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Russia rejects US accusation over nuclear treaty violation

RUSSIA on Saturday rejected US allegation of Moscow's violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), and accused Washington of hindering global security.

In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the US allegation "another attempt to discredit Russia" which "looks biased and brazen, especially in consideration of how loosely the United States itself has applied the INF Treaty provisions on numerous occasions."

It said Washington intended to deploy MK-41 launch systems that can be used for launching intermediate-range cruise missiles in Poland and Romania.

"The issue ... has become especially pressing of late ... their appearance on the ground would grossly violate the INF Treaty," said the statement.

Noting the US government "is surely aware of all these problems," Moscow said by leveling accusations against Russia, Washington was trying to distract attention from its own violations.

It added that the United Stated unilaterally withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM Treaty) in 2001, and has developed the provocative "prompt global strike" strategy.

"The worrisome situation concerning the INF's observance causes special concerns amid the continued purposeful and methodical destabilization of the global strategic stability system by Washington," the statement said.

US President Barack Obama has reportedly warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow was violating the INF Treaty by testing a new cruise missile.

The INF Treaty, signed in 1987, bars the signatories from possessing, producing or flight-testing such cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 km.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday Moscow had been strictly adherent to the treaty, while the country's Foreign Ministry suggested discussing the issue within the NATO framework.


 

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