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MOSCOW The Russian senate voted unanimously to suspend a key Cold War arms limitation treaty.
General Yuri Baluyevsky, Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, said the moratorium on the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty was “the correct, logical step from the political and military point of view”, Itar-Tass news agency reported.
Nato criticised Russia’s withdrawal from the 1990 CFE, which places strict limitations on the deployment of tanks and other equipment across Europe. President Putin ordered the moratorium on July 13 amid a row over US plans to install an antimissile shield in Eastern Europe.
The treaty’s demise highlights the deteriorating relations between Moscow and Nato as Mr Putin’s administration pushes to reassert Russia on the international stage.
“This will be an indicator of Russia’s seriousness in its uncompromising stand on ensuring its defensive capabilities,” Leonid Slutsky, a state Duma deputy, told Itar-Tass. (AFP)
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To Kevin - did anyone said that their number will stay at 10?
Oleg, LA,
Tell me again why Russia should feel threatened by 10 ballistic missle interceptors?
Kevin, Oakland, California
The right topic would be:
"Russia abandons European arms pact ... that NATO members rejected to even ratify".
What's the big deal - they've got what they've asked for.
Max Kuzkin, Moscow, Russia
Russia's response to the US planned ABM sites in Eastern Europe so far has been very reserved. Dropping the CFE "treaty" and planning to deploy "Iskander" launchers in Kaliningrad and Belarus is hardly the end of it. As long as the US, Poland and the Czech Republic continue threatening Russia, this situation will escalate. Russia will not just drop this issue. Polish and Czechs have the most to lose in this game. I guess the Cold War and the Warsaw Pact didn't teach them much. Both seem quite willing to step on the same rake again and again.
Veniamin Nikolayev, Philadelphia, USA
That's true. But Europe won't ratify it because that would be a proper thing to do. Europe and their daddy America wouldn't want the inconvenience that.
Alex, Moscow, Russia
Please don't forget that the only 4 countries that ratified CFE treaty are Russia Ukraine Belarus and Kazakhstan. I think if NATO countries would ratify this treaty, Baltic countries would join, then Russia comes back to it.
Mikhail, Moscow, Russia