Obama enlists big guns to help save nuclear treaty

US President Barack Obama summoned a number of former defense secretaries and secretaries of state of both major US political parties to the White House to rally support for an imperilled nuclear weapons treaty with Russia.

Those invited to today's meeting included Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, Sen Richard Lugar and former Sen Sam Nunn, plus former secretaries of state Madeleine Albright, James Baker and Henry Kissinger.

Former defense secretaries William Cohen and William Perry and former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft also were included.

The White House said Obama wanted to discuss why it is in the national interest that the Senate approve the treaty this year, a move that a key Senate Republican says would be premature.

The White House is mounting an all-out push for ratification of the treaty, which Obama has made a top foreign policy priority.

Press secretary Robert Gibbs said yesterday he believes the New START deal will come up and pass during the lame-duck Congress, now in progress.

The agreement would shrink the US and Russian arsenals of strategic warheads and revive on-the-ground inspections that ceased when a previous treaty expired nearly a year ago.

Sen Jon Kyl, a leading Republican voice on the issue, dealt the pact a major setback Tuesday by coming out against a vote this year.

Kyl, who's been seeking more money and focus on maintaining and modernising the remaining arsenal, said more time was needed before moving forward.

When pressed on the issue yesterday, Kyl told reporters: "We're talking in good faith."

The treaty has support from some moderate Republicans, but Kyl's opposition makes approval a tough climb since many Republicans were looking to his assent before giving their backing. Sixty-seven votes are needed for approval, so Democrats need at least eight Republican votes for ratification in the current Senate.

Once the newly elected Senate is sworn in January, Democrats will need the support of at least 14 Republicans.