Russian and US negotiators have been in intense talks to agree a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) which expired in December but have so far failed to reach a final accord.

"We are encouraged by progress on a new START treaty," Clinton said after talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

"Our negotiating teams have reported that they had resolved all of the major issues. There are some technical issues that remain. But we are on the brink of signing a new agreement between the United States and Russia."

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