Washington hopes to hold talks in the near future with Moscow on the reduction of nuclear weapons, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood told journalists on Wednesday.

Wood said that the was committed to a further reduction of nuclear arms, adding that negotiations with would need to pick up pace as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1) expires in December 2009.

Citing sources in Washington, The Times earlier said that the administration would like the number of nuclear warheads on both sides cut to 1,000, or an 80% reduction.

A number of Russian state officials said on Wednesday that Moscow had not yet received any official proposals from Washington on the simultaneous reduction by and the of their respective nuclear arsenals. However, they welcomed reports that the Obama administration plans to expedite the signing of a new treaty on strategic arms cuts.

The START-1 treaty places a limit of 6,000 strategic or long-range nuclear warheads on each side, and limits the number of delivery vehicles, such as bombers, land-based and submarine-based missiles, to 1,600 each.

RIA Novosti