Talks on the prohibition of tactical nuclear weapons deployment in third countries should be the next step in arms control, the Russian foreign minister said on Friday.
Moscow and Washington announced earlier in the day a new strategic arms reduction treaty, cutting nuclear warheads to 1,550 and delivery vehicles to 800 on each side, would be signed on April 8 in Prague.
"I am convinced that negotiations on further progress in nuclear arms reductions will continue. But this conversation can only be conducted in the context of the general strategic situation, in the context of general disarmament tasks," Sergei Lavrov said.
He recalled that Russia had earlier proposed that nuclear weapons must only be deployed in the territory of those countries to which they belong.
"This should be the starting point in any conversation on this topic," he said.
MOSCOW, March 26 (RIA Novosti)
