Igor Ivanov to discuss preparations for Russia-US may summit in Moscow

Talks between Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and US Secretary of State Colin Powell will center on final preparations for the US president's official visit to Russia on May 23rd-26th, reported Russian foreign ministry official spokesman Alexander Yakovenko. "Above all, attention will focus on Russia-US relations in the strategic field and all associated issues that will surface during the upcoming summit," said Yakovenko. The top diplomats of the two countries will also discuss "the course of preparing vitally important treaties to follow up on agreements reached during the Russia-US summit in Washington," he added, referring to legally binding treaty of strategic offensive arms reduction to 1,700-2,200 warheads by the year 2012, which has to be drawn up before May summit, and new principles of relations in the field of anti-ballistic missiles, which "are necessary in the light of the United States' upcoming withdrawal from the 1972 Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty." The sides will also get on with their work on drafts of documents that lay down the agreements reached between two presidents -- namely, a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and a Declaration of New Strategic Relations between Russia and the USA. Ivanov's working visit to the USA is scheduled for May 2nd-6th.