MOSCOW, January 27. /TASS/. Progress in further reduction of nuclear weapons is possible only if it's based on consensus among all countries, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Vladimir Yermakov said in an interview with TASS.
"As for further reduction of nuclear weapons, progress on this path can only be ensured on the basis of a consensus process, adhering to the line of well-considered phased reductions in the context of strengthening international security and stability for all states without exception," he said.
Yermakov stated that Russia holds a strong belief that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it must never be unleashed.
"For a long time, we have consistently promoted the idea of reaffirming this principle by all the states of the nuclear five," the diplomat said.
"I would like to hope that in the current difficult conditions of international security, the approval by the leaders of the nuclear powers of this type of political statement will help reduce the level of tension and curb the arms race, help build confidence and form the basis for future control over offensive and defensive arms inasmuch as they are interconnected, as well as measures to reduce risks," Yermakov said.
On January 3, the leaders of the five nuclear powers, which are permanent members of the UN Security Council, adopted a joint statement. They stressed that they consider it their primary responsibility to prevent war between nuclear-weapon states and to reduce strategic risks. The leaders of the states are sure that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be unleashed. They spoke out against further proliferation of nuclear weapons and declared their desire to work with all countries to create an atmosphere of security.