Russia-U.S. nuclear talks continue: Russian diplomat

MOSCOW, Dec. 30 — The Russia-U.S. talks on a new arms reduction treaty have not been suspended during the New Year holidays, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko dismissed earlier reports that the nuclear disarmament talks were halted temporarily for the holidays. "Work on the treaty has not been stopped," he told a press briefing.

"Officials in both capitals are thoroughly studying the documents that have accumulated during the eight rounds of negotiations. Possible solutions to unsettled issues are being worked out," he said.

Moscow and Washington are expected to sign a new document in early 2010 to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1) that expired on Dec. 5.

The START-1, signed in 1991 between the Soviet Union and the United States, obliged both sides to reduce the number of their nuclear warheads to 6,000 and delivery vehicles to 1,600.

The new treaty's outline agreed on by the two presidents at a July summit in Moscow included slashing nuclear arsenals to 1,500- 1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000. (PNA/Xinhua) ALM

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