US Dept Secretary Wendy Sherman on talks with Russia in Geneva: Frank and forthright dialogue over course of nearly 8 hours at US mission...Came prepared to address Russia security concerns & share our own. US came with a number of ideas...& offered to meet again soon. 1/
Sherman (not verbatim): Preliminary ideas US raised today:
Missile placement. US open to discuss future of certain missile systems in Europe along lines of now defunct INF treaty
Shared open to discuss reciprocal limits on size & scope of military exercises, on reciprocal basis
Missile placement. US open to discuss future of certain missile systems in Europe along lines of now defunct INF treaty
Shared open to discuss reciprocal limits on size & scope of military exercises, on reciprocal basis
[later, in q/a]: Today was a discussion, to better understand each other's priorities and concerns
Not a negotiation. Not at a point where ready to set down text and go back & forth. Not in that kind of setting. Trying to have very clear eyed business like straightforward...
Not a negotiation. Not at a point where ready to set down text and go back & forth. Not in that kind of setting. Trying to have very clear eyed business like straightforward...
discussions to better understand each other’s concerns
[back to opening debrief remarks]: US & Russia agreed nuclear war can never be won & must never be fought. Reaffirmed by p5
That is why US has long been interested in discussion with Russia on...arms control. Reiterated our interest in having deeper discussions on this topic
That is why US has long been interested in discussion with Russia on...arms control. Reiterated our interest in having deeper discussions on this topic
Sherman: We were firm, however, in pushing back on security proposals that are simply non starters for the US. including Nato open door policy; not going to forego bilat cooperation with countries.
Sherman, in Q/A, referenced that she and her Russian counterpart, Deputy FM Sergey Ryabkov, know each other well including from being their countries' lead negotiators during the Iran nuclear deal talks.
Sherman: Did not set out a specific timetable for anything.
Russians said would like to move swiftly. We have said ...happy to move as swiftly as feasible. Point made – these kind of arms control negotiations don’t happen just in a day or week, generally quite complex,
Russians said would like to move swiftly. We have said ...happy to move as swiftly as feasible. Point made – these kind of arms control negotiations don’t happen just in a day or week, generally quite complex,
quite technical & take some time. But ready to move quite expeditiously as one can.
On question of reciprocity: Arms control agreements only work and are durable when reciprocal, to ensure mutual security.
On question of reciprocity: Arms control agreements only work and are durable when reciprocal, to ensure mutual security.
Whatever it is that we may be able to do here--and it is not clear yet, because we are just at the beginning--
Anything we do that we might put on the table as an idea, we would expect reciprocal action from Russia
May not be the exact same action.
Anything we do that we might put on the table as an idea, we would expect reciprocal action from Russia
May not be the exact same action.
Transcript, part 1 
transcript 👉🏼
https://twitter.com/usambcd/status/1480636275531075588
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