The new Russian-U.S. strategic arms reduction...

"Nothing in this treaty contains clauses which would make it easier for the U.S. to develop a missile shield which would pose a risk to Russia," Lavrov said in an interview with Russia"s TV-Center channel.

Moscow and Washington announced on Friday that a new strategic arms control treaty, reducing nuclear warheads to 1,550 and delivery vehicles to 800 on each side, would be signed on April 8 in Prague.

Russia and the United States have been negotiating a strategic arms control pact since the two countries" presidents met in April last year, but the work on the document has dragged on, with U.S. plans for missile defense in Europe a particular sticking point.

"We cannot prohibit the U.S. from making developments in its missile defense, but the link between these developments and the quality and quantity of strategic offensive weapons will be clearly fixed in this treaty," he said.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said on Friday the treaty, if ratified,

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