US Interested in Discussing Nuclear Issues with Russia: Senior Diplomat
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The US administration is interested in discussing nuclear issues with Russia and assumes that Moscow knows Washington's position, US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins said.
Speaking to a TASS correspondent, she commented on Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov's statement that the dialogue on strategic stability between Moscow and Washington is unlikely to resume in its previous form in the foreseeable future. "I'm not sure because I've heard him say that before. I’m not sure how to respond to that," Jenkins pointed out.
"As (White House national security adviser) Jake Sullivan said, we remain interested in talking on nuclear issues," the diplomat pointed out. "I think they know where we stand on this, so that hasn't changed," she added, referring to the Russian side.
Earlier, Ryabkov said on the sidelines of the Primakov Readings international forum that he did not believe that the strategic stability dialogue would be resumed in the foreseeable future "in the format practiced before the United States unilaterally stopped it."
He pointed out that "Russia will not make any unilateral concessions." Ryabkov noted that "a lot of negative things" have happened in Russian-American relations recently, making it impossible to resume political dialogue on pressing matters. According to him, the responsibility for this lies with Washington.
