MOSCOW, December 9. /TASS/. US attempts to intimidate Russia with sanctions for alleged violations of the Treaty on the elimination of intermediate and shorter-range missiles (INF Treaty) are ridiculous. This was stated on Saturday by the Deputy Minister of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Ryabkov. The text of the commentary posted on the foreign Ministry website.
“In Washington could think of no better time than recorded December 8, the 30th anniversary of the INF Treaty to make threats to his partner under the agreement, which became one of the cornerstones of the process of limitation and reduction of nuclear weapons,” he said.
“As for the usual attempts to scare us with sanctions, they are simply ridiculous”, – said the Deputy head of the foreign Ministry. Ryabkov added that “American politicians and diplomats it is time to understand that economic and military pressure on Russia won’t work.”
He noted that strengthening in the U.S. propaganda campaign against the Moscow of violating the INF Treaty “can be a sign that Washington is embarked on the way out of this agreement, as there at the time withdrew from the Treaty on the limitation of anti-ballistic missile systems”. “Repeatedly warned and again be warned that the destruction of the INF Treaty would be a severe blow to the regime of arms control and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, – said Ryabkov. – US needs to understand what they will bear responsibility.”
The Deputy foreign Minister stated that Russia is fully committed to the execution of the contract and will also continue. “If the other party ceases to follow it, will be forced, as already pointed out, Russian President Vladimir Putin, to give mirror response”, he added. According to him, the introduction of sanctions may lead to the disruption of the meeting of the Commission on the implementation of the agreement, which proposed to hold the United States itself.
The previous meeting of the control Commission under the INF Treaty took place on November 15-16, 2016 in Geneva. Prior to that meeting have not been held since 2000.
“No real evidence is not given”
Ryabkov added that the range of the Russian missile program, which allegedly violates the INF Treaty, certainly less than specified U.S. range.
“Americans have long expressed claim that we allegedly go beyond the Treaty prohibiting the placement of land-based cruise missiles with a flight range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers, he said. But an interesting pattern: as well as with well-known claims about the “Russian interference in American elections” no real evidence is not given”.
“The only thing we’ve called the index of one of the local missile development, whose range is known to be less than the specified range,” – said Ryabkov.
Earlier, the us newspaper Politico that the administration of U.S. President Donald trump will impose new sanctions against Russia over attributed to her violation of the INF Treaty. The publication cited an unnamed representative of the US administration of high rank.
