Obama in Moscow

Russia allows US to fly troops, weapons to Afghanistan

Article published on the 2009-07-06 Latest update 2009-07-06 17:47 TU

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrive for their meeting at the Kremlin.
(Photo: Reuters)

Russia has agreed the use of its airspace for the transit of US troops and arms to Afghanistan, according to an announcement Monday during US President Barack Obama's Moscow visit. He touched down for a summit aimed at forging a roadmap to nuclear arms cuts and smoothing relations between the countries.

The deal permits up to 4,500 military flights per year, or about 12 per day, which can be loaded with troops, firearms, ammunition, military vehicles and spare parts, a senior US official said.

The president Monday met with President Dmitry Medvedev in the Kremlin as part of a two-day visit. He is also due to meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for breakfast on Tuesday.

The pair have struck an agreement to cut back nuclear weapons stockpiles. A "joint understanding" signed Monday would see reductions of deployed nuclear warheads to below 1,700 each within seven years of a new treaty.

But Moscow correspondent Luke Harding told RFI that real progress on a strategic nuclear arms reduction deal was unlikely.

"All of the analysts here, both Russians and Americans, that I’ve spoken to you say that there are profound, irreconcilable differences between both sides," he said. 

"Not only over missile defence, which is a complete bugbear for the Kremlin, but also over other technical issues like counting and verification and delivery systems.

"The Russians want to reduce the number of delivery systems – these are the things that fire the missiles – to a number way below where the Americans want to go."

 

Relations between Russia and the United States sank to a post-Cold War low under the presidency of George W. Bush amid a series of rows over Russia's war with Georgia. 

The Interfax news agency reported Monday that the two sides had agreed the final text of a framework document on the replacement of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, to be signed by the two presidents.

A major potential sticking point in talks will likely be a US plan to install missile defence facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic, an initiative Russia says threatens its security.

The Russian edition of Newsweek said Washington was particularly irked by Moscow's dismissal of the political crisis in Iran as an internal matter.