Islam Times - Russia ‘Temporarily’ Suspends US Arms Inspections under New START Treaty

Islam Times - Russia has "temporarily" suspended on-site inspections of its strategic nuclear weapons by the US under a 2010 arms control treaty known as New START, citing travel curbs, sanctions and coronavirus infections.

The Russian foreign ministry announced that facilities in the nuclear weapons sites subject to inspections under the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START) will be "temporarily" exempt from such inspections.

“On August 8, 2022, the Russian Federation officially informed the United States via diplomatic channels that our country is temporarily exempting its facilities from inspection activities under the New START Treaty,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that it also covers “facilities that can be used for demonstrations under the treaty.”

The ministry accused the US of ignoring "existing realities" such as "the suspension of normal" air links.

Inspection conditions proposed by Washington created "unilateral advantages for the United States and effectively deprive the Russian Federation of the right to conduct inspections on American territory," the statement noted.

The ministry statement stressed that the exemptions would be immediately revoked in case of a “resolution of the existing problems and issues regarding the resumption of inspection activities under the treaty.”

The Russian foreign ministry announced on Monday that facilities in the nuclear weapons sites subject to inspections under the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START) will be "temporarily" exempt from such inspections.

“On August 8, 2022, the Russian Federation officially informed the United States via diplomatic channels that our country is temporarily exempting its facilities from inspection activities under the New START Treaty,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that it also covers “facilities that can be used for demonstrations under the treaty.”

The ministry accused the US of ignoring "existing realities" such as "the suspension of normal" air links.

Inspection conditions proposed by Washington created "unilateral advantages for the United States and effectively deprive the Russian Federation of the right to conduct inspections on American territory," the statement noted.

The ministry statement stressed that the exemptions would be immediately revoked in case of a “resolution of the existing problems and issues regarding the resumption of inspection activities under the treaty.”