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Europe
NATO regrets Russian treaty freeze
2007-12-13
BRUSSELS - NATO expressed ‘deep regret’ Wednesday that Russia had suspended a key Soviet-era arms pact, but underlined that the military alliance would not take any retaliatory action. ‘NATO allies deeply regret that the Russian Federation has proceeded with its intention to unilaterally ‘suspend’ implementation of CFE Treaty obligations as of 12 December 2007,’ a statement said.

Russia’s foreign ministry announced that participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty was suspended from midnight in Moscow (2100 GMT Tuesday). Signed in 1990 and modified in 1999, the CFE places precise limits on the stationing of troops and heavy weapons from the Atlantic coast to Russia’s Ural mountains—a mammoth agreement that helped resolve the Cold War standoff.

In the statement, NATO said the 26 member nations expressed willingness to resolve differences with Russia over the treaty and said that they planned to continue, for the moment, to abide by it. ‘They have therefore chosen not to respond in kind at this stage to the Russian Federation’s political decision to ‘suspend’ its legal obligations and NATO allies will continue to meet theirs, without prejudice to any future action they might take,’ the statement said.
Posted by:Steve White

#4  RIAN/TOPIX > RUSSIA NO LONGER OBLIGATED TO CFE TREATY [wid US, NATO].
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2007-12-13 23:30  

#3  rj - your facts are un-coordinated. The ABM treaty had an opt-out clause. Either side only had to give 6-months (I think) notice of wanting out, which I believe Bush did. AFAIK, we have continued to honor other treaties made with the the old Sovs.
Posted by: PBMcL   2007-12-13 17:36  

#2  When the USA decided that the anti-missile treaty didn't apply because it was signed by the now defunct Soviet Union they opened the precident for the ditching of all Soviet Treaties. Odd that the reporters aren't blaming Bush when he could reasonably be blamed in this instant.

It's also interesting to see how some folks continue to value treaties and the letter on paper despite constant reminders that if you break treaties nothing happens, again and again.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2007-12-13 16:12  

#1  Russia attributes its freeze to the failure of NATO members to ratify a revised 1999 version of the treaty but Moscow has also been riled by US plans to deploy an anti-missile shield in two former Soviet satellite states.

Well, that and the fact that Russia can afford it with its new oil wealth.
Posted by: gorb   2007-12-13 01:47  

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