国际英语新闻：U.S., Russia fail to make decision on extending arms pact

GENEVA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Russia Friday ended a week of talks on the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), but failed to make a decision to extend it, the U.S. side said in a statement.

    U.S. and Russian representatives started the talks in Geneva on Monday to consider whether to extend the treaty, which will expire on Dec. 5, 2009.

    Officials from former Soviet republics Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine also participated in the talks.

    "The parties desire to point out that there was no treaty requirement to make a decision to extend the treaty at this meeting," said the U.S. statement.

    But the parties "will continue to consider the issue and note that a decision on this issue can be made up until the date of expiration of the treaty," the statement added.

    START was the first treaty between the United States and the former Soviet Union to reduce strategic offensive weapons.

    Its provisions specified that talks on the extension of the treaty should begin at least a year before its expiration.