Rice, Gates to fly to Russia for strategic talks

MOSCOW, Oct 6 (KUNA) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to fly to Moscow on October 12 for talks with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.
She is to be accompanied by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates to discuss together with Russian officials matters of strategic stability issues, specifically those linked to the controversial missile shield defense system, the statement said.
“The two sides are also to discuss increased cooperation at security level between the two sides,” the statement said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart George Bush had instructed the ministers of foreign affairs and defense from each side to remain in touch in order to overcome the problems associated with the US-proposed missile shield defense system involving some former European members of the Soviet bloc