MOSCOW. Jan 23 (Interfax) - Russia has proposed holding a meeting on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with the United States at the level of deputy foreign ministers on the sidelines of the session of the five nuclear-weapon states in Beijing on January 30-31, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
"On January 30-31, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and his counterpart, U.S. Under Secretary Andrea Thompson, [...] are planning to be in Beijing to participate in a meeting of the so-called 'nuclear five.' The agenda of this event is much broader than INF Treaty issues," Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday.
"However, in light of the particular relevance of the situation surrounding the INF Treaty now, the Russian side is open to the continuation of a separate conversation with the U.S. side on this matter," she said, adding that the U.S. side has yet to respond to the offer.