RUSSIA - Feb. 24 - Ivanov-Powell Talks In Cairo.

US Secretary of State Powell meets with FM Ivanov in Cairo. Their talks focus on the new US missile defence plan and Iraq. (The first such meeting since the Bush administration took office comes at a delicate time for relations. Moscow has been protesting American plans for a national missile defence system, claiming it would trigger a new arms race. Moscow is worried that Washington is moving back to a cold war view of its former adversary. Ivanov reportedly intended to raise with Powell remarks attributed to Condoleezza Rice, US national security advisor, quoted as calling Russia "a threat for the west in general and our European allies in particular". Moscow may be resigning itself to NMD deployment but has not decided how to react. This week it handed to NATO a rival plan to protect Europe from tactical missiles. The Bush administration says it was encouraged by the proposal, suggesting it marks a recognition of the threat posed by rogue missile attacks.

The US has accused Russia of helping other countries acquire missile technology, thus making missile defence more necessary. Ms Rice said: "One of the problems in talking about co-operation and sharing is that if Russia is engaged in activities that are helping countries to acquire weapons of mass destruction or missile technology - against which the shield is actually working - this is not going to be a very co-operative relationship". On Feb.22, Pres. Putin ordered a clampdown on exports of "crucial technology and designs". The meeting gives Russia another chance to criticise US air strikes against Iraq. On Feb. 22 Leonid Ivashov, a Russia general, called them "a challenge to the international community... Today no state on earth can feel secure").