Russia and the U.S. disagree on the proposed U.S. missile defence shield
and Kosovo independence.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MARCH 18, 2008) (RU 24) - Russia and the United States failed on Tuesday (March 18) to agree
on Washington's plans to deploy parts of a missile defence shield in eastern
Europe.
    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said talks with U.S. Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates had also produced
no agreement on how to replace a Cold War-era pact on long-range nuclear
weapons when it expires.
    Announcing the failure to agree, Lavrov told a news conference that
Russia's concerens had been acknowledged by the U.S. side.
    "We believe that our concerns have been acknowledged by the
American side. In response to our concerns, we have received an important and
useful offer from the American side aimed at alleviating our concerns, and
which we will examine closely," said Lavrov.
    Moscow opposes the missile defence shield, saying its deployment in
Poland and the Czech Republic would threaten Russia's security. Washington
says it is needed as protection against "rogue states", meaning
Iran.
    Despite these failures at the talks in Moscow, Rice said the meetings
had been useful and the two sides had agreed to negotiate a strategic
framework agreement governing all aspects of their relationship.
    Rice and Gates met Lavrov and Russian Defence Minister Anatoly
Serdyukov after seeing President Vladimir Putin and president-elect Dmitry
Medvedev on Monday.
    Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the United States had
proposed a document to Russia setting out priority areas for long-term
discussion and the sides were discussing it.
    Putin referred to the document on Monday, when he said President George
W. Bush had sent him a letter which offered a chance to improve relations.

    Diplomatic relations between the United States and Russia have hit a
post-Cold War low although trade between them increased to $17.5 billion last
year, from $15 billion in 2006, and U.S. companies have invested heavily in
Russia.
    The sides differ strongly over the missile shield, Kosovo's
independence from Russian ally Serbia and the war in Iraq.
    On the Kosovo issue, Rice said the differences with Russia remained on
the independence of the Serbian territory. She called on all sides in Kosovo
to avoid conforntation and resort to any violence.
     "We have discussed Kosovo as we have done so many times in the
past. It's no surprise that we and Russia have not agreed and not seen eye to
eye on the implications of the Ahtisaari plan, and on the decision of
the United States, and many other countries to recognize Kosovo's decision to
declare its independence. I think we do agree that all sides should refrain
from violence and that all sides should refrain from any provocation, and we
are sending messages to all sides appropriately," said Rice.
    Russia had also hoped to persuade Gates and Rice, who were making their
second trip to Russia in five months, to agree to a formal document to replace
the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) treaty which expires next year.

    Washington says the treaty, which limits long-range nuclear weapons, is
too long and onerous and an exact replacement is not needed.
    As at similar meetings in the past between U.S. and Russian foreign and
defence ministers, there was little progress on the main problems and the two
sides said they had maintained their positions.