UNITED NATIONS, September 29. /TASS/. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on the United States and Russia to engage in talks on an agreement to succeed the New START treaty, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary General, told a briefing.

"He also urged the United States and the Russian Federation to negotiate a successor framework to the New START treaty," he said. "He warned that we are at the most dangerous nuclear moment since the end of the Cold War, with arsenals expanding, nuclear rhetoric growing louder and safeguards built over decades of breaking down."

"He called on countries possessing nuclear weapons to return to dialogue, to prevent any use of a nuclear weapon and reduce the role of nuclear weapons in their security policies," the spokesman said.

Russia proposed continuing to observe New START limits for another year after the treaty’s expiration, but received no official response from Washington regarding this initiative. Regarding a new agreement, Moscow noted that it would require further coordination and negotiations, and that it must account not only for Russian and US arsenals but also for the nuclear weapons of US European allies - the United Kingdom and France. As for China’s participation, Russia maintains that this is a matter for Beijing to decide and respects whatever decision the Chinese side makes.