MOSCOW - US and Russian officials claimed "progress" yesterday during talks in Moscow aimed at overcoming the remaining obstacles to a treaty binding Russia and NATO into a new relationship following the end of the Cold War.
The comments after a second, unscheduled meeting in two days between the US Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine Albright, and the Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Yevgeny Primakov, appeared to raise hopes that a charter might be signed by a target date later this month.
But as Ms Albright flew back to Washington, the chances of narrowing differences over the expansion of the western defence pact into eastern Europe by a May 27th deadline remained unclear.
Western officials say the charter would set up a joint council with the Russians, who vigorously oppose NATO plans to admit East European states. This would give Moscow a voice in key decisions affecting its security interests in Europe.
But Russia is demanding binding guarantees from NATO that it will not move nuclear or conventional forces into the territory of the new members to be announced at a July summit in Madrid.