Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) speaks with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier during a news conference in Moscow, Russia, March 23, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin
Reuters: U.S. skeptical about German call for new arms pact with Russia
The United States said on Thursday it was skeptical about Germany's call for a new arms control deal with Russia to avoid an escalation of tensions in Europe, given Moscow's violation of a series of other agreements.
Daniel Baer, the U.S. envoy to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), told Reuters that Washington favors continued dialogue with Russia to enhance transparency, but is wary of entering into any new agreements at this point.
"Our focus will remain on the existing agreements and trying to get them to function they way they ought to be functioning, and continuing to engage on the serious concerns about the issues at hand," Baer said in an interview with Reuters in Berlin ahead of an OSCE meeting in nearby Potsdam.
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Update: German FM Steinmeier calls for new arms control pact with Russia (DW)
WNU Editor: I am surprised that U.S. officials were this quick to shut down such a proposal. The whole point in such an exercise is to begin the discussion and to lower tensions via through dialogue .... and even if no arms agreement is reached, it would still accomplish the goal of showing a desire among everyone involved that there is an interest to stabilise the situation.
There is no interest in the US to "stabilize" the situation. That would undo all the work they have invested since 2002 in destabilizing the situation.
ReplyDeleteYou're surprised? Don't you realize that the neo-cons who run Washington think they run the world, too? Therefore, it's our way or the highway to destruction.
ReplyDeleteIn order to hold talks, you need someone to talk to.
ReplyDelete