MOSCOW. Oct 31 (Interfax-AVN) - Moscow regrets that constructive statements by representatives of the U.S. administration that it is important to continue the dialog on the reduction of strategic offensive nuclear arms with Russia are voiced at the end of U.S. President George Bush's term in office.
"Regretfully, hope-instilling words about the importance of continuing Russian-U.S. dialog on the reduction of strategic offensive nuclear arms can be heard at the last moment of activities of Bush's administration, when serious agreements are unlikely to be reached," the Russian Foreign Ministry's Information and Press Department said in a statement on Friday.
Earlier Gates advocated concluding new agreements with Russia on strategic offensive nuclear arms providing for greater reductions of these arms, as well as verification mechanisms.
"We would like to believe that certain constructivism that could be heard from Gates will be taken into consideration by the next administration which would more attentively treat both Russia's proposals on maintaining time-proven mechanisms of real nuclear disarmament and expectations of the international community," the ministry said.
"U.S. intentions to sign a new full format and legally bonding agreement on strategic arms can only be welcomed," the statement reads. "However, talks on strategic arms at various levels in the past three years showed that the U.S. side is not ready for constructive dialog," it reads.
"If personal ideas on parameters of the future agreement on strategic arms articulated by Gates on October 28 had meant a shift in the U.S. official position, it would have been a pleasant surprise for us. However, things are different in the reality," the ministry said.
"Today we can witness just a stubborn reluctance of the current U.S. administration to take into account Russia's approaches," the statement reads.