US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates Monday held sensitive talks on missile defense with President Vladimir Putin and president-elect Dmitry Medvedev. Russian news reports quote President Vladimir Putin as saying that Russia and the United States have solved some of the problems in their relations. He said the two nations have reached “final agreement” on some differences between them. Welcoming Gates and Rice, Medvedev predicted “tense” talks but said there was a common will to overcome differences both on missile defense and replacing the strategic arms reduction treaty (START) that runs out next year. “We still have differences in our positions on missile defense and the START treaty but nonetheless there is a will to move forward,” Medvedev said. Gates earlier suggested there was little room for flexibility on missile defense, saying he wanted Russia to give ground. Moscow vehemently opposes US plans to place a missile defense radar in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland, seeing them as a security threat and part of efforts to encircle Russia. “We have put a lot on the table. We are willing to explain it further, but now it is time for them to reciprocate,” Gates told journalists, referring to proposals intended to allay Russian concerns put forward last October. “At some point the Russians are going to have to decide whether they want to be true partners, which we're offering, or whether this is all just a sham game on their part,” Gates said. Rice stressed the differences between the current US proposals and the “Star Wars” plans of the Cold War intended as a shield against the Soviet arsenal. __
