After two days of talks, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates told their Russian counterparts that the United States remains determined to set up the missile-defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic, a plan Russia views as a threat to its security.

The United States says the system is needed as protection against so-called rogue states such as Iran.

The two countries also failed to come up with an agreement on how to replace the Cold-War-era START treaty when it expires.

Despite the failure to resolve these issues, both sides said they were encouraged by the tone of discussions, which appeared more relaxed than the last meeting in Moscow five months ago, when President Vladimir Putin openly derided the U.S. missile-defence plan and warned it could harm relations between the two countries.

Mr. Putin's tirade marked a new low in relations between the former Cold War enemies, even though U.S. President George W. Bush and Mr. Putin share a good relationship.

It's believed this latest visit of U.S. envoys – among the final round of talks planned for Mr. Putin before he steps down in two months – was intended to smooth increasingly bitter relations between the two countries. It was also an opportunity for Ms. Rice and Mr. Gates to take the measure of Russia's president-elect, Dmitry Medvedev, who will be inaugurated in May.

Both sides took pains yesterday to emphasize the positive nature of the talks.

“When we have differences, we can talk about them in an atmosphere of mutual respect,” Ms. Rice told a news conference.

Ms. Rice and Mr. Gates met with Mr. Putin and Mr. Medvedev separately on Monday, then talked with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov yesterday.

At a news conference after talks ended, Mr. Lavrov said Russia will examine written U.S. proposals aimed at assuaging Moscow's worries about the missile-defence shield.

“The best way to remove our concerns would be not to have the missile shield at all,” he said.

“But given that the Americans have made a firm decision to go ahead with this project, the proposals we expect to receive today on paper seem to us important and useful for minimizing our concerns,” Mr. Lavrov said.

Mr. Gates, for his part, said he does not believe the missile shield is a threat to Russian security.

At last fall's talks, Ms. Rice and Mr. Gates said they provided proposals designed to allay Russia's concerns, including allowing Russia access to the missile sites.

The United States plans to install 10 missile interceptors in Poland, linked to a missile-tracking radar in the Czech Republic.

The Pentagon says the system will provide protection in Europe and beyond for long-range missiles launched from Iran, but Russia believes the system is a step toward undermining the deterrent value of its nuclear arsenal.

Ms. Rice and Mr. Gates also met with Russian opposition leader Grigory Yavlinsky, who urged the two countries to work harder to patch up their differences.

Mr. Yavlinsky, whose Yabloko party performed dismally in last year's parliamentary election, called for a new arms treaty between the two countries before the United States proceeds with its missile-defence shield.

With reports from AP and Reuters

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