UNITED NATIONS – Representatives of Russia and the United States clashed atthe United Nations over the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-rangeNuclear Forces (INF) treaty, with Moscow warning that it would raise theissue at the UN Security Council if Washington makes good on its threat.President Donald Trump said on Oct. 20 that Washington planned to quit theINF treaty which Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, and RonaldReagan had signed in 1987. It eliminated all short- and intermediate-rangeland-based nuclear and conventional missiles held by both states in Europe.Washington has cited Russia alleged violation of the treaty as its reasonfor leaving it, a charge Moscow denies. Russia in turn accuses Washingtonof breaking the pact.

“In a year, if the US withdraws from the treaty and begins an uncontrolledbuild-up of weapons, nuclear-capable weapons, we will be confronting acompletely different reality,” Andrei Belousov, deputy director of Russia’sDepartment for Nonproliferation and Arms Control, told the 193-memberGeneral Assembly’s disarmament committee on Friday.Meanwhile, Moscow proposed a draft resolution at in the disarmamentcommittee on Thursday aimed at preserving and strengthening the INF treatyafter Trumps decision to quit it.

Russia, which presented the draft after the October 18 deadline forsubmitting the resolutions, called for a vote on whether the committeeshould be allowed to consider the draft, but gained only 31 favorablevotes, while 55 voted against and 54 abstained.Belousov warned that if Washington quit, Russia could raise the issue atthe 15-member Security Council.

He questioned whether the United States was preparing for a war, asking Whyis it then … do they want to leave the treaty Why do they want to build uptheir nuclear capabilityUS Disarmament Ambassador Robert Wood told the committee Washington hadspent some five years trying to engage Moscow on the issue of complianceand that Russia had “denied having produced or tested a ground-launchcruise missile.”

“It’s only recently that they admitted to having produced a ground-launchcruise missile but then maintained that it did not violate the range limitsof the treaty,” he added.“The US has been extremely patient with Russia and our hope is that Russiawill do the right thing and destroy that ground-launch cruise missile,”Wood said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned that Moscow willrespond in kind very quickly and effectively if the United States decidesto quit the landmark nuclear arms control pact.Meanwhile, experts warn that leaving the agreement could provoke adangerous arms race across Europe, akin to the one that was unfoldingduring 1980, but was ended by the INF.

Trumps decision has also drawn criticism from China and US allies, whowarned against the security risks the collapse of the INF could pose toEurope. – APP