Work underway on Putin's instructions about nuclear tests, says Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov
Moscow (PTI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday said President Vladimir Putin's latest instructions about studying the feasibility of resuming nuclear tests “is being worked on.”
During his Security Council meeting on November 5, at which Lavrov was absent, Putin instructed the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Defence, the intelligence services, and civilian agencies to submit proposals on the possibility of preparing for nuclear weapons tests by Russia if the US were to walk out of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) moratorium on nuclear tests.
“The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accepted for implementation the instruction given by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Security Council meeting on November 5; it has been accepted for implementation and is being worked on,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by official news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti.
“The public will be informed of the results,” Lavrov was quoted by the Russian agencies.
According to Lavrov, Moscow has not yet received any explanation of US President Donald Trump’s comment on the resumption of nuclear tests from Washington through diplomatic channels.
“So far, we have not received any explanation of what President Donald Trump meant when he announced the resumption of nuclear tests,” Lavrov told reporters, TASS said.
During the televised meeting with his Security Council, Putin was seen asserting that Russia will restart the nuclear tests only if the US did so first.
It was in response to US President Donald Trump's announcement last week that his administration plans to resume testing of the US' own nuclear assets after a gap of over three decades.
Ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 30, Trump announced that the US will start testing nuclear weapons on an “equal basis” with rival powers.
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National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said he will ask for time from Delhi police to appear before them next week, to provide required information as part of the probe into the National Herald case.
He said he will seek time after the ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature ends on December 19. He will also ask the Delhi police to provide him the FIR copy.
Shivakumar, who is in the national capital, had earlier said that he will appear before the Delhi police on Monday. But, he postponed the plan in order to rush back to Karnataka to participate in the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, scheduled later in the day in Davangere.
"I had to go (to appear before the Delhi police), but I have to go back urgently. I'm asking them for time, stating that I will come next week," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
"They (Delhi police) have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I don't know what the FIR says, I only read in papers. They have given notice, I will ask for a FIR copy. I will come next week after the Assembly session."
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is "supposed to be having vital information" pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In the notice dated November 29, the EOW had asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Investigators have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party, and a complete break up of funds allegedly transferred by him or associated entities to Young Indian.
To a question on meeting AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, amid the ongoing power tussle between him and CM Siddaramaiah over the Chief Minister post, Shivakumar said when he comes to Delhi, he usually meets every one.
"Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge (AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge) or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What's wrong?" he asked.
Shivakumar was in Delhi to take part in Congress' "Vote Chori" rally on Sunday, and had also participated in the lunch organised by the party for its leaders.
Responding to a question, whether any meeting is planned with leaders today, the Deputy CM said, he and Kharge will be travelling together to Karnataka, to pay last respects to Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Asked if he will seek time for a separate meeting with Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, during the next visit to Delhi, Sivakumar said, "such things will be there between us in the party.... you don't worry."
