US, Russia Close to Nuclear Disarmament Deal

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) welcomes US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) in Moscow, Russia, 18 March 2010. Photo by EPA/BGNES

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says there has been "substantial" progress on a new nuclear disarmament deal with Russia.

On her visit to Moscow Clinton said that she believed a final agreement on a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) would come soon, the BBC reported.

The nations are trying to replace the 1991 START that expired in December.

Clinton is holding two days of talks, including a key meeting on the Middle East on Friday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Clinton that the nations were in the final stage of a new START.

Clinton said: "The results of the latest negotiation rounds lead us to believe we'll be reaching a final agreement soon."

The US is said to have more than 2 000 nuclear weapons, while Russia is believed to have nearly 3 000. Both sides have agreed to cut the number of warheads they hold to between 1 500 and 1 675 each.

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