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US: Russia violates key nuclear arms control treaty

WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (KUNA) -- Russia is violating a key nuclear arms control agreement and continuing to refuse to allow inspections of its nuclear facilities, a US State Department spokesperson told the CNN Tuesday.
"Russia is not complying with its obligation under the New START Treaty to facilitate inspection activities on its territory," the CNN quoted an unnamed State Department spokesperson.
"Russia's refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of US-Russian nuclear arms control." The spokesperson added that Russia had also failed to comply with the New START Treaty obligation to convene a session of the Bilateral Consultative Commission in accordance with the treaty-mandated timeline.
The Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, also known as the New START Treaty.
The United States and the Russian Federation have agreed to extend the treaty through February 4, 2026.
The New START Treaty entered into force on February 5, 2011. Under the treaty, the United States and the Russian Federation had seven years to meet the treaty's central limits on strategic offensive arms (by February 5, 2018) and are then obligated to maintain those limits for as long as the treaty remains in force. (end) rsr.ibi