Representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States discussed ways to solve the problem of former Soviet nuclear weapons located on Ukrainian territory, an official said Saturday.
Anton Buteyko, a foreign affairs adviser to Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk, said talks focused on Ukraine's demand for security guarantees as well as compensation for nuclear weapons.In November, the Ukrainian parliament conditionally ratified the START 1 nuclear arms reduction treaty but demanded the West come up with $3.8 billion to dismantle the country's 1,700-strong nuclear arsenal. Vice President Al Gore, on a stopover in Budapest, Hungary, met with Kravchuk for 20 minutes Saturday to discuss the impasse and the Kiev talks, which were held Thursday and Friday.
"All sides will tell you that progress is being made," Gore said after the meeting.