Singapore - The United States and Russia plan to set aside their differences over nuclear disarmament and reach a new agreement over strategic arms in December, the presidents of the two nations said on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Singapore on Sunday. US President Barack Obama and Russia President Dimitry Medvedev stated that there were still differences over aspects of the successor treaty to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which expires on December 5, particularly over the extent of reductions and the placement of strategic weapons.
"We have considered it necessary once more to give the negotiations an additional push," said Medvedev after a meeting with his US counterpart. It is hoped that solutions to a number of technical and political questions could be found, he added.
Obama also spokes of "technical questions" that needed further discussion.
According to Russia Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the two presidents have already agreed on a "simpler mechanism" over weapons inspections.
The Russia side has recently complained that although the US has carrying out inspections of Russia nuclear facilities, the United States have not reciprocated. In the new agreement Washington has expressed a solution to allow parity, Lavrov said.
At their head-to-head meeting, the pair also declared that time for an amicable solution to the nuclear conflict with Iran was running out.
"Other methods" must be used if the present negotiations with Tehran do not lead to success, Medvedev said after meeting US President Barack Obama.
Unfortunately, so far at least, Iran appears to have been unable to say yes to what everyone acknowledges is a creative and constructive approach," said Obama.
The talks with Iran however are to continue for now, "but we are not completely happy," said Medvedev, adding that it must be verified that Iran's nuclear technology will be used exclusively for civil purposes.
"If we fail, other options remain on the table," the Russian president concluded.
