A Russian senator has called the reset in relations with the United States, in particular the countries' coordinated position on a new strategic arms reduction deal, one of the key results of the outgoing year.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama expressed confidence at a meeting in Copenhagen on Friday that work on the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START 1), which expired on December 5, will be completed in the near future.
"I can say with full confidence and responsibility that active efforts are currently being taken by both Russia and the United States to finalize the deal," Mikhail Margelov, the chairman of the international affairs committee in Russia's upper house, told a RIA Novosti news conference summing up the results of 2009.
Margelov said the parties, which account for 95% of the world's nuclear arsenal, were "half a step away" from the final wording of a deal which he said would play a major role in "the global disarmament strategy."
He expressed hope that Russia and the United States would ratify the new START treaty in 2010.
"Much work will be in store for us, both legislators and those in charge of international affairs," Margelov said.
Medvedev and Obama announced at their first meeting in April that the two countries would replace the START 1 treaty as part of their efforts to "reset" bilateral ties strained in recent years.
The treaty's outline agreed by the presidents included cutting nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.
MOSCOW, December 21 (RIA Novosti)
