Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Discusses WMD Non-Proliferation With US

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said he had discussed the issue of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction with Tom Countryman, the US assistant secretary for international security and nonproliferation, and Deputy US Assistant Secretary for Arms Control Anita Friedt.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — He added that although the new administration of US President-elect Donald Trump would start its work already on January 20, the discussion with the representatives of outgoing President Barack Obama’s administration "was not in vain" due to the constant need to work on such important areas as the arms control.

"We have discussed with the representatives of the administration all the current agenda in the area of arms control," Ryabkov told journalists on Monday.

In December 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ready to work jointly with Washington on strengthening the regime of the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The discussion between Ryabkov and the US officials comes in the wake of Trump's remarks on possible anti-Russia sanctions relief in exchange for the bilateral reduction of nuclear weapons.

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