Nearly a year after President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered negotiators to work on a new treaty to reduce their nuclear arsenals, the two countries say they are finally close to completing a deal.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Friday that American and Russian negotiators are "on the brink" of agreement on a nuclear arms reduction treaty.

After a string of failures, Russia would resume trial of its next generation multiple-warhead naval missile 'Bulava' in June.

Top international diplomats on Friday called on Israel and the Palestinians to return to peace negotiations with a goal of reaching a final settlement that would create an independent Palestinian state within 24 months.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has urged Russia to delay launching Iran's nuclear plant until Tehran proves that it's not pursuing atomic weapons.