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"I find hope in the work of long-established groups such as the Arms Control Association...[and] I find hope in younger anti-nuclear activists and the movement around the world to formally ban the bomb."

– Vincent Intondi
Professor of History, Montgomery College
July 1, 2020
Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher Speaks with Arms Control Today on the Administration's Nuclear Security Agenda
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For Immediate Release: Nov. 5, 2009

Media Contacts: Tom Z. Collina, Research Director (202-463-8270, ext. 104)
Daryl G. Kimball, Executive Director (202-463-8270 ext. 107)

(Washington, D.C.) Arms Control Today, the monthly journal of the independent Arms Control Association (ACA), published its in-depth October 21 interview with Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ellen O. Tauscher. In the wide-ranging interview, Tauscher elaborates on key issues on the international nuclear security agenda including U.S.-Russian talks on a new strategic arms reduction treaty (START), the administration's plans for the reconsideration of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the administration's Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), as well as the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit in April and the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May.

In the interview, Tauscher emphasized the need for U.S. leadership on efforts such as the CTBT and a new START treaty, but also said that, as participants in the global nonproliferation regime, all countries have "responsibilities and things that they have to invest in, pay attention to."

  • On the new START negotiations, Tauscher said that: "...it's our intention to be able to replace the START treaty when it expires" on Dec. 5.
  • On maintaining verification provisions of START: "...our plan is to find an accommodation to manage, maintain verification protocols in between [expiration of the current treaty and ratification of the new one]."
  • On the Nuclear Posture Review: "The narrative of the NPR is a transformational message. While the NPR is a lot about numbers and is about declaratory policy, doctrine, and posture, the narrative of those pieces of it [is] a significant policy statement of this administration."
  • On the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program: "...I don't consider RRW to be anything other than something from the past. As a member of Congress and chairwoman of the subcommittee, I led an effort to kill the RRW. When I kill something, it stays dead."
  • On nuclear power and proliferation: "It's important on the civilian nuclear side that we make clear that you can have civilian nuclear power, but there has to be a way to ensure that having civilian nuclear power doesn't create a proliferation risk."

The full interview is available online in the November issue of Arms Control Today at http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2009_11/TauscherInterview

A full catalogue of Arms Control Today's other interviews with key newsmakers is available at http://armscontrol.org/interviews