Russia, Belarus regret U.S. pullout from open skies treaty

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MOSCOW, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Russia and Belarus expressed regret over the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies, the two countries said in a joint statement Monday.

"This step can seriously damage the architecture of pan-European security and the arms control system," read the statement issued as signatories of the treaty met in Vienna on Monday to assess the consequences of the U.S. pullout from the treaty.

Russia and Belarus, as member states of the treaty, are ready for equal and mutually respectful dialogue aimed at finding a comprehensive solution to the problems of fulfilling the agreement, with no ultimatums and taking into account all its parties' interests and concerns, it said.

Russian and Belarusian delegations distributed the joint statement among the participants at the Vienna meeting, according to the statement published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

In May, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States was withdrawing from the Treaty on Open Skies, the latest move to abandon a major international arms control agreement.

Trump accused Russia of not adhering to the treaty, which Moscow has repeatedly denied.

The treaty, which became effective in 2002, is aimed at building confidence and familiarity among states-parties through their participation in the overflights.

Currently, 35 nations, including Russia, the United States, and some other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, have signed it. But Kyrgyzstan, which signed the treaty, has not yet ratified it. Enditem

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