Nuclear Pact
I applaud Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko in their efforts to reduce nuclear dangers (July 25). Gore’s emphasis on the Russian Duma’s ratification of the START II treaty, so talks can begin on a third agreement to further reduce strategic nuclear arms, is of crucial importance.
Just how crucial is illustrated by the revelation that retired general and now regional governor Alexander Lebed has threatened to take control of the nuclear weapons deployed in his Siberian province. It is extremely disturbing to learn that the security of the Russian nuclear arsenal is being dangerously eroded by the fact that the military personnel in charge of these weapons have not been paid for five months.
Like the recent nuclear tests by India and Pakistan, this exceedingly dangerous situation should remind us that the only way we will truly make the world safe from nuclear annihilation is to completely abolish these genocidal weapons once and for all.
JOHN GRULA
Pasadena
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