of the State Duma's International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachyov, are also members of the ruling United Russia party. They proposed to add five new clauses to the bill.
According to the amendments, the new START must sustain Russia's strategic capabilities enough for providing national security and not to prevent testing, production and deployment of new types of offensive arms capable to overpass the anti-missile defense systems.
The politicians also demanded that Russia provide the United States with telemetric data about existing strategic missile launches only until the moment of a warhead dispensing.
Russia would not provide the United States with such information when it concerns new types of strategic missiles [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], they added in the amendments.
Among other proposals [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Russia would require the right to leave the treaty if the United States "substantially violates its obligations," or if the United States, other states or a group of states deploy anti-missile systems which would decrease the efficiency of Russia's strategic nuclear forces.
Also, Russia might leave the treaty if the United States or other states increase strategic offensive arms or make other steps threatening Russia's national security, including means of disruption of Russia's early-warning systems for missile attacks, the amendments said.
Local media reported on Tuesday that the State Duma was likely to ratify the new START at the end of January.