MOSCOW, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted a draft law on the suspension of the Treaty of Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) to State Duma, the lower house of parliament, on Monday, Itar-Tass news agency reported.

    Amid rows with the West on the deployment of U.S. anti-missile components in Eastern Europe, Putin signed a decree suspending Russia's participation in the treaty on July 14, but the decree needs the approval of the parliament.

    Russian lawmakers have urged 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" to pull Russian troops out of Moldova and Georgia.

    Russia had threatened several times to withdraw from the CFE to counter U.S. plans to install a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe.