Contemporary Practice of the United States Relating to International Law

Abstract

On January 15, 1993, President George Bush transmitted to the Senate for advice and consent to ratification the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the START II Treaty), signed at Moscow on January 3, 1993. In his letter of transmittal, President Bush discussed the importance of the Treaty, in major part as follows:The START II Treaty is a milestone in the continuing effort by the United States and the Russian Federation to address the threat posed by strategic offensive nuclear weapons, especially multiple-warhead ICBMs [intercontinental ballistic missiles]. It builds upon and relies on the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the START Treaty) signed at Moscow on July 31, 1991. At the same time, the START II Treaty goes even further than the START Treaty.