Russia agrees to mutually freeze number of nuclear warheads with U.S. if New START extended - Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW. Oct 20 (Interfax) - Russia agrees to freeze the number of nuclear warheads for one year if the United States agrees to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) for this period, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
"Russia has proposed extending the New START for one year and is ready to assume a political obligation together with the United States to freeze the sides' existing arsenals of nuclear warheads during this period," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on its website.
"Our proposal can only and exclusively be implemented on the understanding that the United States will not advance any additional conditions with regard to freezing the arsenals," it said.
"If this suits Washington, the time gained through the extension of the New START could be used to hold comprehensive bilateral talks on the future of nuclear missile control, with the mandatory discussion of all factors that can influence strategic stability," it said.
Moscow has still not received an official answer from Washington to its proposal on extending New START, the ministry said.
"We have not received an official response from the United States to our October 16 note with President Vladimir Putin's proposal to extend the New START Treaty for one year. We have only seen comments made by U.S. officials in the social media," it said.
"We hope to receive an official response to our October 16 note," it said.
Putin proposed on October 16 that the New START treaty be extended for one year without preconditions. The treaty, which took effect on February 5, 2011, will normally expire in February 2021.