The United States has offered Russia new proposals on nuclear arms reduction and missile defense, acting undersecretary of state John Rood said yesterday.

Rood said that he sent a proposed text to Moscow two weeks ago on a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).

The document also includes new suggestions on providing Russia access to planned US missile defense facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic, he said.

The United States is planning to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic as part of its European missile shield. Related treaty or agreement were signed separately this summer.

Russia strongly opposes the plan, saying it poses a threat to its security.

START, an integral part of the bilateral unclear relationship between Russia and the United States will expire in December 2009.

The United States and Russia have been trying to negotiate over the two thorny issues without success since Russia's invasion of Georgia in August.