Nuclear arms treaty moving ahead in Russia

MOSCOW, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says it is too early to discuss limiting tactical nuclear weapons with the United States.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed documents relating to the New START arms deal with the United States on Friday and both houses of Russia's Parliament worked on the pact this week as well, CNN reported.

But it is too soon to start discussions on some parts of the treaty, Ryabkov said.

"We are not even close to discussing the prospect of concluding any agreement in this sphere, the more so as we don't know yet how the (new) ratified arms reduction treaty will be implemented," Ryabkov said.

While ratifying the arms deal with Russia last month, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution requiring the government to start bilateral talks on cutting TNW stockpiles.

Tactical nuclear weapons include landmines, artillery shells and short-range missiles.

The new treaty replaces START 1 and calls for Russia and the United States to reduce their nuclear weapons to a maximum of 1,150 nuclear warheads. The present ceiling is 2,200.

The arms deal could be finalized at a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, possibly in Munich on Feb. 4-5, CNN said.