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Russia, U.S. share approaches to anti-terror fight - Ivanov

WASHINGTON. Jan 12 (Interfax) - Russia and the United States have common approaches to countering international terrorism, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told journalists after a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington on Tuesday.

"We discussed the situation in various regions of the world, primarily such hot spots as Iraq, Afghanistan and a number of other nations. We agreed that there is a need for tighter approaches to countering terrorists in any region of the world, regardless of their cover or their explanation of their actions," Ivanov said.

"There can be only one way of dealing with those who behead people or shoot children in the back," the Russian minister said.

Ivanov quoted Bush as saying that "Russia and the United States have taken common approaches to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."

Ivanov said that U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and he told Bush about agreements achieved between the two countries' Defense Ministries, including agreements on tighter control over portable anti- aircraft rocket launchers and other defense technology projects.

Bush welcomed Russian-U.S. military contacts, as well as the two countries' business, humanitarian and energy cooperation, the Russian minister said.

Commenting on Russia's position on Iran's nuclear program, Ivanov said that Moscow is working in close cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European "trio" in this area. "Our stances almost coincide," he said.

Russia has already finished the construction of the first power generating unit at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, Ivanov said. But Russia will start to supply fuel to the facility only after an agreement on the return of spent nuclear fuel to Russia is achieved, he said.