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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| US, Russia in key missile talks | US, Russia in key missile talks |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The US and Russia are set for high-level talks in Moscow that will focus on Washington's plans to place a missile defence system in Europe. | |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates will meet their opposite numbers to try to tackle the Kremlin's opposition. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates will meet their opposite numbers to try to tackle the Kremlin's opposition. |
| Moscow sees US plans to base radar in the Czech Republic and interceptors in Poland as a threat to its own security. | Moscow sees US plans to base radar in the Czech Republic and interceptors in Poland as a threat to its own security. |
| The US says it has to counteract "rogue states" like Iran and North Korea. | The US says it has to counteract "rogue states" like Iran and North Korea. |
| The Kremlin has asked the US why it cannot instead use Russian-operated early warning radar in Azerbaijan. | The Kremlin has asked the US why it cannot instead use Russian-operated early warning radar in Azerbaijan. |
| Friday's talks are also expected to cover Russia's threat to leave the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and aim nuclear missiles at Europe if the US forges ahead. | Friday's talks are also expected to cover Russia's threat to leave the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and aim nuclear missiles at Europe if the US forges ahead. |
| 'Serious problems' | 'Serious problems' |
| Analysts say discussions on what might succeed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) on nuclear weapons, which expires in 2009, are also likely. | |
| And the political future of Kosovo will be on the agenda. | |
| The so-called two-plus-two meeting will bring Ms Rice and Mr Gates face-to-face with their Russian counterparts, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov. | |
| "We have been very clear that we need the Czech and Polish sites," Ms Rice told journalists on her plane as it flew to Moscow on Thursday night. | "We have been very clear that we need the Czech and Polish sites," Ms Rice told journalists on her plane as it flew to Moscow on Thursday night. |
| The secretary of state, who trained as a Soviet specialist during the Cold War, is also expected to hold a private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. | The secretary of state, who trained as a Soviet specialist during the Cold War, is also expected to hold a private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. |
| Vladimir Putin is due to visit Iran next week | |
| BBC Moscow correspondent Richard Galpin says there is little hope of progress on the key issue of the US missile defence plans. | BBC Moscow correspondent Richard Galpin says there is little hope of progress on the key issue of the US missile defence plans. |
| He says the fact that Ms Rice and Mr Gates have flown to Moscow shows how serious problems are now between the two countries. | He says the fact that Ms Rice and Mr Gates have flown to Moscow shows how serious problems are now between the two countries. |
| The US diplomatic team is also expected to seek Russian backing for tougher sanctions against Iran. | |
| Washington says Iran wants to build nuclear weapons but Tehran says it simply wants to produce nuclear energy. | Washington says Iran wants to build nuclear weapons but Tehran says it simply wants to produce nuclear energy. |
| Mr Putin, who is due to visit Iran next week, says there is no evidence that Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb. |