MOSCOW, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia and NATO member
countries will hold talks this fall on the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty
(CFE), in which Russia has announced to halt obligation, and on the
U.S.-proposed missile shield in Eastern Europe, officials said on Friday.
A Russian-U.S. experts panel will hold its first
meeting over the missile defense plans later this month, the Itar-Tass news
agency quoted Igor Neverov, director of the Foreign Ministry's department of
North America as saying.
"We expect that the whole range of problems in the
missile defense field will be discussed, including cooperation proposals of both
sides." he said.
Russia, strongly opposed to the U.S. plan, has
offered to share a radar base in Azerbaijan as part of the anti-ballistic
missiles system, which consists of interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar
station in the Czech Republic.
Defense ministers from Russia and the United States
are expected to discuss the experts' report this fall and find ways to settle
the disputes.
On the CFE treaty, the Russian-NATO talks will
involve "fundamental issues such as the ratification of the treaty by all NATO
member-nations," and the change of military forces quota after the expansion of
European Union, the Interfax news agency said, citing Anton Mazur, director of
the Foreign Ministry's conventional weapons control department.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree
suspending Russia's participation in the treaty last Saturday and Russia has
urged for talks with NATO members before the decree becomes effective in 150
days.
The treaty aims to maintain military balance in
Europe by setting limits on key categories of conventional military equipment
for NATO countries and those of the rival Warsaw Pact.
It was signed in 1990 and an adapted treaty was
agreed upon in 1999.
So far only Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine
have ratified the 1999 treaty. NATO countries have refused to do so, insisting
that Russia must first fulfill the so-called "Istanbul obligations" --
withdrawal of Russian troops from Moldova and Georgia.
Russia had threatened several times to withdraw from
the CFE when it was at odds with the United States over U.S. plans to install a
missile defense shield in Eastern Europe.
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. Full story
MOSCOW, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia is willing to continue to discuss with the United States disputed issues related to the Conventional Arms in Europe Treaty (CFE), Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice by phone. Full story
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