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Defence Treaty Guarantees Security In Post-Cold War Europe
Vienna (AFP) June 12, 2007 The Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty, which is being reviewed this week in Vienna at Russia's request, is one of the key post-Cold War security accords in Europe. The CFE was signed on November 19, 1990 in Paris by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the Warsaw Pact -- two opposing blocs during the Cold War -- and was modified in 1999 to adapt it to the European security environment following the fall of the Soviet Union. The initial aim was to eliminate the capacity of either side to launch a surprise attack or large-scale military offensive. The treaty, which entered into force in 1992, states that no country may station forces on the territory of another treaty member without the latter's permission. NATO says the CFE treaty "continues to serve as the cornerstone of security and stability in Europe" by reducing tensions from arms buildups and increasing confidence-building, transparency and cooperation between members states. But the 1999 amendment to the treaty has yet to enter into effect due to a dispute between NATO and Russia. NATO countries refuse to ratify the revised version because of the continuing presence of Russian troops in Georgia and Moldova. Russia, which ratified the adapted treaty in 2004, is meanwhile threatening to suspend its application of the CFE due to what it sees as a US military buildup near its borders. Russia has been infuriated by US plans for a missile defence shield in Poland and the Czech Republic and military bases in Romania and Bulgaria. The 1990 CFE treaty limits the use of five categories of heavy weaponry in a zone running from the Atlantic to the Ural mountains. Since its entry into force, 60,000 tanks, military transport vehicles, planes, helicopters and artillery have been destroyed or dismantled, and the number of troops stationed over the entire territory covered by the CFE has been reduced from 5.7 million to less than three million. There is a strict inspection and transparency regime in the treaty.
earlier related report Russia called on May 23 for an extraordinary meeting to re-examine the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), signed in Paris in 1990 and aimed at establishing defence parity between the two former opposing sides. The treaty was modified in 1999 to "adapt" it to the European security environment following the fall of the Soviet Union. But the 1999 amendment to the treaty has yet to enter into effect because of a dispute between NATO and Russia. NATO countries refuse to ratify the revised version because of the continuing presence of Russian troops in Georgia and Moldova. The Vienna meeting comes as Washington and Moscow continue to spar over US plans to extend its missile shield into eastern Europe and shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to suspend his country's application of the CFE. Speaking at the end of the first day of talks, the chief of the US delegation, Dan Fried, told a press conference: "The Russians did not announce today the suspension mentioned by President Putin. "The NATO allies expressed their willingness to work with Russia... but made very clear that Russia should not suspend... it was very restrained in rhetoric." Monday the chief of the Russian delegation, Anatoly Antonov, said Russia had called the meeting because it "is unable to move freely its troops on its territory." "It is up to us to decide which armed forces we want to deploy," he said, speaking of "unfair" limitations imposed on it by the CFE. The treaty limits deployments of tanks and troops in countries belonging to NATO and the former Warsaw Pact in eastern Europe. The Russians say that the system based on the two former blocs is no longer valid and Fried said the United States agreed that the "bloc to bloc structure is outmoded." "Many problems Russia has would be resolved instantly if the adapted treaty came into force...as we hope it will be," he added. "We need to see Russia fulfil its first commitments" set out in the adapted treaty, Fried had said earlier. He also repeated an offer made by the US and its NATO allies to Russia last week to accept a multinational peacekeeping force in Transdniestr (eastern Moldova) in an effort to save the CFE. Antonov scorned the proposal on Monday, but Fried said: "On Transdniestr, we are hopeful that some creative way can be found." The talks here this week will not touch on the US missile shield, the most recent major issue of contention between Moscow and Washington, the chief of the Russian delegation said. But representatives of the 30 countries covered by the treaty would be called on to discuss US plans for military bases in Bulgaria and Romania. "We have serious concerns about Romania and Bulgaria," Antonov said, as these plans would involve the deployment of US troops in the two former Soviet states. Fried said that few if any NATO troops would be stationed in the two countries and that the plan did not represent a threat to Russia. The CFE meeting, convened at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, is to last until Friday.
Source: Agence France-Presse Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Summer Camp In Heiligendamm
Washington (UPI) June 12, 2007Massive protests outside Heiligendamm, cozy words between leaders and deals on climate change and development aid inside the German Baltic Sea resort. Despite criticism from environmental and aid groups, political analysts say the Group of Eight summit in Germany was a success for German Chancellor Angela Merkel. |
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