Russian and US foreign and defence ministers to meet in Washington on September 20

The first meeting of the Russian-American commission at the foreign and defence minister level will take place on September 20 in Washington. This was agreed during a meeting between Igor Ivanov and Colin Powell.

According to the Russian diplomatic chief, the meeting will examine implementation of accords on strategic offensive reductions, and also problems relating to the weapons of mass destruction non-proliferation regime and anti-missile defence.

"We agreed that after the treaty on strategic offensive reductions is ratified in Moscow and Washington, it will be immediately followed by a meeting of the working group on its implementation," Ivanov said.

He highly praised the results of the working group's meeting at the level of deputy foreign ministers of Russia and the US on joint efforts in the fight against new threats and challenges, held in Washington on July 26. "The sides have demonstrated once again that Moscow and Washington are expanding mutual understanding and cooperation in the face of these threats," the Russian foreign minister said. He expressed hope that Russia and the US would further collaborate in this area.