Moscow Says China Position Unchanged on Arms Control Talks

MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. As far as Moscow is aware, China has not changed its position on the issue of arms control and has not planned to participate in such Russian-American arrangements, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing, commenting on Washington's desire to reach a trilateral agreement in this sphere.

Earlier, during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington, US President Donald Trump proposed holding trilateral talks on strategic stability. Bringing China into this process has long been a position held by the White House incumbent, who, citing this very rationale, allowed the collapse in February of the last remaining agreement in this sphere - the Russian-American Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).

"We know our Chinese friends' position very well," Peskov said. "They have consistently stated that, since their nuclear arsenal is not comparable to the nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States, they do not consider participation in such negotiations to be either necessary or feasible."

"At the moment, we are unaware of any changes in our Chinese friends' position on this issue," Peskov concluded.

Russia proposed continuing to observe New START limits for another year after the treaty’s expiration, but received no official response from Washington regarding this initiative. Regarding a new agreement, Moscow noted that it would require further coordination and negotiations, and that it must account not only for Russian and US arsenals but also for the nuclear weapons of US European allies - the UK and France. As for China’s participation, Russia maintains that this is a matter for Beijing to decide and respects whatever decision the Chinese side makes.