MOSCOW, RUSSIA (BNO NEWS) – Russia denied on Thursday that a new missile defense pact with the United States is being drafted or in preparation, contrary to media reports about the Defense Ministry and the Foreign ministry were working on a new agreement, local Ria Novosti news agency reported.

Lt. Gen. Alexander Burutin, first deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, declared that a new deal in not being considered because there has not been defined even the outline of it.

“Missile defense is a subject for discussion with the Americans. We will watch their comments and we will cooperate with them on regional missile defense,” Burutin said.

The State Duma Defense Committee held a meeting this Thursday to advise the lower house of the Russian parliament to ratify the new START treaty, the reduction of strategic weapons treaty previously signed with the U.S.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dimitry Medvedev signed the new START treaty on April 8 in Prague. The Treaty has a duration of 10 years and it will supersede the expired START treaty as well as another, the Russia-U.S. treaty on the reduction of strategic offensive capabilities.

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