China, Russia Discuss Strategic StabilityChina and Russia reached a broad consensus Wednesday on issues related to strategic stability, including missile defense, disarmament and arms control, according to the Foreign Ministry.During consultations on strategic stability, China's Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Deguang and his Russian counterpart G. Mamedov reiterated both sides' opposition to the deployment of the NMD system, which is prohibited by the ABM Treaty, and the development of the TMD system of a military bloc nature for the Asia-Pacific region. They pointed out that the ABM Treaty must be safeguarded, strengthened and complied with, and they stressed the need to do everything possible to maintain the regional and global strategic balance and stability. Both sides agreed that START II (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II) should go into force as soon as possible, and that START I should be strictly complied with. They also agreed that Russia and the United States should start talks on a range of issues concerning the further massive reduction of offensive strategic weaponry. The two sides expressed readiness to continue their close consultations and cooperation with a view to strengthening strategic stability and international security. |
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