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China sees no grounds for participation in Russia-US nuclear arms treaty talks

China's diplomat lauded the Russia-US initiative though

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang AP Photo/Andy Wong

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang

© AP Photo/Andy Wong

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BEIJING, July 16. /TASS/. The Chinese government welcomes the upcoming talks between Russia and the US on the possibility of signing a new nuclear arms treaty, however, so far, it sees no grounds for China’s participation in these talks, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang stated during Tuesday’s briefing in response to a TASS request for comment on the upcoming Russia-US consultations.

"Russia and the US are the world’s biggest nuclear powers. The fact that they plan to discuss arms control is a very good event," he noted. The diplomat added that Russia and the US must continue to reduce their nuclear inventory in a verifiable and irreversible manner. "This will provide conditions for nuclear disarmament. I am confident that in this way, Russia and the US can send a positive signal to the whole world," Geng Shuang added.

"As for China’s participation in these talks, we have stated our position many times. Currently, we do not see preconditions or grounds for China’s participation in such talks. Russia has reiterated that it understands China’s stance on this issue," the diplomat stressed.

Earlier, the Reuters agency cited a senior US official who informed that the US plans to discuss a possibility of a new accord limiting nuclear arms that could eventually include China at Geneva consultations with Russia on July 17-18. However, another US official noted that China is not a party to nuclear arms treaties between the US and Russia and it is unclear how willing Beijing would be to participate in talks on this issue. Washington noted that the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) would not be discussed at the talks, adding that the US side does not expect any breakthrough regarding the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, on which consultations were held earlier.

The new round of talks on strategic stability between Russia and the US will take place in Geneva on July 17-18. The US delegation will be led by Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, while the Russian delegation will be headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

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