Nuclear treaty hope for Clinton, but Russia still backs Iran

Published on Thursday 18 March 2010 20:42

HILLARY Clinton told Russians last night that Washington and Moscow were making "substantial progress" in negotiating a new pact to limit nuclear arsenals.

The US secretary of state was speaking on a

two-day visit for talks on a range of international issues, after a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

A replacement pact for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start) – which expired on 5 December – is a key element in a so-called "resetting" of relations between the Cold War foes.

Mrs Clinton said: "We are making substantial progress on the new Start treaty. Results from the latest negotiating lead us to believe we will be reaching a final agreement soon."

However, Mrs Clinton also urged Russia to delay commissioning the nuclear plant it is building for Iran until Tehran proves it will not use it for military means. She was commenting on prime minister Vladimir Putin's statement that Iran's first nuclear reactor will launch this summer.

She said Iran was entitled to civil atomic energy, but added that it would be premature to go forward with any nuclear project when Tehran has yet to prove its programme's peaceful intent.

The US and other nations fear Iran has been trying secretly to develop nuclear weapons.

Mr Lavrov, speaking after meeting Mrs Clinton, said Russia still intended to commission the plant in the Iranian port of Bushehr.