MOSCOW, August 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia and the United States will discuss mutual concerns over the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) at the level of experts next month, a source at the Russian Foreign Ministry told ITAR-TASS.
“There will be a meeting and consultations at the level of experts in September. Mutual concerns over the treaty that eliminated intermediate and shorter range missiles will be on the agenda," the source said.
US Department of State spokesperson Marie Harf at Wednesday’s daily briefing voiced the United States’ readiness to discuss compliance with the INF treaty.
“We have notified Russia of our determination and are prepared to discuss this in a senior-level bilateral dialogue immediately with the aim of assuring the United States that Russia will come back into compliance with its treaty obligations,” Harf said, adding that she was unable to mention any specific dates at the moment. “We have proposed it and are waiting to get details worked out on that,” she said.
Earlier, Washington accused Russia of alleged abuse of the INF treaty. Moscow dismissed such charges as “groundless and based on weird conclusions and speculations". “Yet another attempt to discredit Russia looks biased and challenging,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. “Particularly so against the background of so many liberties the United States has taken itself in applying INF provisions.”
“We have told US officials more than once and are saying again that we are seriously concerned about the use of targets having parameters similar to those of intermediate and shorter range missiles in testing missile defense weapons,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.