Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday told local media that the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is unchangeable, saying the new treaty will promote strategic stability between Russia and the United States if put into force.
"I can just emphasize that the treaty, in our view, is completely in line with the national interests of Russia and the U. S.. It cannot be 'reopened' and become a subject of new negotiations," Lavrov told the Interfax news agency.
With regard to the reported attempts of some U.S. senators to make changes to the new START, Lavrov said: "We hope the senators will show their responsibility by supporting it (the new treaty)."
"However, we are not in any way going to interfere in the process of the hearings on the treaty in (the U.S.) Capitol Hill -- that is a domestic issue of the United States," he added.
Lavrov also called for the ratification of the treaty, saying that "dozens of states and organizations, including NATO, have called for the ratification."
Xinhua
