Non-proliferation must be kept as a central aim, Guterres said
Russia and the US need to go further along the path of nuclear disarmament after prolongation of the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. This opinion was expressed by UN Secretary General António Guterres in an exclusive interview with TASS.
He stressed that the extension of START-3 was “vital”. “But it is also vital to catch up and make progress on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament,” the world body chief said.
“We need to stick to non-proliferation as a central goal so that there are no nuclear powers left”, – he stressed. – “But we also need to get on the path of effective arms control and increasing disarmament.”
On Tuesday, the Russian and US sides exchanged notes on the extension of START III. In its note, the U.S. Embassy in Russia proposed, in accordance with the provisions of the treaty, to extend its validity “for a period of five years until February 5, 2026.” The Russian Foreign Ministry, for its part, confirmed “the acceptability of this proposal for the Russian Federation.” On Wednesday, the State Duma voted unanimously to ratify the agreement, and later the Federation Council voted for it.