11.   Also, Albright said last month on a trip to Asia that American troops would remain in South Korea indefinitely to maintain strategic stability in the Pacific area.

12.   But a Russian official put a new spin on upcoming U.S.-Russian talks on strategic stability, suggesting North Korea and Iran could join the discussions in August.

13.   He said the ABM treaty, which sharply limits defenses against missiles as a way of discouraging a nuclear attack, is a bedrock of strategic stability.

14.   He said the two delegations were discussing specifics of the agreement Monday as well as overall strategic stability issues.

15.   I told the president of the United States about our proposal vis-a-vis the start of consultations on strategic stability issues as a whole.

16.   In order to strengthen our overall relationship and enhance global energy security and international strategic stability, we have agreed to launch a bilateral energy dialogue.

17.   Naturally, we discussed issues of strategic stability.

18.   Moscow and other proponents of the ABM treaty contend that it has been and must remain the cornerstone of international strategic stability.

19.   Now, when the world has confronted new threats, we must not allow a legal vacuum in the sphere of strategic stability.

20.   Russia has staunchly opposed the U.S. missile shield plans, saying they would violate the ABM treaty and upset strategic stability.