MOSCOW, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia will not announce quitting the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty at a conference in Vienna next week, Russian news agencies reported.

    Russia, which accused Western partners of neglecting their obligations under the treaty, has also frozen its obligations, and President Vladimir Putin warned in April that Russia could abandon the pact.

    Asked if Russia could announce quitting the treaty at the conference, Lavrov was quoted as saying, "The issue won't be raised" at the meeting.

    Russia last month called for the conference "so that we can once again spell out our concerns," ITAR-Tass cited Lavrov as saying.

NATO disappointed at Russian decision to suspend CFE treaty

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (2nd L Front) addresses the NATO foreign ministers' metting in the Norwegian capital of Oslo on April 26, 2007. NATO foreign ministers gathered in Oslo to discuss the alliance's plan to build a strategic missile defense system and NATO's role in Kosovo, on April 26. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan) Photo Gallery>>>

    OSLO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said Thursday that the alliance was disappointed at a Russian decision to suspend its obligations under the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty.

    In a meeting with NATO foreign ministers, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed President Vladimir Putin's statement earlier Thursday that Moscow is suspending its obligations under the CFE treaty. Full story

Putin warns of freezing arms treaty in state-of-the-nation speech

    MOSCOW, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said in his national speech that his government would postpone implementing the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty since the West made no progress in its ratification.

    Signed by NATO and the Warsaw Treaty Organization in 1990, the CFE treaty was redrawn in 1999 and a new agreement has been reached. Full story

Rice refrains from commenting on Putin threat of suspending treaty

    OSLO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice refrained on Thursday from commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin's declaration that his country is suspending its obligations under the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty.

    "Every one is expected to live up to treaty obligations. But I am certain that we will hear more from Minister Lavrov about what precisely President Putin has in mind," Rice told reporters before a NATO foreign ministers' meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Full story