Russia Demands Explanation of U.S. Allegation of Russia Violating INF Treaty
Responding sharply to the U.S. accusation that Russia is violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), signed in Washington, D.C., by U.S. President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachov on Dec. 8, 1987, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov indicated today that the Defense Ministry was seeking an explanation of Gen. Martin Dempsey’s remarks to the Wall Street Journal on June 6. The treaty had eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons. Moscow wonders whether the allegations were made to justify placing U.S. nuclear missiles in Europe, TASS reported yesterday. Antonov said:
“We believe that the return of U.S. intermediate- and shorter-range missiles to Europe and their deployment in other regions from where they might threaten Russia and other countries reluctant to follow instructions from Washington would cause a drastically negative impact on global security and stability. We cannot but feel worried about such prospects…”
On the alleged violation, itself, Mikhail Ulyanov, the top arms-control official in the Foreign Ministry, said: “The United States refuses to provide facts to back up the charges. Or, which is more likely, it is unable to do that. One has the impression that the real aim is to discredit Russia and to make it look like a state that violates its international obligations.”
Or perhaps provide a rational for the U.S. to withdraw from the treaty.
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