On the sidelines of the London summit the United States and Russia have committed to improving their strained relations. One notable result of the first meeting between US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is an agreement to negotiate a new deal on reducing nuclear warheads.

Presidents Obama and Medvedev have decided to move along the path of reducing and limiting strategic offensive arms.

The US and Russia will begin negotiations to work out a comprehensive, legally binding agreement to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

The two countries will instruct their negotiators to start talks immediately on a new treaty, and to report on results achieved in working out the new agreement by July.

The goal is to conclude the new agreement before the 1991 treaty expires in December.

Barack Obama said "What we're seeing today is the beginning of new progress in US-Russian relations and I think that President Medvedev's leadership has been critical in allowing that progress to take place."

Dmitry Medvedev, Russian President said "After this meeting, I am more optimistic about the successful development of our relations and I'd like to thank President Obama for this opportunity."

Obama and Medvedev declared that the era when the countries viewed each other as enemies is long past.

The two presidents also reiterated their support for the Six-Party Talks on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, and a comprehensive diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

Obama has accepted Medvedev's invitation to visit Moscow this summer.

(CCTV April 2, 2009)