Powell: Russia "more flexible" over ABM

The American Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has suggested that Russian officials might be prepared to take a more flexible approach in talks over the future of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty.

Mr Powell said he had spoken with Russian colleagues who indicated that America might be able to do more testing under the ABM treaty than it had thought possible.

Mr Powell said the United States would not allow its plans for a missile shield to be constrained by the current treaty.

The United States has said its missile defence testing programme would probably require it to withdraw from the treaty soon.

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said after the meeting in Shanghai that the ABM treaty must remain in force, although Moscow was prepared to discuss its future.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service