U.S. calls on Russia to destroy new missile system

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The United States called on Russia on Monday to destroy a new cruise missile system which it said constituted a "direct violation" of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and accused Moscow of destabilizing global security.

"Unfortunately, the United States increasingly finds that Russia cannot be trusted to comply with its arms control obligations and that its coercive and malign actions around the globe have increased tensions," Robert Wood, U.S. disarmament ambassador, told the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament.

"Russia must verifiably destroy all SSC-8 missiles, launchers and associated equipment in order to come back into compliance with the INF Treaty,” he said, reiterating the Trump administration's plan to withdraw from the 1987 pact in early February.

The Russian side has denied its violation of the treaty and shown willingness to talk.

Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was ready to work with Washington to save the INF treaty. He also called on Europe to help in the talks.

Lavrov also slammed Washington's intention to exit the treaty from February, saying the potential for conflict was increasing and expressing the hope that it would be possible to save another key arms control agreement, the New START, which expires in 2021.

In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to develop nuclear missiles banned under the INF treaty if it is scrapped.

Putin said that if Washington moved to place more missiles in Europe after ditching the deal, Russia would respond "in kind" and that any European countries agreeing to host U.S. missiles would be at risk of a Russian attack.

Signed in 1987 by then U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the treaty bans ground-launched missiles with a range of between 500 and 5,500 kilometers.

(Top image: A still image taken from video footage released by Russia's Defense Ministry shows the launch of a supersonic anti-ship Oniks missile during tactical drills by North Navy Fleet at Kotelny Island in the Laptev Sea in the Arctic Ocean, Russia, September 26, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP ,Reuters