U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea said that the U.S. is ready to extend the New Strategic Arms Treaty (New START) under certain conditions.
"If we are able to fix the verification problems, if we are able to arrive at such a politically binding agreement, we would be willing to propose to the President that New START be extended for some period of time," he said.
The New START Treaty will remain in force for 10 years, until February 5, 2021, unless it is replaced before that date by a subsequent agreement on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. It can also be extended for no longer than 5 years (that is, until 2026) by the parties’ mutual consent.
