US calls on Russia to stay with nuclear weapons treaty

By JAMEY KEATEN and JIM HEINTZ
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — A top US arms control official has sharply criticized Russia for suspending participation in the last remaining nuclear weapons treaty, but said Washington will try to work with Moscow to continue its implementation. Russia announced last week it would suspend participation in the New START treaty which obligated both Russia and the U.S. to commit to regular communications on the status of their nuclear arsenals, allow regular on-site inspections and abide by caps on the number of deployed and non-deployed warheads of each side. “Russia is once again showing the world that it is not a responsible nuclear power,” Bonnie Jenkins, the US undersecretary of state for arms control, said Monday. She spoke at a United Nations-affiliated international forum.