Russia says new START treaty almost complete

Talks on a strategic arms reduction treaty (START) between Russia and the United States were almost complete, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said Thursday.

"The work is almost done," he told a press conference. "Most of the text, practically the bulk of the document, is coordinated."

Both sides wanted a new treaty signed as soon as possible, he said.

Russia and the United States have been working on a new arms control deal since Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. president Barack Obama met in April last year, but they failed to reach a pact before START-1 expired in December.

An outline of the new treaty, agreed by both presidents, includes slashing nuclear warheads to 1,500-1,675 and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

Nesterenko also said at the press conference that "connection between offensive, including nuclear, and defense arms is an axiom requiring no proof."

"Unlimited deployment of missile defense systems by any state or a military political bloc might undermine international nuclear disarmament efforts," he said.

U.S. missile defense plans in Europe have become a major sticking point in the nuclear disarmament negotiations.

Boris Gryzlov, Speaker of the Russian State Duma, or the lower house of the parliament, said Tuesday the State Duma might not ratify the new treaty if it was not linked to missile defense.

Source: Xinhua