US invites China to arms control talks with Russia

The United States recommends that China meet with Russia at an early date to consider next steps for trilateral arms control negotiations, US State Department spokesperson said on Thursday.

"The United States welcomes China's commitment to engage in arms control negotiations. As such, prudent next steps will need to include face-to-face meetings between the United States and China. The Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control, Ambassador Marshall Billingslea, will invite the Chinese government to join in good faith negotiations in Vienna, Austria," said State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus.

"The United States also recommends that China meet with Russia at an early date to consider next steps for trilateral arms control negotiations. We will all bring different perspectives and objectives to the negotiating table and will surely have disagreements. But it is time for dialogue and diplomacy between the three biggest nuclear weapons powers on how to prevent a new arms race," she added.

According to a Sputnik report, on June 22, Russia and the US launched talks in Vienna in an effort to rescue New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the last pact limiting the two countries' nuclear arsenals that is set to expire in February. China repeatedly declined the invitation to join the talks, dashing United States' hopes of making them trilateral, the report said.

(ANI)

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