US Holds New Treaty
Talks With Moscow
United
States Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton is visiting
Russia to clear obstacles to a new treaty cutting arsenals of
nuclear weapons and to win Moscow's backing for tougher
sanctions against Iran.
On Clinton's visit to Russia, she will hold a meeting on Friday
of the quartet of Middle East peace mediators: the European
Union, Russia, the UN and the US, as well as talks with Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Although talks have bogged down in recent months over Russian
concerns about US plans for anti-missile systems in Eastern
Europe, a fresh treaty would improve relations between Moscow
and Washington.
Washington also hopes to win Moscow's backing for tougher
sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, which the
West suspects is intended to produce atomic weapons.
Medvedev had earlier this month promised support for sanctions
against Tehran which are not aimed at civilians but Moscow has
long been reluctant to agree to punitive measures against a
traditional ally and trading partner.
Putin not on agenda
Mrs. Clinton will meet Lavrov on Thursday and Medvedev on Friday
but officials said there were no plans for her to see Russia's
most powerful politician, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Russian and US teams have been negotiating for nearly a year on
a successor to the 1991 START I treaty cutting arsenals
of nuclear weapons and Lavrov said on Tuesday that they could
have a deal ready for signing by early April.
NAN/Williams/Yinka
