Russia Postpones Nuclear Treaty Implementation Talks

Nov. 30, 2022 (EIRNS)— Russia has postponed a week-long meeting of the bilateral consultative commission under the New START treaty that was originally planned to convene in Cairo on Nov. 29. A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS on Nov. 28 that “the meeting has been postponed to a later date.” Russia will suggest new dates for the meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters, but it is too early to say when, and unlikely to be this year. Ryabkov made clear, Moscow took the decision to send a political message. “Major issues that dominate our agenda with the United States today are more important than the technical or mechanical aspects of efforts as part of the START Treaty. This is how things look now,” Ryabkov told reporters.

He specified that one of those major issues is the strategic stability dialogue which the U.S. canceled after Russia began its special military operation in Ukraine. “Since the other party decided to suspend the dialogue, it’s up to them to initiate its resumption if it finds it reasonable,” Ryabkov replied, when asked about the prospect of a Russian-U.S. dialogue on the issue. “Otherwise, we will find ourselves in a losing position. The Americans are well aware of our approach to the issue, which does not depend on the current situation but is based on the national security interests that we are deeply aware of,” he added.

“We believe that dialogue is only possible based on the balance of interests and efforts to find common ground, while one party’s attempts to impose its views on the other are unacceptable. If the Americans understand this and work accordingly, there is a chance. If not, it means that this dialogue has no future even if it is resumed.”

As for the specifics of the Cairo talks, TASS reported that Ryabkov had said earlier that a key topic to be discussed by the commission would be the resumption of inspections under New START. He cited the problem of the strategic carriers which the United States claims to have re-equipped with non-nuclear warheads, as an example. This refers to B-52 bombers that are no longer nuclear capable, but cannot be verified as such by the Russians except by physical inspection, as well as Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines that have had 4 of their 24 missile tubes sealed shut.

In response, the State Department said, “The United States is ready to reschedule at the earliest possible date as resuming inspections is a priority for sustaining the treaty as an instrument of stability,” reported AP.