A walk in the park for US and Russia

It was a most unusual meeting of the Presidents of the United States and Russia: hamburgers and shared french fries for lunch, jokes, a walk in the park. No summit, no sanctions, no weapons treaty. They did strike a deal on chicken exports.

The camaraderie between President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was on intentional display. They met not about nuclear weapons.

Obama's first time at hosting Medvedev at the White House probably will be remembered most for the extent to which they got along like a couple of mates. It was all a metaphor for two countries that were once at risk of Cold War annihilation, and just two years ago were back to cold shoulder animosity. And for Obama, on an oppressively hot day, in the midst of a most difficult week, it amounted to a surprising chance to relax.

The buzz around the White House centred much more on the Presidents' unexpected jaunt for cheeseburgers to Ray's Hell Burger in Virginia and less about the many substantive matters they discussed.

He said it was a sign that they could get beyond nuclear security, one of the areas in which both sides have made concrete progress in recent months.

Now they can talk more about trade, technology, space and sports. "We may be able to finally throw away those red phones that have been sitting around for so long," Obama said.

The Presidents showed solidarity on a range of matters:

* Co-ordinated humanitarian aid for Kyrgyzstan, racked by deadly unrest in the aftermath of its President's ouster there.

* Russia's push to join the World Trade Organisation, which has stalled. Obama endorsed the idea wholeheartedly as a matter of world interest.

* Concerted efforts to get legislators in both countries to ratify a new deal that would reduce the nuclear weapons of both nations.

The US is still at significant odds with Russia over the fallout of the Russian war with Georgia. Obama used code, saying "we addressed those differences candidly", and Medvedev agreed. Both said they could thrive even despite disagreements.

For an appearance at the US Chamber of Commerce, a block from the White House, the Presidents skipped the motorcade. Instead they strolled through Lafayette Park, side by side, suit coats slung over their shoulders. The gathering spot had been cleared of tourists for security.

Obama and Medvedev had met six times before in spots across the globe. Until the next visit, Medvedev promised that he and Obama would stay in touch. Just to underscore the point, he said when the two talk by phone, they really talk. The last chat was a personal record: 1 hour and 45 minutes.

- AP