Russian ambassador to America: Moscow remains committed to the goals of the New START Treaty

WORLD, Feb. 01 (YPA) – Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov stressed that Russia remains committed to the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START) over the past years, unlike Washington.

Commenting on the US Department of State’s report, which accused Russia of violating the treaty’s terms but Moscow could return to compliance by allowing inspections on its soil and agreeing to a meeting of the Bilateral Consultative Commission, he said: “This year, against the backdrop of a frenzied confrontation with Russia initiated by the West, the Administration has been clearly eager to throw at us yet another set of unfounded claims in the area of arms control. And for the first time ever – regarding New START which our country has been irreproachably observing for all these years. Unlike, by the way, Washington, on whose conscience lies the illegitimate removal of more than a hundred strategic weapons from the accountability under the Treaty.”

“At the same time, Russia remains committed to the goals of the New START Treaty and continues to regard it as a useful instrument for maintaining strategic stability and ensuring predictability in relations between the major nuclear powers. We intend to continue observing the central limits of the Treaty and exchanging notifications and relevant data,” Antonov said.

“Responsibility for the escalation of the New START issues lies entirely with Washington. There can be no progress on arms control without the United States reconsidering its policy of inflicting strategic defeat on Russia,” the envoy concluded.

E.M