PRAGUE. April 8 (Interfax) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called on other countries possessing nuclear weapons not to consider a new Russian-U.S. strategic arms reduction treaty as a chance for them to distance themselves from the problems of non-proliferation and the reduction of nuclear arsenals.
"I would like the other nuclear countries not to see the signing of today's treaty as a way for them to distance themselves from this subject. On the contrary, they should be involved in this conversation as much as possible, they should take a most active part in it and be aware of the ongoing events," Medvedev said at a press conference in Prague.
In this connection, Medvedev welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama's idea to hold a nuclear security summit in Washington on April 12-13 and confirmed that he would take part in it.
"We cannot be indifferent to what happens to nuclear weapons in other countries, and we cannot imagine a situation in which Russia and the U.S. make disarmament efforts and the rest of the world moves in a radically different direction," Medvedev said.
"We should take an integrated approach toward analyzing all issues related to the implementation of this treaty, non-proliferation, and the threat of nuclear terrorism," Medvedev said.