Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and...

The two diplomats held a telephone conversation on Thursday.

"A number of vital issues regarding a new strategic arms reductions pact have been discussed during a bilateral dialogue," the ministry said.

Lavrov and Clinton also discussed the upcoming meeting of the Quartet of international mediators in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which will be held in Moscow on March 19, and Iran"s controversial nuclear program.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday during his official visit to France that Russia and the United States are close to completing negotiations on a new treaty on strategic arms cuts, and expressed the hope that the document could be signed soon.

The talks will continue on March 9 in Geneva.

Russia and the United States have been negotiating a replacement to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty since the two countries" presidents met in April last year, but finalizing a document has dragged on, with U.S. plans for missile

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