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 US-proposed missile shield
in Eastern Europe, officials said on Friday.
A Russian-US 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 US 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 US plans to install
a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe.
(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2007)
