The US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell began talks this morning with his Russian counterpart Mr Igor Ivanov at the start of a day of sensitive discussions in Moscow on post-war Iraq.
Mr Powell, who flew into Moscow last night after touring the Middle East, is expected to discuss a US draft resolution due to be debated by UN Security Council tomorrow that would see the lifting of sanctions on Iraq.
Moscow remains opposed to the draft US resolution, insisting that UN inspectors should be allowed back to Baghdad to certify that it has no weapons of mass destruction.
A senior US official told journalists that the discussions at the United Nations over the resolution have been constructive.
"Everybody is trying to be forthcoming and pragmatic. Nobody is throwing the gauntlet, everybody is trying to move forward and not to refight the old battles," said the US official.
The two foreign ministers met briefly at the Moscow Institute of International Relations before addressing an audience of students, an event closed to the media.
Mr Powell is scheduled to hold a second round of extended consultations with Mr Ivanov this afternoon, before going to the Kremlin for a meeting with the Russian President Mr Vladimir Putin.
AFP