The Treaty, signed by President Obama and President Medvedev in Prague on 8^th April 2010, aims at reduction of strategic nuclear arsenals of both State Parties, which makes it an important contribution to the international efforts in the domain of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in compliance with Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

We welcome that by ratification of the New START Treaty the Russian Federation reaffirmed its determination to build strategic relations with the United States in the spirit of co-operation, mutual trust, transparency, predictability and verification. At the same time, we consider this step as a significant contribution of the Russian Federation to building up more stable and secure international environment as well as to fulfilling one of the crucial elements of the nuclear agenda introduced by President Obama in our capital in April 2009.

We are pleased that ratification of the New START Treaty has brought us another step closer to accomplishment of the vision of the “Prague Agenda”. We hope that continuing efforts of the international community will also lead to further progress in areas of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear security, where the Czech Republic is determined to contribute.