Russian news agency carries fuller account of Medvedev-Obama phone conversation
Interfax
Moscow, 4 August: The Russian and US presidents will issue additional directives to experts to step up work aimed at reaching decisions on a new START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) by December.
The Kremlin press service reported this evening that this was discussed during a telephone conversation between Dmitriy Medvedev and Barack Obama that took place on Tuesday (4 August) on the initiative of the Russian side.
"On the issue of the timescale for drawing up accords to replace START, D. Medvedev and B. Obama agreed to issue additional directives to experts to step up work in order to reach substantive decisions by December this year," the report says.
Medvedev wished Obama a happy birthday, the first one he is celebrating since taking office as US president. Obama thanked Medvedev for his wishes and "spoke highly of the new character of communication at the top level which had developed during previous contacts".
"Both sides stressed the need for trusting relations between the presidents and their teams to be maintained," the report says.
"It was noted that the practical consequence of such contacts was the constructive conduct of talks during the full-format Russian-American summit in Moscow and the results achieved during the summit making it
possible to change the spirit and style of bilateral cooperation," the Russian president's press service stressed.
The heads of state exchanged views on the progress of implementation of the results of the Moscow summit. In particular, the need was stressed for the presidential commission to start practical work as soon as possible.
The conversation also touched on "some topical international issues: in particular, views were exchanged on the lessons of the Georgian crisis a year ago, the situation in the Middle East and over Iran."
"The presidents confirmed their mutual intention to continue a trusting and frank exchange of views and assessments on all problems that are of interest to the two sides," the report says.
Medvedev and Obama also discussed a plan of contacts at various levels in the short term and, in conclusion, exchanged warm greetings to each other's families.
