AUSTRALIA'S initiative to drive a new round of nuclear disarmament talks has met with a receptive ear in the Obama Administration, which is likely to give the running on the issue to Vice-President Joe Biden, according to Australia's chief negotiator on the issue, former foreign minister Gareth Evans.

After years of stalling by nations around the world, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced last year he wanted Australia to lead the debate on reducing nuclear arsenals and ensuring that the new Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, due to be negotiated in 2010, had real teeth.

He appointed Mr Evans as co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, an Australian initiative being co-chaired by Japan.

After a shaky start, it now looks likely that the Australian initiative could yield real results, following the change of US administration.

"We have a very serious level of buy-in," Mr Evans said after high-level meetings in Washington on Friday and Saturday.