Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - US State Department spokesperson Philip Crowley told reporters in Washington Wednesday 27 January that the Start talks were briefly reviewed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov when they met London Tuesday. The talks resume Monday 1 February in Geneva after a six-week break, with both sides saying they are optimistic.

Crowley earlier provided an update: “We’ve had some informal follow-up discussions. . .We’ve had a productive interlude since the teams broke late last year. There’s still work to be done. Hard to make any predictions in terms of what a timeline is. But I think we’re reasonably optimistic that the finish line is within sight.”

Lavrov met with reporters 22 January and summed up Russia’s position as the talks re-open: “The new treaty is being concluded at a time when trust has dramatically improved between our countries, when we can conduct business with each other solely on the basis of equality and the consideration of the interests of each other, on the basis of strict parity in all respects.

“Of course, we must consider that we are negotiating in an environment where no treaty restrictions on missile defense exist. These are actually basic parameters, an understanding of which has enabled us to move forward with our US colleagues on most of the questions discussed. I hope that the remaining questions will be swiftly resolved when negotiations resume, and they will resume at the very start of February. Meanwhile, just in these days in Moscow we are holding consultations at the level of chiefs of general staffs that will help determine refined guidance to both delegations to make it easier for them to fix compromise solutions.”

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