Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Russia controls Soviet nukes Date: Wed, 4 Nov 92 16:16:30 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION \HD Russia controls Soviet nukes \SH But Powell hints of disorder \BY Bill Gertz \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Soviet nuclear weapons remain under orderly control of the Russian armed forces, despite widespread political, military and economic unrest in the former Soviet Union, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday. Army Gen. Colin Powell said "a great deal of disorder" also exists in the Russian armed forces as troops stationed outside the country are brought back. "They [Russian government officials] don't have the wherewithal to take care of these troops," Gen. Powell said during remarks to an American Stock Exchange conference. "So there's disorder throughout the entire society." Still, "we have seen no disorder with respect to their commitment to control and safely take care of those nuclear weapons until such time as they're all returned to" Russia, Gen. Powell said. Arms-control initiatives will be pressed to see that the arms are dismantled, he said. Nuclear arms of the former Soviet Union remain deployed in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. All the republics have agreed to consolidate the weapons in Russia over a period of several years. Other Bush administration officials said privately there are signs that control over the huge nuclear arsenal is slipping. Intelligence reports have indicated that nuclear forces in Belarus have switched control over nuclear arms from Moscow to the government in Minsk. Ukraine also is contesting Moscow's control over some strategic forces and Kazakhstan has shown some signs of resisting the return of its strategic arsenal to Russia. "As long as these things are around, people will question whether to give them back to Russia," one Pentagon official said of the dispersed nuclear arms. "We think they will, but you can't say with great certainty." Gen. Powell said Russian President Boris Yeltsin is "in trouble" politically although the Pentagon chief said he is less concerned than others about a right-wing military coup to oust him. "I am very pleased that Minister of Defense [Pavel] Grachev . . . has come out strongly in support of President Yeltsin, the elected president of Russia, and has indicated the military would stand behind him," Gen. Powell said. Gen. Grachev has said he would support Mr. Yeltsin's imposition of emergency powers to stave off parliamentary attacks on his government. Russia is facing "years of disturbance and chaos" and will continue to do so until the leaders of the various emerging countries can fashion a political ideology and economic systems "that make sense," Gen. Powell said. Dealing with instability in the former Soviet Union will be one of the top three priorities of the next president and his national security team, he said. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM