MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. Russia hails China’s initiative calling on nuclear powers to sign a treaty on the non-use of nuclear weapons first, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

"We are studying this proposal. It is obvious for us that in a situation when the collective West has embarked on a path of non-stop escalation of the international situation and is disregarding the risks stemming from a direct armed confrontation between nuclear powers such ideas present some common sense," he said.

According to Ryabkov, Russia wants to clarify the West’s position on this matter to know whether it is ready "to consider such ideas or not." "This concrete topic was not raised during the recent expert meeting at the level of senior officials in Riyadh," Ryabkov said.

In late February, Director-General of the Department of Arms Control of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Sun Xiaobo called on nuclear powers to sign a treaty on the mutual non-use of nuclear weapons first.