Serdyukov hopes for simultaneous START ratification.

WASHINGTON, September 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Defense Minister
Anatoly Serdyukov welcomed the decision of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee to support the new Russian-US START Treaty and said Moscow would
work for simultaneous ratification of the strategic arms reduction treaty.
"We are definitely positive about the decision of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee to approve and submit START Treaty for ratification of
the full chamber," he told Russian reporters on Thursday adding he had
discussed ratification prospects with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
"Both Russia and the United States are extremely interested to have
the work accomplished by the military, diplomats, and our presidents
crowned with success. We hope parliaments of both countries will ratify
the document although not everyone applauds the treaty in our country,"
Serdyukov said.
Russia will work to synchronize ratification with the United States.
"Definitely, we shall not run ahead. We shall see whether we can do it
simultaneously, at least we shall try to do it synchronically," the
minister said.