Global General

Russia ready to discuss conventional arms reduction

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-08 09:55

MOSCOW -- Russia is ready to discuss further reduction of strategic arms, not only with the United States but also with other nuclear powers, an official said on Monday.

Related readings:  New START treaty takes effect  Obama signe le nouveau traité START  Mass march to start in Cairo  Woods gets off to slow 2011 start

After the new strategic arms reduction treaty (START) came into force, the next primary task is to start the talks about non-nuclear strategic arms reduction, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said.

"We are ready for such talks," he said, adding that the talks about conventional forces in Europe should also be resumed.

Antonov also revealed the Russian-US commission on the new START implementation that might convene in March in Geneva.

"We should sit together with the Americans to discuss this problem," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday exchanged ratification documents at a conference on the sidelines of the 47th Munich Security Conference, which meant the pact has taken effect.