Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs Andrea Thompson referred to the January 15th Geneva meeting with Russian officials on the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) as "disappointing". Her brief remarks to the media were reported the same day by the press service of America's permanent mission in Geneva. "The meeting was disappointing as it is clear Russia continues to be in material breach of the Treaty," the American representative claimed. "Russia did not come prepared to explain how it plans to return to full and verifiable compliance."
Andrea Thompson also added that the United States remains committed to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo's statement of December 4th, 2018 that Washington will stop fulfilling its obligations under this treaty if Russia fails to return to its implementation within 60 days. "Our message was clear. Russia must destroy its noncompliant missile system," head of the US delegation said, promising to inform its allies and partners, including NATO, about the outcome of the meeting.
The Russian side's views on the "compliance" with the mentioned treaty by the United States are even more "disappointing".
Moscow has the most negative assessment of the American stance on the INF treaty because of Washington's consistently destructive line for a long period of time.
The fact is that over the last 17 years, the United States has 96 times violated the still relevant treaty, when using noncompliant medium- and shorter-range target missiles to verify effectiveness of its missile defense system. Among other things taken into account was the test of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system which successfully intercepted a "medium-range" target missile over the Pacific Ocean on December 11th, 2018. The Pentagon is expected to proceed with similar violations this year, as eloquently indicated in relevant media releases by the Missile Defense Agency of the US Department of Defense posted on its website, as well as statements by chief of this structure responsible for creating and testing interceptors of the anti-missile "shield".
On the other hand, the Geneva meeting did not see the American delegation referring to specific facts of the Russian side's "noncompliance" with the INF treaty, although Washington has been engaged in this kind of bluster since June 2012. Therefore, as far as Russia has never violated the document, it has no need to "return to its implementation". The country remains its diligent party without any noncompliant missile systems.
Conspicuous is the US press release's repetition of the gratuitous "Pompeo ultimatum" which proves inappropriate in terms of both the letter and spirit of the INF treaty itself, since withdrawing from this act by any party is only possible six (not two) months after a written notice of withdrawal to the other parties is issued. References to this ultimatum also suggest that Washington is really intended to denounce this document in the nearest future.
Quoting Andrea Thompson's statement of January 15th indicates that Washington is not ready to constructively discuss the INF treaty and implement it in full, but takes a destructive position instead.
In this context and with due regard to the external circumstances surrounding violations of the 1987 treaty by the American party, the following statement would be appropriate.
The United States must return to full and verifiable compliance with the perpetual agreement to eliminate medium- and shorter-range missiles which it has repeatedly violated, is violating right now and intends to violate in the future. At the same time Washington has to stop misleading its allies and partners, and the international community as a whole, as regards observing this perpetual treaty that should continue strengthening global security by complementing arrangements in nuclear arms control reached earlier.
In a recent interview with Serbian newspapers Politika ("Politics") and Večernje novosti ("Evening news") Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that "the United States is basically pursuing a course towards dismantling the system of international agreements on arms control that prevent it from bolstering its military capabilities or trying to adhere to the agreements selectively, i.e. only insofar as they serve its interests. The declaration of the intention to withdraw from the INF Treaty has become just another step in a sequence of similar actions. It is obvious that such a course will have the gravest consequences," he warned.
"Naturally, we are not going to turn a blind eye to the deployment of American missiles, which present a direct threat to our security. We will have to take effective countermeasures. However, Russia, as a responsible and sensible country, has no interest in a new arms race. Despite the United States' declared intention to withdraw from the INF Treaty, we are open to further dialogue on ways of preserving the Treaty. In December, we submitted to the American side a number of concrete proposals concerning the issue. We are also ready to hold a serious discussion on the entire "strategic" agenda between our countries," the head of state said.
