Russia and U.S. committed to strategic arms deal

By Oleg Shchedrov and James Kilner

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia and the United States failed to narrow their differences over Washington's plans for a missile shield in Europe on Monday, but both said they were committed to replacing a Cold War pact on strategic arms.

After the talks, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told journalists he was looking forward to working with the new U.S. administration under President-elect Barack Obama and was confident a deal could be reached to replace the START-1 pact, which expires next year.

"The task is quite realistic, we have enough time," he said. "I can't help being optimistic about that."

The START treaty, signed by Moscow and Washington in 1991, committed both to cutting their numbers of missiles and strategic bombers to 1,600 each. Both sides met limits set by the treaty by December 2001.

In a telephone interview with Reuters, the top U.S. official at the talks, Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Rood, agreed that the two wanted a replacement for START by the end of 2009.

"But there are substantial differences on our points to the final package," he said.

Considerations on what should follow START have been marred by growing differences between Moscow and Washington on arms control, dominated by Washington's plans for a missile shield in Europe.

Russia rejects U.S. reasoning that interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic are needed to avert potential missile strikes from Iran.

Moscow says the project is targeted against it and has threatened to place missiles in its western enclave of Kaliningrad.

Ryabkov said although talks had been positive, differences remained.

"In general we are satisfied with the consultations although we failed to narrow positions on key issues," he said.

"The dialogue will be continued with the new administration. We hope it will get more intense."

Rood expressed similar sentiments: "If you measure progress in terms of improved understanding of the concerns, improved understanding of what might be some potential solutions to those concerns, in that sense I think some progress was made."

(Editing by Andrew Dobbie)