US and Russia start anti-terrorist talks

Senior Russian and US officials began consultations in Moscow today that were expected to focus on potential terrorist threats coming from groups based in Afghanistan.

The American delegation arrived mid-morning at a Russian Foreign Ministry mansion for the closed door talks with First Deputy Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Trubnikov, a former director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

Russia has long been concerned the conflict in Afghanistan could spill into central Asian countries along Russia’s southern flank.

Those worries have been heightened by last week’s terrorist attacks in the United States, in which Afghanistan-based terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden is considered the prime suspect.

Following those attacks, the US and Britain have launched an intense campaign for a global initiative against terrorism. Russia has expressed hope that the devastating attacks will prompt greater cooperation in fighting international terrorism.

However, Russian officials, politicians and former senior military commanders from the era of the Soviet war in Afghanistan have cautioned against hasty retaliation and said Russia is unlikely to take part in any US strikes against Afghanistan.

Russia, which has vehemently opposed expansion of the Nato alliance, also is nervous about the prospect of its southern neighbours allowing US forces to launch strikes from their territory.

On Tuesday, the chairman of the parliament’s foreign relations committee, Dmitry Rogozin, opposed the idea in a meeting with US Ambassador Alexander Vershbow.

‘‘I told the ambassador bluntly that I would oppose letting the United States use bases in Central Asia because Americans may turn them into permanent residence,’’ Rogozin was quoted as saying.

But Vershbow, speaking at a memorial ceremony for attack victims at Spaso House, the ambassadorial residence, said: ‘‘I’m convinced that the public solidarity we have seen in the past week will bring our two countries together on this challenge.’’