WASHINGTON, Aug 11 (Saba) -- US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday that she is confident Congress will ratify the new START treaty with Russia, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

"Next month, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will bring the new START treaty one step closer to ratification. Last week, I was pleased to meet with Chairman John Kerry to discuss the committees schedule for consideration of the treaty on September 15th or 16th and in the full Senate soon after.

The Chairman and Ranking Member Senator Lugar have constructed a good plan, and I am confident about the prospects for ratification," said Clinton in a statement.

"In the weeks and months since the treaty was submitted to the Senate, it has earned bipartisan support from senators on both sides of the aisle as well as statesmen in and out of government from both parties. They understand that once the new START treaty is ratified and enters into force, it will advance our national security and provide stability and predictability between the worlds two leading nuclear powers," she added.

The Senate has held so far 18 open hearings about the treaty and US officials gave three classified briefings for the end in addition to nearly 800 questions submitted for the record.

"This treaty will verifiably limit the strategic nuclear forces of Russia and the United States and will establish equal limits on both countries strategic warheads, delivery vehicles, and launchers," noted Clinton.

"This treaty will provide for inspections that the United States would not otherwise be able to hold. For 15 years, START provided us access to monitor and inspect Russias nuclear arsenal," she added. The START treaty between the two countries expired last December and the last time US inspectors were in the ground in Russia was eight months ago.

"This is a critical point. Opposing ratification means opposing the inspections that provide us a vital window into Russias arsenal. This treaty in no way does or will constrain our ability to modernize our nuclear enterprise or develop and deploy the most effective missile defenses for the sake of our security and for our allies, friends, and partners," affirmed Clinton.

"This treaty is another step in the process of bilateral nuclear reductions initiated by President Reagan and supported overwhelmingly by both Republican and Democratic presidents and congresses alike. In every instance, the Senate has ratified such treaties with overwhelming bipartisan support," she concluded.

Saba