MOSCOW, February 10 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow hopes that the "2+2" format of talks at the ministerial level between the United States and Russia will be preserved under the new U.S. administration, a high-ranking Russian diplomat said on Tuesday.

The "2+2" format is held at the level of foreign and defense ministers of both countries and was initiated under the administration of former U.S. President George Bush to address issues of strategic importance.

"This format proved to be effective," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with Golos Rossii radio station.

The talks under this forum primarily focused on START-1 treaty, which expires on December 5 this year, and on an ongoing dispute over U.S. plans to deploy missile defense elements in Central Europe.

"I believe that with the necessary political will in Washington and a relevant decision made by the administration of [President] Barack Obama in favor of preserving this format, we will quickly confirm our readiness to work in this format," he said.

U.S. media have reported that the negotiations on a new arms-control pact will be led by the State Department, run by Hillary Clinton.

The START-I Treaty places a limit of 6,000 strategic or long-range nuclear warheads on each side, and limits the number of delivery vehicles, such as bombers, land-based and submarine-based missiles, to 1,600 each.

Moscow and Washington agreed in 2002 to cut strategic nuclear warheads to 1,700-2,200 by the end of 2012, and reports say a new treaty could bring the totals on each side down to 1,000.