Donald Rumsfeld, left, and Sergei Ivanov

 Mr. Rumsfeld spoke to reporters at a joint news conference with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov Wednesday in Washington. 

Secretary Rumsfeld said both President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin want an agreement that will last beyond their presidencies.

 Mr. Bush goes to Russia in May for a summit with President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Bush says he hopes to have an arms deal ready to sign. 

The president told reporters at the White House Wednesday that no matter what kind of arms deal is made, it must have, what he called, "open verification" to establish a new level of trust. Mr. Bush said the more the United States works with Russia, the better the world will be. 

Mr. Rumsfeld and Mr. Ivanov also discussed the war on terrorism, including U.S. plans to send military trainers to the former Soviet Republic of Georgia to prepare Georgian troops to fight terrorism. 

Mr. Ivanov told reporters this is a sensitive issue because the training would take place just 10 to 20 kilometers from the Russian border.

 Secretary Rumsfeld says the United States has no plans to send military personnel into the Pankisi Gorge where U.S. officials believe al-Qaida terrorists and Chechen separatists are hiding.

 Mr. Rumsfeld also sought to reassure Russia that the United States does not see it as a potential target for nuclear weapons. 

News reports this week said a Pentagon review of U.S. nuclear policy had named Russia and six other countries as potential threats.

 Mr. Rumsfeld said leaking document was a violation of federal law and damaged U.S. national security.

 (bush monitored, defenselink, prev) ## 

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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