US backs down from proposal to add China to new START talks
(VOVWORLD) - The United States has backed down from a proposal to add China to the talks on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) but set other conditions with the negotiations still being bogged down, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Saturday.
Ryabkov noted that Russia's position on inviting China to and the mandatory participation of the UK and France in future talks, if the list of parties involved is expanded, is unchanged.
Earlier this week, US Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea said that the US administration dropped its demand for China to join the negotiations.
Washington’s top priority is to secure a political agreement with Russia before urging China to join the talks.