Full Text

Oct. 1, 2009: Representatives from the group of six nations (the UN Security Council permanent five plus Germany) hold talks with representatives of Tehran in Geneva about the controversial Iranian nuclear program. Oct. 1-2, 2009: US Under Secretary of Defense Alexander Vershbow visits Moscow to discuss issues including Iran, arms control, and missile defense. Oct. 12, 2009: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton travels to Moscow hoping to convince the Russian government to support the strong US stance on Iran’s nuclear program and to discuss the framework for a new arms control agreement. Oct. 23, 2009: After meeting Vice President Joe Biden, Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer announces that his government backs a reworked US missile defense plan meant to defend against threats from Iran and other nations. Biden completes his tour of the region; Prague is his last stop after Poland and Romania. Oct. 27, 2009: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov states that an indefinite presence of US troops in Afghanistan will benefit neither Afghanistan nor the region as a whole. Oct. 29, 2009: US National Security Adviser James Jones meets Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an effort to re-open negotiations on arms control and the Iran nuclear issue. Nov. 3, 2009: General Motors decides to retain ownership of its German subsidiary Opel, reversing a September decision to sell a majority stake to a Russian-dominated consortium. Nov. 9, 2009: The eighth round of START replacement consultations between Russia and the US begins in Geneva. US-Russia Relations 54 January 2010 Nov. 15, 2009: At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Singapore, Presidents Obama and Medvedev say in a joint statement that if Iran does not give clear answers to questions about its nuclear program, Russia and the US will consider sanctions. Nov. 16, 2009: Moscow announces that there will be a delay in the activation of Iran’s first nuclear power station, claiming that “technical issues” will prevent its engineers from starting up the reactor at the Bushehr plant before the end of the year. Nov. 27, 2009: The IAEA and the United Nations demand that Iran cease operations at a newly discovered secret uranium enrichment plant near the city of Qom. Dec. 3, 2009: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says that the US is blocking Russia’s efforts to join the World Trade Organization. Dec. 15, 2009: Newly appointed NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen makes his first visit to Moscow, meeting both President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin. Dec. 18, 2009: Presidents Obama and Medvedev meet at the conclusion of the Copenhagen climate talks to discuss the negotiations on the replacement of START-1. Dec. 28, 2009: At the port of Kozmino on the Pacific Ocean, Prime Minister Putin officially opens a portion of the long-awaited East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline. Dec. 29, 2009: In a visit to the Russian Far East, Prime Minister Putin criticizes the US ballistic missile defense system that is still in the planning stages, cautioning that Russia could be even more vulnerable to the US.