Global Security Newswire

High-level diplomats from Russia and the United States met today in Moscow to discuss missile defense and a follow-up pact to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which is set to expire at the end of next year, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Dec. 12).

The meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and U.S. Undersecretary of State John Rood ended without any notable progress on the issues.

"On key moments we didn't succeed in bringing our approaches any closer," Ryabkov said. "But this wasn't unexpected."

Rood agreed, but said there was value in discussing Moscow's views on strategic issues.

"It's important from our perspective that the U.S. and Russia remain in detailed talks on these subjects," he said (Associated Press/Charlotte Observer, Dec. 15).

The nuclear treaty restricts the number of nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles that can be deployed by both nations.

"We have reached an understanding with the current U.S. administration that we need a new treaty replacing the existing one," Ryabkov told the Kommersant daily before the meeting. "There is a chance to finalize a new document by December 2009."

That would occur under U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, who is scheduled to take office on Jan. 20.

"This (new treaty) will help to formulate a positive agenda in bilateral relations," Ryabkov said. "I think the work will accelerate once the U.S. administration changes."

The European missile shield has been a sore point between Moscow and Washington in recent years. Russia argues that the system -- encompassing 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar site in the Czech Republic -- would constitute a threat to its strategic security. It has dismissed U.S. assertions that the system is intended to provide protection against missile threats from Iran and other rogue nations. Obama has indicated that he would support the technology only if it is proved to work as intended.

"U.S. missile defense plans only convince us that these [strategic] issues should be considered in a package," Ryabkov said (Oleg Shchedrov, Reuters/Tiscali, Dec. 15).