ALLEGATIONS ON TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPON DEPLOYMENT IN KALININGRAD REGION NOT ON AGENDA OF IVANOV-EU TALKS








STOCKHOLM, MARCH 9, 2001, /FROM RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENTS ANNA BOBINA, LYUDMILA BOZHKO/ -- Issues on tactical nuclear weapons allegedly deployed in the Kaliningrad region were out of the agenda at the current talks between Igor Ivanov, Russian foreign minister, and the European Union Three.


	This fact was disclosed by Igor Ivanov, appearing at the Friday press conference, held in Stockholm, noting that such issue had not been included in the talks' agenda. 


	Ivanov recalled that the issue had been officially raised by Anna Lindh, his Swedish counterpart during her recent visit to Moscow. He again confirmed the position recently determined by president Vladimir Putin who had brushed aside such allegations.


	At the same time Igor Ivanov stressed that Russia bears no obligations to abstain from the deployment of nuclear weapons in any part of its own territory.


	Touching upon the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the whole Igor Ivanov said Russia is ready to discuss the issue in compliance with the STARTIII talks.


	"May I recollect that Russia proposed the United States to agree on the deployment of all our nuclear weapons on our own territories," said the Russian foreign minister. This would become a great move towards strengthening stability and confidence, he emphasised.