Soviets, Adhering to INF Treaty, Make Surprise Tour of U.S. Base
The Soviet Union exercised its right for the first time Tuesday to conduct a surprise inspection under the new Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, the Pentagon said.
Defense Department spokesman Dan Howard said a 10-person team of Soviet inspectors had arrived earlier Tuesday at the Rhein-Main Air Base near Frankfurt, West Germany, and declared its intention to conduct a so-called short-notice inspection.
The INF treaty, which requires the elimination of all U.S. and Soviet ground-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles, authorizes up to 20 short-notice inspections each year for the next three years. A smaller number of surprise visits are authorized during each of the following 10 years.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
