Obama calls on Russia to update nuclear deal

US: US President Barack Obama on Monday called on Russia to join him as an equal partner in updating a nuclear non-proliferation deal, after Moscow opted not to extend it earlier this year.

Russian officials said in October that they had notified Washington that the Nunn-Lugar program, which disposed of thousands of Soviet-era warheads and missiles, would not be extended when it expires in May.

The decision was seen as the latest challenge to the “reset” of relations Obama engineered with Russia early in his first term, ties that are now in a new era under the returning President Vladimir Putin.

But Obama said Monday that he was ready to talk to Russia about a new version of the 20-year pact, as he honored its founders, Republican Senator Richard Lugar and former Democratic senator Sam Nunn. “Russia has said that our current agreement hasn’t kept pace with the changing relationship between our countries,” Obama said at the event in Washington.

“To which we say, let’s update it. Let’s work with Russia as an equal partner. Let’s continue the work that’s so important to the security of both our countries. And I’m optimistic that we can.” US diplomats started talking to Russia about renewing the US-financed program in July, but Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow wanted to end it. AFP