Russian and American negotiators have taken a break in talks on an arms control treaty, but will resume meetings next week to try to finalise a deal, the Russian foreign ministry said on Monday.
Negotiators "progressed significantly toward agreement on the remaining questions" during a month-long round of talks that ended on Saturday in Geneva, it said in a statement.
Russian and US negotiators have been working for months to hammer out a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START 1). They missed a target of Dec 5, when START expired, and officials have voiced hope a new pact reducing the world's largest nuclear arsenals could be signed before May.
The sides agreed to resume negotiations on March 9 "with the aim of finalising the future treaty and presenting it for signing by the presidents of Russia and the United States," the ministry said.
A US spokesman in Geneva said the teams have returned home. "The two sides are continuing to work and consult with one another. Negotiations will resume in Geneva on March 9".
US president Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev have agreed the treaty must cut deployed warheads to between 1,500 and 1,675 on both sides.
A deal could boost strained ties between Washington and Moscow and emphasize their commitment to nuclear disarmament at a time when major powers are pressing Iran and North Korea to renounce their nuclear ambitions.
The talks have been shrouded in secrecy, but apparent sticking points have included verification and monitoring measures as well as Russia's opposition to US plans for missile defence facilities in Eastern Europe.
