Moscow: Russia and the US are likely to
ink a landmark pact by April to slash their nuclear weapons
stockpiles, according a top Kremlin official.
"The wordings have been mainly agreed on, some minor
disagreements remain," Kremlin Foreign Policy aide Sergei
Prikhodko was quoted as saying by news agencies.
Due to disagreements over verification and control
procedures both the countries missed a deadline last year to
replace the Soviet-era Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START
1).
Both sides, however, say they will abide by the old
START treaty, which expired on December 5 last year, until a
new one is signed.
A new round of negotiations began in Geneva on Monday
after President Dmitry Medvedev and his American counterpart
Barack Obama last week reiterated their desire for the speedy
finalisation of the crucial pact.
An outline of the new treaty, as agreed by top leaders
of the two countries, includes cutting nuclear arsenals to
1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to
500-1,000.
Another Kremlin official, on condition of anonymity,
said American experts close to the negotiations have named
Prague as a possible venue for the signing of the deal.
He indicated that Moscow's is not averse to the idea
of signing the pact in Prague saying it will be signed in a
'third country'.
"Moscow has not rejected the choice. The treaty is
likely to be signed in a third country," the Kremlin official
said.
The erstwhile US administration, led by George W Bush,
had planned to deploy missile shield radar in the Czech
Republic which Moscow considered a threat to its national
security.
However, after pressing 'reset' button in ties with
former Cold War foe President Obama scrapped the controversial
plans of his predecessor.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, February 03, 2010, 21:02