UN: US, Russia should resume implementation of New Start accords

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the United States and Russia to resume full implementation of the New Start nuclear arms control treaty on strategic arms reduction. Asked about Guterres' reaction to Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement that he intends to suspend the New Start agreement with the US, Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday the Secretary-General's position was that the US and Russia should resume full implementation without delay.

"The New Start Accord and successive bilateral strategic nuclear arms reduction treaties between the two countries have brought security not only to Russia and the United States, but also to the entire international community," Dujarric said, adding, "A world without nuclear arms control is a far more dangerous, unstable world with potentially catastrophic consequences. Everything should be done to avoid this outcome, including an immediate return to dialogue.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced this decision in his state of the nation address to parliament. He feels compelled. "We're not withdrawing from it, but we're suspending our participation. If the US conducts nuclear tests, Russia will do the same." The Foreign Ministry in Moscow later announced that the upper limits set for nuclear weapons would still be observed. A statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow states: "In order to maintain a sufficient degree of predictability and stability in the field of nuclear missiles, Russia intends to adhere to a responsible approach and will, for the duration of the contract, implement its planned quantitative limits on Strictly adhere to strategic offensive weapons." The suspension of "New Start" could also be reversed, Moscow said. "To do this, Washington must show the political will to work diligently to promote general de-escalation and create conditions for the full functioning of the treaty to resume."