MOSCOW, June 29 (Xinhua) -- A new version of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) between Russia and the United States may be ready before December, said Russian State Duma speaker here on Monday.

    A delegation of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by Howard Berman, are paying a two-day visit to Russia starting from Monday to discuss urgent issues of bilateral relations ahead of the U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Moscow on July 6-8.

    Boris Gryzlov, speaker of Russian State Duma, or lower house of the parliament, said at the opening of a meeting between the two sides that "bilateral ties currently enjoy new possibilities and are being driven forward with increasing pace," as cited by the RIA Novosti news agency.

    Russian and U.S. parliamentarians are ready to ensure the constructive and fruitful cooperation for their part between the two countries, said Gryzlov.

    "This year, we will be able to pay you a visit around December, when the START I treaty expires. I hope that we will have an agreement in a new format by this time," the Interfax news agency quoted Gryzlov as saying.

    Russia and the United States have been engaged in talks over a new nuclear arms reduction deal to replace the START 1 treaty, which expires in December.

    Gryzlov said to "reset" Russian-U.S. relations is the only choice for both sides, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

    Russia and the United States should closely cooperate in fields in line with interests of both sides, he said, and shall not let political differences jeopardize their whole bilateral relations.

    In response, Berman said the meeting plays a key role in solving economic and political problems between the two countries.