Negotiations between the United States and Russia on the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) were “nearly complete”, the White House has said.
The announcement came after US President Barack Obama had a telephonic talk with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.
“President Obama spoke with President Medvedev of Russia to thank him for his hard work and leadership on the New START Treaty negotiations, as the two sides have made steady progress in recent weeks,” a White House statement said.
“The Presidents agreed that negotiations are nearly complete, and pledged to continue the constructive contacts that have advanced US-Russian relations over the last year,” it added.
Earlier, the State Department had said that the two countries would resume negotiations, which was temporarily suspended last month, in Geneva on Monday.
The two sides had informal discussion during this period.
Last week, National Security Advisor General (Rtd) James Jones and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen had visited Moscow to short out the pressing issues.
Jones had said on Monday that the two countries were making progress on the follow-on START agreement, while expressing hope of good results in the near future.
The two countries were working on a new treaty after the START, which was signed in 1991, expired on December 5 last year.
