Interfax: Russia-U.S. disagreements over INF treaty not resolved so far because Washington unready to accommodate Moscow’s concerns – Ryabkov

MOSCOW. May 27 (Interfax) – The Russian Foreign Ministry is still committed to the 1987 Treaty Between the United States of America and the Soviet Union on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF Treaty), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

“The Russian Federation is committed to this treaty and abides by all of its provisions,” Ryabkov said in the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia’s parliament, on Friday.

Disagreements between Russia and the United States over the INF Treaty have not been resolved so far because of Washington’s lack of readiness to accommodate Moscow’s concerns and provide information “on the essence of their complaints to us,” he said.

“Dialogue on the INF Treaty with the U.S. will continue,” Ryabkov said.

U.S. remarks that the launch systems placed at the missile defense base in Romania are not intended to launch intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles “have not been confirmed, and it is impossible to verify them,” the deputy minister said.

At the same time, when assessing the course of implementing the Russian-U.S. New START Treaty, Ryabkov said that “the implementation of this treaty has been proceeding normally in general.”

“Documents published in the U.S. concerning the development of this country’s missile programs show that it intends to meet the set timeframe and the limits set by the treaty,” the high-ranking Russian diplomat said.

“American representatives have also indicated that the limits set by the treaty may be achieved even ahead of schedule,” he said.