Media: in the U.S. Congress offered to withdraw from the INF Treaty
Several members of Congress accused Moscow of a “violation” of obligations under the INF and advocated the imposition of sanctions, sending a proposal to the White house, Politico writes.
WASHINGTON, Jun 24 — RIA Novosti, Alexei Bogdanovsky. A number of U.S. congressmen has sent the White house a proposal that a U.S. withdrawal from the Treaty on the elimination of intermediate and shorter-range missiles (INF Treaty). This writes the Politico.
“From our side it would be irresponsible to comply with the Treaty, which has long left behind the only party, apart from us,” — said the publication of the house of representatives member and head of key Committee, nuclear weapons, Mike Rogers, who prepared the bill.
A similar document was developed by the Senator Tom cotton, who offers to officially announce “violations” by Russia of the Treaty and consider the transfer to allies of missile technology. In turn, Democrats in the armed services Committee of the house of representatives urged the White house to consider sanctions.
However, many of the congressmen, according to Politico, oppose such a step.
Within the administration of the tramp afoot hard discussions, you need to get out of another international Treaty. This Treaty with Russia is the cornerstone of the disarmament, banning an entire class of nuclear missiles.
The Pentagon, state Department and national security Council White house is concerned about the possible consequences of withdrawal from the Treaty, in particular, whether this will lead to a new arms race. The US defense Department and state Department said that compliance with the Treaty in the interests of the United States. In its report, the Pentagon warned Congress that a unilateral refusal of the agreement unfavorable to Washington.
In turn, senior Director for weapons of the national security Council Christopher Ford called the new Russian weapons and the “growing a specific threat.” He called “to do more to ensure that Russia did not receive military benefits from the breach (of contract)”.
Many experts also opposed the withdrawal from the Treaty, writes Politico. “This will only lead to more danger. The chances that errors will lead to nuclear conflict will increase,” — said the publication of former defense Secretary William Perry. A former participant in the negotiations on disarmament in the administration of George H. W. Bush, Richard Burt, who led the deployment of missiles “Pershing” (destroyed by the INF Treaty), takes the same view, and Perry. “There is a danger that the collapse of the whole structure of arms control, and we find ourselves in a nuclear arms race. Before to withdraw from the Treaty, it is necessary to think well,” said Burt.
The INF Treaty prohibits parties from possessing ballistic missiles, land-based and cruise missiles with a range of from 500 to 5.5 thousand kilometers.
Russia and the United States periodically put forward mutual accusations of violating INF Treaty, signed in 1987.
The Russian foreign Ministry said earlier that it is seriously concerned that the United States puts forward unsubstantiated arguments, accusing Moscow of violating the INF Treaty.
The Minister of foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov stressed that the Russian leadership has repeatedly reaffirmed the commitment to the obligations under the agreement and any violations by Russia. He noted that “the United States claim otherwise, but provide no specific information that could be checked to clarify the situation.” The Minister also pointed out that Moscow “has very serious questions to US about some “liberties” with the implementation of the Treaty by the Americans themselves.