Russia ready to discuss inspections with U.S. on arms treaty

Russia ready to discuss inspections with U.S. on arms treaty –Report

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US President Donald Trump (L) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands before attending a joint press conference after a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018. - The US and Russian leaders opened an historic summit in Helsinki, with Donald Trump promising an "extraordinary relationship" and Vladimir Putin saying it was high time to thrash out disputes around the world. (Photo by Yuri KADOBNOV / AFP) (Photo credit should read YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images)

Russia has expressed its readiness to discuss mutual inspections with the U.S. in order to save the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF)Treaty.

The RIA News Agency gave the indication on its report quoting Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.

“If the U.S. really wants to come to some kind of agreement with us, then we need to sit down at the negotiating table in an inter-agency format and agree on everything in detail.

“We are ready for this,” foreign ministry official Vladimir Yermakov was cited as saying.

Last week Washington said Russia must scrap its 9M729 nuclear-capable cruise missiles and launchers or modify the weapons’ range to return to compliance to the Cold War-era arms control treaty.

It gave Moscow a deadline of 60 days or it would begin to withdraw from the pact.

Yermakov also said Russia categorically ruled out inspections being carried out on Russia on a unilateral basis.

According to Russia, any serious actions on arms control “are only possible on the basis of mutually legally binding inter-government agreements.”

NAN

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