Russia's Foreign Minister Approves of Talks with US Concerning Chemical Weapons

After his meeting with Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of the Senate's International Affairs Committee, Igor Ivanov, Russia's Foreign Minister, said he liked the open dialogue between Russia and the US concerning the destruction of chemical weapons. This is according to the Department of Press and Information of the Foreign Ministry of Russia. The two countries cooperate under the 'Global Partnership Against the Proliferation of Mass Destruction Weapons' programme, which was approved and accepted during the Big Eight meeting in Kananaskis, Canada.

However, Mr. Ivanov admitted the existence of certain problems as to the carrying out of this programme. The problems, he said, were actively discussed between the parties involved 'to resolve them jointly and to open a way to a more close and productive cooperation'. Mr. Ivanov emphasised that, considering the high level of partnership between Russia and the US, the opportunity for the two countries to openly discuss 'both the problems and the way to a safer world' was of fundamental importance.