The State Duma has passed in the first reading a law, which ratifies the new START treaty, with 350 votes to 58.

The State Duma will not disregard the interpretation of the new START treaty by the US Senate, and in the second reading it will make a special statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed after a discussion on the ratification of START in the lower house of parliament on Friday.

"It is clear that the MPs will not leave unnoticed the Senate’s interpretation,” Lavrov said. “In considering the document (the instrument of ratification) in the second reading a statement will be made in which the MPs will answer all questions of principle (contained in the resolution of the Senate).

As the head of the Duma committee on international affairs, Konstantin Kosachyov, said earlier, the statements the U.S. Senate attached to the resolution of ratification arouse the "need for an adequate retaliatory steps by the Russian side, including relevant statements accompanying the bill on START ratification.”

“This can be done in second reading, by amending the ratification bill,” he said.