Barack Obama does not intend to sign START nuclear weapons treaty in the course of his visit to 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told yesterday, Reuters reports.

According to Gibbs, significant progress is achieved in U.S.- Russia talks, however U.S. President does not intend to sign a treaty in Copenhagen.

Assistant Secretary Philip Crowley stated that U.S. goal is to sign treaty by the end of the year. “There has been a lot of conjecture. I mean, all I can tell you is the teams remain hard at work. They have made progress. I think we think we’re getting very close to an agreement. Whether we can cross the finish line sooner, later – I think obviously, our focus is on getting the right agreement that meets our concerns and our interests, and obviously, those of Russia as well,” Crowly said at the Dec. 15 briefing.

The U.S.-Russia nuclear weapons reduction treaty expired December 5.

A.G.