Medvedev, Obama to discuss new treaty preparation to replace START

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SINGAPORE, November 15 (Itar-Tass) -- The planned meeting between
Russian and U.S. Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama in Singapore
this Sunday will allow continuing the joint search for solutions to the
problems unsettled so far, the Russian president's aide Sergei Prikhodko
said, noting that one of the main issues to be discussed would be the
course of preparation of a new agreement to replace the START treaty that
expires in December.
The leaders will analyze the realization of their guidelines and
directions after their July talks in Moscow. They will discuss in
particular the course of the work on a new agreement to replace the
expiring START treaty, the aide said. The work is proceeding to prepare
the agreement by the time set by the presidents, Prikhodko added.
The two leaders will also discuss global strategic stabilization and
acute issues of the international agenda -- the situation in Afghanistan,
joint further steps of the world community in connection with the Iranian
nuclear programme and the situation in the Middle East. North Korea may be
also raised, but the presidents may be short of time for detailed
discussion -- the talks are planned to last one hour or one hour and a
half. It is unlikely that time will be left to discuss U.S. missile
defence in Europe, the aide supposes.
"We are seriously preparing for the meeting and expect it to give a
new impetus to cooperation," Prikhodko said.
"We are satisfied at present with the character of the open, pragmatic
and future-aimed dialogue with the new administration. It allows hoping
for continuation of the joint work on issues where solutions are not found
yet," he noted.
"Each meeting of President Medvedev with Barack Obama gives a
substantial impetus to cooperation on bilateral issues and makes a
contribution to the consolidation of confidence and understanding on key
issues, and I am sure the meeting will not be an exception," the Russian
leader's aide added.
The U.S. president also prepares for the meeting with his Russian
counterpart. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, when asked by an
Itar-Tass correspondent about the agenda, said there would be three themes
-- the work on a new agreement on strategic offensive arms, Iran and North
Korea.
The White House admits the United States and Russia have certain
disagreements on a new START treaty. The National Security Council's
spokesman Mike Hammer said about it. As in any negotiations, there is an
active dialogue with Russia, and the two sides work on existing
disagreements, he said. Nevertheless, relations between the two countries
are constructive, and the American side adheres to the idea of joint work
to achieve progress, Hammer said. He noted that Medvedev and Obama
intended to complete the work on the agreement this year to ensure
security and start global efforts for non-proliferation.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also noted that the U.S.
leaders aimed at the implementation of agreements. Obama and his team seek
to implement what they set in the election campaign and in the meetings
with the Russian president in London and Moscow and at G20 summits, the
minister said.
The two presidents absolutely agree that the stagnation in relations
between Moscow and Washington must be overcome, Lavrov noted.
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