"This is not the time to discuss the ratification in the State Duma," Seleznyov said late Thursday, warning that the debate could turn into "a large political rally" in Russia, which is firmly opposed to the US-led war in Iraq.

Such a development "could greatly harm not only the Russo-US ties, but also Russia's relations with other countries," Seleznyov said as quoted by the ITAR-TASS news agency.

Russian lawmakers decided earlier this month to delay ratification of the treaty until at least April to protest the war in Iraq.

In early March, the US Senate ratified the treaty, which provides for a two-thirds reduction of both countries' long-range nuclear warheads from around 6,000 warheads each today to under 2,200 by 2012.

Cash-strapped Russia had long battled for the disarmament treaty, which allows it to mothball its ageing nuclear weapons stockpile instead of spending millions to maintain or replace them.

SPACE.WIRE