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After the new strategic arms reduction treaty (START) came into force, efforts on the further reduction of strategic arms between Russia and the United States must be continued, a Russian official said on Monday. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov hailed the new START treaty as a "new good start" in Russian-US relations, saying the two country "should keep the momentum and move further with this positive agenda." However, Ryabkov warned that although the two countries have taken "an important step" to strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime, Russia would still consider its fulfillment of the new START if the United States keeps mounting missile defense. "If the United States increases the size and quality of missile defense individually or together with NATO partners, a question will arise whether Russia should further comply with the treaty or other measures, including military-technical measures, would be necessary in response to the new situation," Ryabkov said. Meanwhile, Ryabkov stressed there is no need to disclose the number of Russia's strategic offensive armaments. "It is a different question whether this information should be made public. There is no acute need for that," he said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday exchanged ratification documents at a conference on the sidelines of the 47th Munich Security Conference, which meant the pact was permitted to enter into force. |
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