Antonov: The American side is trying to prevent the implementation of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Washington (ST): Russia’s Ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, confirmed that the American side is trying to prevent the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty from entering into force and continues to strengthen its military nuclear infrastructure.

TASS news agency quoted Antonov as saying today in his comment on the US State Department’s criticism of the Russian position on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: “This position is another periodic manifestation of Washington’s policy based on the principle that what the United States can do is forbidden to other countries,” stressing that “the United States in particular is the last state which has the right to criticize others about the threats facing the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.”

Antonov added: “For more than 25 years, Washington has been obstructing the entry into force of the Treaty by refusing to ratify it, and in return, it verbally declares its commitment to stop testing nuclear explosions,” explaining that Russia ratified the treaty in 2000 and had waited for that from the United States for more than a quarter of a century, but in vain.

K.Q.