The Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov has said that Moscow is ready for intensive dialogue with the United States on a proposed new strategic framework.He said Russia had sought more clarity from Washington on the controversial US plans for a missile defense shield.
After a two hour meeting with the US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Ivanov did not reiterate publicly his government's opposition to the Bush administration's missile defense initiative.
Instead, he underlined Moscow's willingness to have US and Russian expert working groups begin "substantive and concrete discussions" soon.
Powell, at a joint news conference, promised the administration would give Moscow "in the very near future" more details on which to base its assessment of the US proposals.
Ivanov also said Russia would co-operate with the United States in trying to reach a compromise agreement at the UN Security Council on Iraqi sanctions. He gave no further details.
Powell and Ivanov met on the fringes of a meeting of foreign ministers of the G8 industrialised nations. It was their sixth meeting since Powell took office with President Bush in January.
"Russia is prepared for...a constructive dialogue (on strategic issues) which was stated by (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin" at his recent summit with Bush in Slovenia," Ivanov told reporters with Powell at his side.
That summit agreed the two sides would establish working groups of defense and foreign ministry officials to delve into details on missile defenses and cuts in nuclear forces.