U.S. and Russian negotiators have taken steps toward preparing a replacement for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, Reuters reported Thursday (see GSN, Aug. 7).
Diplomats from both sides have narrowed remaining areas of division over a new arms control deal, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reportedly said Thursday.
U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are expected to receive updates on the talks when they meet at the Group of 20 nations conference in Pittsburgh later in September, according to Lavrov.
The leaders in July agreed to cut their nations' respective deployed strategic nuclear arsenals to between 1,500 and 1,675 warheads under the new pact. The two countries are now required by a 2002 deal to hold no more than 2,200 operationally fielded warheads by 2012.
"We will have something to report by Pittsburgh," Lavrov said, adding that he expected a new agreement to be reached before the START treaty expires in December (Guy Faulconbridge, Reuters, Sept. 3).
The nations wrapped up their fifth negotiation session in Geneva last Wednesday, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Diplomats worked during the meeting to develop phrasing that Obama and Medvedev could each find acceptable, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.
The sides plan to convene in Geneva again on Sept. 21, he said (Xinhua News Agency, Sept. 5).