Russian State Duma adopts bill suspending fulfillment of New START

MOSCOW. Feb 22 (Interfax) - The State Duma adopted a bill on Wednesday to suspend Russia's fulfillment of the New START.

Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted the bill to the State Duma on February 21.

The bill suspending Russia's fulfillment of the New START will take effect on the publishing date.

The bill says that a decision to resume the fulfillment of the Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START) shall be made by the Russian president.

According to the bill's explanatory note, the treaty, signed in Prague on April 8, 2010, vests each side with the power to conduct inspections and thereby exercise control over compliance with the treaty.

"Meanwhile, the United States has been purposefully evading the fulfillment of its obligations under the treaty in this area of activity," the document said.

Therefore, consistent with Federal Law No. 101-FZ dated July 15, 1995, On International Treaties of the Russian Federation, the Russian president proposes suspending the validity of this treaty, the explanatory note said.