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Russia and US begin nuclear talks Russia and US begin nuclear talks
(about 12 hours later)
Russia and the US are holding the first of three days of talks in Moscow on a new treaty aimed at reducing their stockpiles of nuclear weapons. Russia and the US have been holding the first of three days of talks in Moscow on a new treaty aimed at reducing their stockpiles of nuclear weapons.
Senior diplomats need to hammer out a replacement for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start I) which expires in December. Senior diplomats need to negotiate a replacement for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start I) of 1991, which expires on 5 December.
The main sticking points are limits on the number of warheads and whether the treaty will cover bombers and missiles.The main sticking points are limits on the number of warheads and whether the treaty will cover bombers and missiles.
Also on the agenda is Moscow's concern over a US missile defence programme. Also on the agenda is Moscow's concern over US missile defence shield plans.
Analysts say a successful outcome would be a boost for relations before a visit to Moscow in July by US President Barack Obama.Analysts say a successful outcome would be a boost for relations before a visit to Moscow in July by US President Barack Obama.
Click to see the evolution of US and Russian nuclear stockpilesClick to see the evolution of US and Russian nuclear stockpiles
Mr Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev agreed last month to pursue a deal to replace the Cold War-era Start I, signed in 1991. Mr Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, agreed last month to pursue a deal to replace Start I.
Tuesday's talks were being held behind closed doors at a 19th Century mansion in Moscow. Delivery systems
The Russian foreign ministry declined to comment on the talks and no press conferences have been planned, AFP news agency reported. The two-day negotiations began on Tuesday behind closed doors at a 19th Century foreign ministry mansion in Moscow and will continue on Wednesday as planned.
However, Russian news agencies quoted an unnamed foreign ministry official as saying: "We are seeking a constructive dialogue and hope that the optimism that is being expressed by both sides will feed through into practical results." We believe that the Start treaty cannot be discussed in a vacuum... We must sort out the situation on missile defence Sergei LavrovRussian Foreign Minister
US-RUSSIA ARMS ACCORDS 1972: Salt I treaty agrees to freeze levels of strategic nuclear missile launchers and submarines; Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty bans missile-defence systems1979: Salt II Treaty imposes for first time ceiling on strategic nuclear weapons1987: INF treaty eliminates short and medium-range missiles1991: Start I slashes nuclear arsenals by one-third1993: Start II treaty reduces number of nuclear warheads and bans use of MIRV warheads1999: US Senate blocks nuclear test ban treaty2000: Russian parliament ratifies Start II treaty2002: US withdraws from ABM Treaty; Russia withdraws from Start II the following day2002: Sort treaty commits both sides to cut arsenals by two-thirds class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7977031.stm">US and Russia press reset button The US team is being led by Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller and include officials from the Pentagon and the US Department of Energy.
US negotiators are led by Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller and include officials from the Pentagon and the US Department of Energy.
Ms Gottemoeller, a Russian expert, held preliminary talks in Rome last month with Russia's chief negotiator Anatoly Antonov.Ms Gottemoeller, a Russian expert, held preliminary talks in Rome last month with Russia's chief negotiator Anatoly Antonov.
At a joint news conference afterwards, the heads of the US and Russian delegations said the talks had been "productive". A Russian foreign ministry spokesman said that both sides had agreed the talks would be discreet and that they would only release a joint statement at the end.
Russia has said that as well as cutting the number of warheads, it would like to see a reduction in delivery systems - such as bombers, missiles and submarines. Ahead of the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he hoped the negotiations would be "fruitful", but warned that they would be linked to US plans to build an anti-missile system in central Europe.
It also wants to link the nuclear talks to US plans to deploy an anti-missile shield in Europe. US-RUSSIA ARMS ACCORDS 1972: Salt I treaty agrees to freeze levels of strategic nuclear missile launchers and submarines; Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty bans missile-defence systems1979: Salt II Treaty imposes for first time ceiling on strategic nuclear weapons1987: INF treaty eliminates short and medium-range missiles1991: Start I slashes nuclear arsenals by one-third1993: Start II treaty reduces number of nuclear warheads and bans use of MIRV warheads1999: US Senate blocks nuclear test ban treaty2000: Russian parliament ratifies Start II treaty2002: US withdraws from ABM Treaty; Russia withdraws from Start II the following day2002: Sort treaty commits both sides to cut arsenals by two-thirds class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7977031.stm">US and Russia press reset button
The BBC's Duncan Kennedy says the US believes a new treaty will give Washington greater moral and political force against countries with nuclear ambitions such as Iran and North Korea. "We believe that the Start treaty cannot be discussed in a vacuum," he was quoted as telling Russian media on Monday.
Both presidents want the new deal to improve on an agreement by their predecessors in 2002 to cut deployed warheads to between 1,700 and 2,200 on each side by 2012. "It must reflect the issue of global security, which certainly includes Russia's, and this implies that we must sort out the situation on missile defence."
The US says the missile defence system is intended to destroy incoming ballistic missiles fired by "rogue states", such as North Korea and Iran.
Moscow has also said it would like to see a cut in so-called delivery systems, such as missiles, bombers and submarines, not just nuclear warheads - an area not covered by existing agreements.
Meanwhile, the US is reportedly prepared to count only the warheads ready for launch, while Russia wants to count those in storage as well.
The US also plans to swap nuclear warheads for conventional ones on some ballistic missiles. Russia says they would be impossible to differentiate.
But both want the new deal to improve on the 2002 Treaty of Moscow, which will cut deployed warheads to between 1,700 and 2,200 on each side by 2012.
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