MOSCOW, October 17. /TASS/. Germany may play an important role in persuading Washington to preserve the New START arms reduction treaty, which will expire in 2021, the chairman of the Federation Council’s international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachyov, said at a meeting with the deputy leader of Germany’s Social Democratic Party Ralf Stegner in Moscow on Thursday.
"We are deeply worried the United States has ruined the Intermediate Nuclear Force Treaty. We believe that in this situation the United States’ NATO allies might have played a far more constructive role, but regrettably they failed. As we can see, in the wake of this decision the Americans have been calling in question the future of the strategic arms reduction treaty to an ever greater extent. I feel that in this respect Germany’s position might be very important, although the country is not a direct participant in these agreements," Kosachyov said.
For his part Stegner noted the great successes achieved in the field of disarmament in the postwar years. He described the strengthening of security and peace as a global task joint efforts should be focused on.
"You mentioned the theme of international treaties. I am well aware we will miss many opportunities, if these treaties are not prolonged or renewed. You should be aware that the attitude to this situation in Germany has changed over years. Should an attempt be made to deploy the missiles again, hundreds of thousands will take to the streets," Stegner said.
He recalled that at the end of the 1970s and early 1980s he himself participated in street protests against the arms race.
"I do hope that a sensible moratorium will be achieved to prevent this process from turning automatic. I believe that you know Germany has been exerting vast efforts to prevent this from happening," Stegner said, adding that Germany would like to have neighborly and friendly relations with Russia.
In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the leaders of a number of NATO countries with a proposal for a moratorium on the deployment of intermediate and shorter range missiles in Europe and other regions. A spokesman for Germany’s Cabinet of Ministers told TASS at the end of September that the government had received the Russian presidential message and would study it together with NATO and EU partners.