Moscow - The United States is prepared to permit Russia to inspect its nuclear facilities, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday.

Russia would be allowed to check compliance under this arrangement, Clinton said in an interview with Echo Moskvy radio in Moscow.

The US hoped it would be allowed to inspect Russian facilities in return. "We want to create such a system of control," Clinton said.

The deal would form part of the new strategic arms reduction treaty being negotiated between the two powers.

The new treaty is to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that was signed by the two powers in 1991 as means of cutting back on the Cold War era build up of arms, which expires on December 5.

Clinton expressed the hope that the new treaty will come into effect in time. The US has meanwhile invited Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to participate in a summit on global nuclear security in April.

Clinton, who arrived in Russia late Monday, was on a visit to Kazan, the capital of Russian republic of Tatarstan, Wednesday before she was due to return to the US. (dpa)