The United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates are expected to talk with their Russian counterparts on issues of mutual concern amid the missile shield row between the two nations, officials said.
The U.S. top diplomat and defense official, who arrived here Monday for a two-day visit, will also hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov Tuesday.
The talks, established last year as a two-plus-two format, are expected to focus on such issues as U.S. plans to deploy a third anti-missile system in Central Europe, Russia's delay of obligations of an arms control treaty as well as Kosovo, Kremlin officials said.
Russia's outgoing President Vladimir Putin and his successor President-elect Dmitry Medvedev are expected to meet the senior U.S. officials Monday in the Kremlin, Itar-Tass news agency reported.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said "the agenda will cover a broad range of bilateral strategic issues, including missile defense, post-START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) arrangements, cooperation on non-proliferation as well as counter-terrorism."
The United States plans to base missile interceptors in Poland and radar units in the Czech Republic as part of its efforts to extend the missile defense system to Europe.
Russia has strongly opposed the plan, saying it poses a threat to its security, while Washington said the system is targeting forces in the Middle East that are seeking weapons of mass destruction.
Putin is to move out of the Kremlin office and will take the post of Prime Minister in Medvedev's cabinet in May.
The outgoing Russian president said in February that the world is facing a new arms race and his country is to respond to these challenges by developing more high-tech weapons.
The first two-plus-two meeting was held in Moscow last October, but failed to reach any agreement on missile defense.
Source:Xinhua
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