First to report key details of pact to limit US and Russian nuclear arms

Reuters was alone on March 24 with an interview of U.S. Senator Richard Lugar about the pending START nuclear treaty, in which he provided important details that no other media reported. He revealed the target date for signing was April 8; although the news had broken that an accord was close, no other media had an on-the-record statement about when exactly it would happen. Lugar, who had been briefed by the White House, also said missile defense would not be part of the treaty — and that he, an influential Senate Republican, would support it. International markets are watching work on the treaty as an important indicator of whether U.S.-Russian relations can improve after a period of tension that peaked following Russia’s 2008 war with Georgia. The Washington Post quoted the Reuters story on its front page on March 25.