Russia and China should begin arms control negotiations without delay. This opinion was expressed at the meeting of the first committee of the UN General Assembly by the US permanent representative at the conference on disarmament Robert Wood.
According to him, the United States also intends to support “a responsible course and raise nuclear arms control to the next level without delay.” He also added that “a historic negotiating table awaits,” writes RIA Novosti.
In addition, Wood said that Washington is ready to take all necessary steps to protect national interests if the UN does not help to contain the buildup of nuclear potential of Russia and China.
“China has truly become the third largest nuclear power on Earth, absolutely unrestrained by any nuclear arms control agreements. And like China, the Russian Federation is massively expanding its nuclear capabilities and introducing sophisticated new delivery systems that also threaten to ignite a new trilateral nuclear arms race, ”the US official said.
In turn, Dmitry Polyansky, the first deputy representative of the Russian Federation at the organization, said that Russia was ready to extend START-3 without preconditions and urged the United States to do this without artificial delays. According to him, the extension of the treaty would be a reasonable step and would give time to consider the issue and approaches to arms control in the future.
The meeting of the first UNGA committee dealing with disarmament and international security issues is taking place on Friday. Polyansky made a statement by the head of the Russian delegation, director of the Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Vladimir Ermakov.
Another round of Russian-American consultations on strategic stability took place on October 5 in Helsinki. The previous talks, in which Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingsley participated, took place on August 17-18 in Vienna.
On September 20, Billingsley announced Washington’s readiness to conclude a “presidential memorandum” with Moscow in the coming days, anticipating the extension of the START Treaty. At the same time, if Russia does not agree with the condition of the United States to extend the treaty now, then after the presidential elections, the White House may have new requirements, he added.
In Russia, the Americans’ statement was regarded as an ultimatum, which is unacceptable. In turn, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow is ready for any development of the situation with the Treaty on the Reduction of Offensive Arms. The necessary systems and capabilities to ensure security by Russia have already been created.
In 2021, the Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Arms (START-3), signed between Russia and the United States in 2010, will expire. Moscow insists on the extension of the agreement, but Washington puts forward a number of demands, including China’s participation in the new agreement. Beijing, however, points out that there is no reason to participate in the negotiations, since its nuclear arsenal is much smaller than that of the United States.