Russian parliament approves suspension of plutonium accord with U.S.

[October 19, 2016]    MOSCOW (Reuters) - The lower house of the Russian parliament on Wednesday approved President Vladimir Putin's decree on suspending a plutonium accord with the United States, Russian news agencies reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with government members at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia, October 18, 2016. Sputnik/Kremlin/Mikhail Klimentyev via REUTERS

The agreement was concluded in 2000 and bound the two sides to dispose of surplus plutonium originally intended for use in nuclear weapons.

Agencies said the suspension was approved by 445 of 450 deputies in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament.

(Reporting by Alexander Winning; Writing by Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

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