国际英语新闻：Russian, U.S. presidents sign joint statement on anti-missile issue

MOSCOW, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his visiting U.S. counterpart Barack Obama have signed here a joint statement on anti-missile issue, the Kremlin said on Monday.

    Based on the consensus reached between the two leaders in early April in London, Russia and the United States plan to continue the discussion on cooperation concerning the issue of anti-missiles and the non-proliferation of ballistic missiles, the Kremlin's press office said in a news release.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and visiting U.S. President Barack Obama attend a joint press conference at the Kremlin in Moscow July 6, 2009.

On a basis of mutual respect for security interests, it said, both sides will actively seek the optimal way to strengthen reciprocal strategic relations.

    Medvedev and Obama have also consigned experts from both countries to analyze the threat brought by missiles facing the world, and come up with relevant advices.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sign agreements in Moscow, capital of Russia, July 6, 2009. Obama and Medvedev signed a joint statement on anti-missile issue and a new arms reduction agreement here on Monday

"Russia and the United States reaffirm their readiness for equitable and mutually-advantageous cooperation with all the parties concerned, which share the assessment of the danger coming from the global proliferation of ballistic missiles," the Interfax news agency reported, citing the joint statement.

    The two presidents also urged "all countries possessing missile potentials to refrain from steps that may lead to missile proliferation and undermine regional and global stability."

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev exchange agreements during the signing ceremony in Moscow, capital of Russia, July 6, 2009. Obama and Medvedev signed a joint statement on anti-missile issue and a new arms reduction agreement here on Monday.

Obama started his three-day working visit to Russia on Monday afternoon, his first since taking office in January.

    The two leaders have also negotiated the drafts of a joint communique on the framework deal on strategic arms reductions, a joint statement on missile defense, and a series of accords including the U.S. military transit to Afghanistan via Russian territory, as well as the resumption of bilateral military cooperation, on their first day of talks.

    They also presented a plan to set up a Russian-U.S. presidential commission for cooperation, the Interfax said.