Russia, US may continue arms talks in summer as Washington wants ‘treaty restricting all nuclear weapons’

The United States and Russia hope to meet for a second round of nuclear arms control talks in Vienna, possibly in late July or early August, the US envoy to the negotiations said on Tuesday. The first round took place the previous day.

US Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea said that the countries had agreed to set up “multiple” technical working groups and a second meeting would depend on their progress. The US wants a wide-ranging treaty restricting all nuclear weapons, not just strategic ones, Billingslea said, according to Reuters. China should also be involved in the process, the diplomat added.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov was reported as saying on Tuesday it was unrealistic to expect China to join arms control talks being held between Moscow and Washington.

Ryabkov and Billingslea discussed global security issues, and a possible extension of the START nuclear arms control treaty in particular, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.