Russian Defence Minister: Russo-american Interaction Intensifies

Russo-American relations including those in the sphere of security, and bilateral contacts on various levels "have considerably expanded," Sergei Ivanov, the Russian Defence Minister, stated on Saturday opening the talks with his American counterpart Donald Rumsfeld. According to the Russian Minister, "Russo-American cooperation in sphere of combating terrorism and non-proliferation of mass-destruction weapons has recently been intensified." The Minister believes that this could be "a solid basis" for the forthcoming negotiations between the Russian and American Presidents, which are to take place in Washington on November 12-15.