Washington, Russia agreed to extend NEW START treaty temporarily

According to Agence France-Presse, the United States reported that it had reached a "preliminary agreement" with Russia to extend the New START treaty to reduce its nuclear weapons arsenal, which expires in February 2021.

Although Washington has repeatedly called on Beijing to join negotiations to reduce its nuclear weapons arsenal, with approaching US elections after 3 three weeks, but Trump's administration has pointed out to keep the treaty as it at the present time.

US negotiator Marshall Billingsley said, "We really want to extend the New START treaty for a certain period, provided that they agree in return to reduce their nuclear arsenal, and we believe that there is a preliminary agreement at the highest level between our two governments."

The US negotiator cut short his visit to Asia last week to give final approval to the initial agreement to start working out the details.

"We are ready to conclude this agreement, in fact, we can do it tomorrow, but Moscow has to show political will to do the same," Billingsley said.

Billingsley said that the United States still insists on the participation of China, whose nuclear program is growing steadily, but it is still far too small to compare with the Russian and American arsenals.

He added, "All matters on which we agree with the Russians must be prepared to allow the expansion of this agreement to include the Chinese whenever they sit at the negotiating table."

He stressed that the United States is seeking to reach an agreement with Russia on verification procedures, and that it is ready to take corresponding steps.

"What we know about the Russians is that they are expert at breaking treaties," he concluded.

T/S

ANHA