After a hiatus of more than a year, the US and Russia will discuss nuclear disarmament on Monday, but China does not want to participate.
The continuance of the arms talks has made it clear that President Trump wants to get something in the twilight of his term.
His new representative is Marshall Billingslea, is tasked to head the US delegation and talk to Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov in Vienna. An envoy from the communist party was requested but none was sent, reported The Guardian.
According to the State Department, the People's Republic of China was asked to be part of these talks on Nuclear Arms Control. The US stressed the need for arms because all talks will be in good faith, VOA News said.
According to President Trump, the inclusion of China is crucial and they have refused to take part. The US and its Federation of American Scientists have speculated that China has 320 warheads which are smaller than Russia's or America's in terms of a nuclear arsenal.
Rather evasively, China's foreign ministry spokesman said that China is not ready to join nuclear talks, earlier this month.
In a Tweet, Billingslea said China should join with attaining Super Power status responsibly. There should be no more secrecy about its nuclear stockpile.
With the resumption of nuclear talks, it will last two days in Vienna with the 2010 New Start treaty. A limited number will be retained about 1550 warheads per nation for those on long-range systems. Expiration of the treaty will be on February next year, but an extension of five years is assured. Putin has agreed, but the Trump administration is yet to decide with finality.
Sources have said that the Trump administration want a comprehensive deal that will add non-strategic weapons, with more checks on the stockpiles. Most important is that China allow arms control, but these alterations will take months if not years. Cited in Wall Street Journal.
The danger of not getting a nuclear deal will result in a nuclear arms race that will be uncontrolled in over 50 years for the first time.
A source from congress said China is being forced to participate, but they refuse. Even the Kremlin is not keen on it, which shows a road to nowhere.
Most American allies are asking the US president to extend the time for an extension, to draw in China to more complete arms negotiations as a whole. Billingslea threshed the US proposal in a meet of member state ambassadors, who are part of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) last May. But not too many were interested in the US approach.
One of the observations was that trilateral arms control was the focus, said one diplomat. Most of the allies want an extension on the New Start, but China is getting too much attention. The time to run New Start is more important.
Many of the considerations were addressed, but Billingslea was clear that no decision on the start has been made. This was the opinion voiced by the diplomat.
The NAC meeting was discussed after Trump was not keen on the Open Skies Treaty to make flyovers over nations' jurisdiction. It was made to give transparency, but Trump did not like placing limits on overflights. But European allies said it can be fixed and not be jeopardized by disagreements, confirmed BBC News.
