MOSCOW, July 6 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and the United States have every chance of reaching important agreements, including on strategic arms reductions, the Russian president said on Monday.
"Our countries are encountering a variety of problems, including global security and strategic offensive weapons. I believe that we have every chance of taking important and necessary decisions," Dmitry Medvedev said at the opening of talks with U.S. President Barack Obama.
Medvedev expressed the hope that talks with Obama, who arrived in Moscow earlier in the day, would help to resolve a number of bilateral problems.
"We hope that as a result of today and tomorrow's work and full-scale bilateral talks we will resolve a number of difficult issues in the history of Russian-American relations and will turn a new page," the Russian president said.
In his turn, Obama said: "If we work hard during these next few days then we will make extraordinary progress that will benefit the people of both countries."
In an interview with Russia's Novaya Gazeta published just hours before his arrival in Moscow, Obama said his ambition to "reset" relations with Russia was guided by the pursuit of common interests.
"I see no reason why we cannot aspire together to strengthen democracy, human rights, and the rule of law as part of our 'reset,'" the U.S. leader said.
