Kremlin Says 'No Alternative to Nuclear Parity'

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said Friday there is "no alternative to nuclear parity" for global security, speaking after the Geneva-based ICAN group won the Nobel Peace Prize for its decade-long campaign to ban the atomic bomb.

"President Vladimir Putin has spoken many times about the importance of nuclear parity, for which there is no alternative from the point of view of global security and stability," Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

He reiterated Russia's "consistent and active position aimed at the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons". 

"Russia is a responsible member of the nuclear club," Peskov said, adding that one had to "respect" the decision of the Nobel committee.

ICAN was a key player in the adoption of a historic nuclear weapons ban treaty, signed by 122 countries in July. 

However, the accord was largely symbolic as none of the nine known world nuclear powers signed up to it.

The coalition of hundreds of NGOs says its main objective is the adoption of an international treaty banning nuclear weapons, along the lines of earlier agreements forbidding the use of biological and chemical weapons, landmines and cluster munitions.