Russia Focused On Bolstering NPT Treaty As Key Element Of Global Security - Antonov

Russia Focused on Bolstering NPT Treaty as Key Element of Global Security - Antonov

Russia is focused on upholding the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and considers the accord to be a key component of international security, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said on Friday.

SAN FRANCISCO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th October, 2018) Russia is focused on upholding the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and considers the accord to be a key component of international security, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said on Friday.

"We are focused on bolstering and implementing the NPT, which is the cornerstone agreement of non-proliferation and disarmament," Antonov told students at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California. "We consider the NPT to be a fundamental element of global stability and security. It is a reliable barrier against nuclear weapons proliferation."

Antonov said Russia strictly adheres to its obligations under the NPT, as well as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction.

In June, the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom issued a statement to mark the 50th anniversary of the NPT accord in which they pledged to advance the elimination of nuclear arms and reaffirmed their commitment to support the activities of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) aimed at achieving the full elimination of nuclear weapons arsenals.

"Apart from its non-proliferation dimension, the NPT is a unique tool that promotes nuclear disarmament, as well as international cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy," Antonov said. "We stand for reaching the goal of reaching the world free of nuclear threat."

Antonov emphasized that reaching the goal is a difficult and time-consuming process whereby a number of key factors influencing strategic stability must be considered.

"The aspirations of a number of states to ban nuclear weapons in isolation from the NPT are doomed to failure," Antonov said.

Antonov pointed out that there is a forthcoming Review Conference of the NPT Parties in 2020 and said Russia is ready to participate.

"Our biggest accomplishment is that in February of 2018 we met all requirements under the New START Treaty," Antonov said. "We haven't received any complaints in this regard. However, we have questions to our American colleagues on how they have been implementing the Treaty's provisions."

In addition, Antonov said there are also questions as to other nuclear states' implementation of the NPT Article VI, which stipulates that each party should pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under effective international control.

"We'll have to check out their reports during the conference, or, just as before, they will mostly confine to criticism from Russia and the United States," Antonov said.

The NPT was signed on July 1, 1968 and went into effect in March 1970. There are 190 parties to the accord, but India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and South Sudan are not signatories.