(dpa) - Russia expects to hold further talks in the dispute over US plans for a missile-defence shield in Central Europe with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defence before the end of March, reports said Tuesday.
There was no firm date for talks, Interfax news agency quoted Russian diplomatic sources as saying.
Security issues between the two countries would be discussed at the meeting, the report said.
Gates and Rice last travelled to Moscow in mid-October for talks on the proposed radar site in the Czech Republic and placement of anti-ballistic missiles in Poland.
There has been no rapprochement between Moscow and Washington since then.
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk met US President George W Bush for talks on the missile-defence shield on Monday.
Poland is asking the United States to help it modernize its armed forces in return for allowing Washington to place missiles on its soil.
Moscow sees the US plans as a threat to Russia's security and has said it will aim missiles at European targets if they go ahead.