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OSCE presidency urges Russia to reconsider arms treaty move
Madrid (AFP) Nov 30, 2007 The Spanish presidency of Europe's security watchdog, the OSCE, on Friday called on Russia to reconsider its decision to suspend adherence to a Cold War treaty limiting military forces in Europe. "The presidency is making an appeal to Russia to reconsider its decision to suspend the application of the CFE treaty from December 12," Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said at the end of a two-day conference of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. This decision "will only serve to increase the uncertainties that weigh down on the European security system. There are currently major proposals that have been worked out to resolve this blockage," he told a news conference. Russia announced earlier Friday that President Vladimir Putin had signed into law his country's decision to suspend adherence to the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. The move formalises earlier votes by the country's parliament, which drew criticism from the West. The 1990 treaty places strict limitations on the deployment of tanks and other military hardware across Europe. Moscow says the accord is not working because an updated version agreed on in 1999 to take account of the break-up of the communist bloc has been ratified by Russia but not by NATO countries. NATO members, led by the United States, say they cannot ratify the pact because Moscow has not fully complied with a related commitment to withdraw its military presence from former Soviet republics Georgia and Moldova. A senior US official said in Madrid that Russia's move was a "mistake" and urged Moscow to return to the negotiating table for talks. "Russia has made a mistake in this unilateral behaviour of walking out of a major arms control treaty in Europe," US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns told a news conference at the OSCE conference. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
China says ties with US damaged, amid naval row
Beijing (AFP) Nov 29, 2007US actions over Tibet and Taiwan have damaged relations between China and the United States, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said Thursday amid a row over US naval calls to Hong Kong. |
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