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Russia calls on West to join missile moratorium

This would increase predictability in military and political affairs, the Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman said

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Sergei Savostyanov/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Sergei Savostyanov/TASS

SOLNECHNOGORSK /Moscow region/, August 9. /TASS/. Moscow once again calls on the US and its allies to join the initiative to declare a moratorium on the deployment of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing held on the sidelines of the Terra Scientia All-Russia Educational Youth Forum on Friday.

"We once again call on Washington and its allies to show a responsible attitude and join the moratorium, which would increase predictability in military and political affairs," Zakharova pointed out.

"Such a step would show the entire international community that global security means something to them like it does to Russia," she added.

INF Treaty issue

The INF Treaty, signed by the Soviet Union and the United States on December 8, 1987, took effect on June 1, 1988. It applied to deployed and non-deployed ground-based missiles of intermediate range (1,000-5,000 kilometers) and shorter range (500-1,000 kilometers). Washington repeatedly accused Russia of violating the accord, but Moscow vehemently dismissed all accusations and, in its turn, expressed grievances over Washington’s non-compliance.

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