The United States and Russia yesterday ended a week of talks on the
1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), but failed to make a decision to
extend it, the US side said in a statement.
US and Russian representatives started the talks in Geneva on Monday to
consider whether to extend the treaty, which will expire on December 5, 2009.
Officials from former Soviet republics Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine also
participated in the talks.
"The parties desire to point out that there was no treaty requirement to make
a decision to extend the treaty at this meeting," said the US statement.
But the parties "will continue to consider the issue and note that a decision
on this issue can be made up until the date of expiration of the treaty," the
statement added.
START was the first treaty between the United States and the former Soviet
Union to reduce strategic offensive weapons.
Its provisions specified that talks on the extension of the treaty should
begin at least a year before its expiration.
