DATE= 04/21/02

TYPE= CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= RUSSIA / ARMS TALKS (S)

NUMBER=2-288967

BYLINE= BILL GASPERINI

DATELINE= MOSCOW

INTRO: A senior U.S. arms official is in Moscow to continue discussions on new arms agreements with Russia. The two sides will work on the run-up to the U.S.-Russian presidential summit meeting to be held next month. Bill Gasperini has more from Moscow.

TEXT: U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton is in Moscow to hold talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov and other officials.

The talks are part of an ongoing effort to finalize an agreement to substantially reduce the number of strategic nuclear warheads held by the two countries.

Both U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin say they want to cut nuclear stockpiles to between 17-hundred and 22-hundred warheads over the next 10 years.

This would represent a reduction of more than one-third from current arsenals held by the two former Cold War enemies.

Teams of negotiators for both sides report progress on a major new agreement.

However differences remain over final details, such as how to count missiles which carry more than one warhead, and whether the missiles are destroyed or merely placed in storage.

Officials say they hope these points can be worked out before President Bush travels to Russia to meet with President Putin late next month.

Relations between the U.S. and Russia have improved since President Putin strongly backed the U.S.-led war on terrorism. (signed)

NEB/BG/RH