Possible changes in START verification practices

The Obama administration would consider embracing a new set of procedures for verifying an accord to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, according to a senior State Department official. Questions linger over how the U.S. diplomatic team might handle Russian complaints regarding on-site inspections and test-data exchanges. It has become apparent that "both countries would like to have a smaller number of inspections, [which can be] time consuming [and] expensive," said Daryl Kimball of the Ploughshares-funded Arms Control Association.