Russia links arms control to missile shield

MOSCOW: Russia's foreign minister warned yesterday that US missile defense plans must be taken into account in talks between Washington and Moscow on further reductions in their nuclear stockpiles.

Sergey Lavrov spoke as US and Russian negotiators wrapped up their first round of talks on forging a replacement to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START I, which expires in December. The next round of talks will be held in Geneva on June 1-3, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Lavrov said progress could not be made in negotiating a new nuclear arms control deal unless the prospective European missile shield and other US military plans are taken into consideration.