US threatens to pull out of nuclear pact

Russia accused of violating landmark treaty

THE US would suspend compliance with the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia today and would formally withdraw in six months if Moscow does not end its alleged treaty violations, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said yesterday.

The US would reconsider its withdrawal if Russia, which denies violating the landmark 1987 arms control pact, came into compliance with the treaty, which bans both nations from stationing short- and intermediate-range, land-based missiles in Europe.

“Russia has refused to take any steps to return (to) real and verifiable compliance,” Pompeo told reporters at the State Department. “We will provide Russia and the other treaty parties with formal notice that the US is withdrawing from the INF treaty, effective in six months.

“If Russia does not return to full and verifiable compliance with the treaty within this six-month period by verifiably destroying its INFviolating missiles, their launchers, and associated equipment, the treaty will terminate.”

Some experts believe the collapse of the treaty could undermine other arms control agreements and speed an erosion of the global system designed to block the spread of nuclear arms.

The US alleges a new Russian cruise missile violates the pact. The missile, the Novator 9M729, is known as the SSC-8 by Nato.

The treaty required the parties to destroy ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of between 500km and 5500km.

Last week, the head of Russia’s missile and artillery forces said the new missile’s maximum range fell short of the treaty’s lower limit.

Russia has accused the US of inventing a false pretext to exit a treaty that it wants to leave anyway so it can develop new missiles.

Russia also has rejected a US demand to destroy the new missile. |