Russian suspension of arms treaty disappoints NATO

16/07/2007

Russia's decision to suspend its participation in the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe treaty is a "step in the wrong direction", NATO says.

(Euobserver, Independent - 16/07/07; AP, DPA, VOA, International Herald Tribune - 15/07/07; AFP, Reuters, DPA, BBC, RFE/RL, VOA, International Herald Tribune, OSCE - 14/07/07)

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev says Russia's decision to suspend participation in a major European arms treaty is an "absolutely logical" move. [Getty Images]

NATO expressed its disappointment Saturday (July 14th) at Russia's decision to withdraw from a key European arms treaty regarded as an essential pillar of security and stability on the continent.

"NATO regrets this decision by the Russian Federation," said the 26-nation Alliance's spokesman James Appathurai. "It is a step in the wrong direction."

Earlier in the day, the Kremlin issued a statement saying President Vladimir Putin had signed a decree suspending Russia's participation in the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty. Russian media quoted the statement as citing "extraordinary circumstances ... which affect the security of the Russian Federation and require immediate measures" as the reason for the move, due in 150 days.

The treaty, concluded in November 1990 between NATO and the former Warsaw Pact states, set strict limits on the number of battle tanks, combat aircraft, attack helicopters and other heavy weapons the 30 signatory nations could deploy between the Atlantic Coast and the Ural Mountains. The pact, which entered into force in 1992, has contributed to a significant reduction in military hardware in the region.

The CFE treaty was revised in November 1999, several months after some of the former Warsaw Pact members joined NATO. The amendments, reflecting also the changes following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, called on Russia to withdraw its forces from Georgia and Moldova.

The latest version of the agreement has so far been ratified by Russia and three other former Soviet republics. NATO member states have refused to ratify it due to Russia's failure to fulfill its obligation to pull its troops out of Georgia and Moldova.

Moscow rejects any link between the CFE treaty and its troops in the two former Soviet republics.

In remarks following Putin's decree, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who signed the original document, explained Moscow's move with the failure of NATO member states to ratify the amended version of the accord, as well as Washington's plans to build anti-missile bases in Poland the Czech Republic.

While Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov voiced hope that Saturday's move would persuade Alliance member nations to ratify the pact, a Russian military analyst was quoted as describing Putin's decision as "a deeply unfriendly act".

"The irony is that even though NATO countries haven't ratified the adapted agreement, they all observe its terms," Aleksandr Golts told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Russian Service. "No one is going over the prescribed limit."

Russia's move is expected to put an end to mutual inspections, data exchange on arms deployments and other measures envisioned in the treaty. Russia could also boost its troops on its northern and southern flank regions.

Many European nations, including the Czech Republic, Romania and some Nordic countries, voiced disappointment Saturday at Moscow's decision.

Following a meeting of the 30 signatory states last month, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer urged Moscow not to abandon its commitment to the key pact.

"I strongly believe that there is no alternative to a good and healthy Russia-NATO relationship because NATO cannot do without its important partner Russia, and I think I can say that Russia cannot do without NATO," he said.