UNITED NATIONS, August 9. /TASS/. The United Nations assumes that Russia and the United States bear responsibility for full implementation of the New START treaty on reduction of strategic weapons, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary General Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.
When asked to comment on Russia’s decision to pause inspections at its facilities under the New START, Dujarric replied: "This New START Treaty is an essential element of international peace and security and the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Both sides need to resolve all issues regarding access and allow inspectors to get back to their invaluable work verifying this very important treaty."
"The New START Treaty is <…> the last remaining agreement between two of the world's most powerful nuclear powers, and I think it's the responsibility of all involved to ensure that it is fully implemented," the spokesman added.
On Tuesday, Russian informed the United States that it was temporarily pausing inspections at its facilities covered by the New START treaty. The Russian Foreign Ministry explained that Moscow was forced to resort to such actions "due to Washington's persistent wish to implicitly restart inspection activities on conditions that do not take into account the existing realities, create unilateral advantages for the United States and actually strip Russia of the right to carry out inspections on US territory."
According to the ministry, the Russian side wants to ensure operation of all New START mechanisms in strict compliance with the principles of the parity and equality of the sides. These principles are not observed now because due to the unilateral anti-Russian sanctions normal air service between Russia and the United States has been interrupted and the airspace over a number of states has been closed for Russian planes that are to take Russian inspection teams to the United States. The ministry also emphasized that Russia is fully committed to complying with all provisions of the Treaty.