国际英语新闻：Obama continues push for ratification of arms treaty with Russia

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday used his weekly address to again argue for quick Senate approval of a new arms control treaty with Russia.

"Ratifying a treaty like START isn't about winning a victory for an administration or a political party," Obama said, "It's about the safety and security of the United States of America."

Riding the bipartisan support that enabled passage of a tax-cut bill on Thursday, Obama called for a renewed bipartisan effort on "another urgent national priority" -- the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).

The president signed the treaty in April with Russian President Dmitry Medevedev, stressing that the pact will reduce the world's nuclear arsenals and "make America more secure."

The treaty would limit each country's strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550, down from the current ceiling of 2,200, and establish a system for monitoring and verification. U.S. weapons inspections ended a year ago with the expiration of the 1991 arms control treaty.

"Every minute we drag our feet is a minute that we have no inspectors on the ground at those Russian nuclear sites," Obama said, "It's time to get this done."

Saturday was the second time since Nov. 20 that Obama used his weekly address, which generally focuses on domestic issues, to push the new START treaty, underscoring his urgency to guide it through the Senate before the holiday break.