MOSCOW, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Russia has suggested launching negotiations to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) due to expire in 2009, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Russian ambassadors here on Tuesday.

    Russia is concerned about "this effective stagnation in the area of disarmament ... However, Russia bears no responsibility for this state of affairs," Putin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

    "We want our dialogue on the most crucial disarmament issues to be resumed. We call on our American partners to launch a negotiating process to replace the START, which expires in 2009," he added. Enditem