WASHINGTON: The United States is “deeply concerned” by Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty known as CTBT and said it to “serve to set back confidence in the global arms control regime”, Western media reported on Thursday.
Washington ‘Deeply Concerned’ by Moscow’s Decision
In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that they were deeply concerned by Moscow’s planned act to withdraw its ratification of the CTBT. He added that it represented an important step in the wrong direction, taking them further from, not closer to, entry into force. The US Secretary of State said the US lauded similar remarks of concern expressed by other countries.
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The US remains committed to obtaining the entry into force of the treaty, and they reiterated their commitment to their zero-yield nuclear explosive testing moratorium, which has been in place for three decades, he said. The treaty is a global agreement envisioning the banning of nuclear arms tests and any other nuclear tests.
Russia and the US signed the 1996 treaty before Russia went via the ratification process while Washington refrained.
