China News Agency, Moscow, October 14-RIA Novosti on the 13th quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabukov as saying that Russia does not accept the US statement on freezing its nuclear arsenal.

　　According to the "Russia" news, on the 13th, the US President’s special envoy Marshall Billingsley, who was in charge of the US-Russian arms control negotiations, told the media that the US is willing to extend the “New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty” under the conditions of temporarily freezing US and Russian nuclear arsenals.

He emphasized that the United States and Russia have reached a principled consensus on this issue.

　　In response, Ryabkov said on the 13th that this is unacceptable.

This is not because Russia opposes freezing the nuclear arsenal, but believes that it is necessary to comprehensively resolve issues related to strategic stability: the issue of delivery vehicles, space issues, and anti-missile systems must be resolved.

　　Ryabkov denied that the two sides reached a certain consensus on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

He said that Russia and the United States have different views on how to establish a future arms control system and Russia has transferred its views to the United States in written form.

If the US agrees with the Russian side, the two sides can reach an agreement tomorrow.

However, under the current differences, it is difficult to imagine the reason for the US side to come to the conclusion that "the two sides reached a consensus in principle."

　　The "New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty" was signed by the leaders of Russia and the United States in 2010 and came into effect on February 5, 2011, with a validity period of 10 years.

The treaty stipulates that the two countries must comprehensively reduce the nuclear warheads and missiles deployed during the Cold War. Seven years after the treaty enters into force (that is, 2018), they will reduce their respective nuclear warheads to 1,550, and the number of nuclear missile launchers and bombers that can launch nuclear weapons. Reduced to 800, of which the number of deployed nuclear warhead delivery vehicles must not exceed 700.

　　Prior to this, the United States had withdrawn from the "Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty" and "Intermediate-Range Missile Treaty" and announced the initiation of the procedures for withdrawing from the "Open Skies Treaty."

At present, the only effective major arms control treaty between Russia and the United States is the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

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