UK Suspends CFE Treaty Agreement
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UK Suspends CFE Treaty Agreement
UK halts Russian military agreement
The UK will stop sharing military information with Russia under an international convention following Moscow's failure to co-operate, the Government has announced.
The Russians suspended compliance with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) in December 2007. The treaty places limits on the build-up of troops, tanks, artillery and other non-nuclear forces from the Atlantic to the Ural Mountains.
Europe Minister David Lidington said despite "considerable efforts to engage the Russian Federation" talks had broken down. The decision was formally announced at a meeting in Vienna on Tuesday and Mr Lidington's statement to Parliament follows the United States' declaration it would halt co-operation with Russia.
In a written Commons statement Mr Lidington said: "Since December 2007, we have continued to fulfil our CFE Treaty obligations, and attempted to exercise our Treaty rights. We, our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) allies and other States Parties to the Treaty have also made considerable efforts to engage the Russian Federation in negotiations aimed at finding a mutually acceptable resolution, but without success."
He said a situation where 29 nations "fulfilled their Treaty obligations and one did not" could not continue indefinitely. "As a result, alongside a number of CFE Treaty signatories, the United Kingdom announced that for as long as the Russian Federation fails to fulfil its obligations towards the United Kingdom under the CFE Treaty, we will cease fulfilment of our key obligations towards the Russian Federation."
Mr Lidington said the UK would no longer provide information to the Russians in the annual data exchange that takes place under the terms of the Treaty on December 15. Also, the UK will not provide notifications to Russia under the terms of the CFE or accept inspections requested by them.
Mr Lidington said: "The United Kingdom remains committed to conventional arms control in Europe and will continue to fulfil our Treaty obligations with respect to all other states parties to the CFE Treaty. We will also continue to abide by and respect the numerical limitations on conventional armaments and equipment established by the Treaty. We remain open to negotiations with the Russian Federation should they demonstrate a willingness to address constructively the key issues which are currently preventing progress."
The move represents a further strain in relations between Moscow and the West.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned yesterday that he could deploy missiles to target a proposed US missile shield based in Europe. "The United States and its Nato partners as of now aren't going to take our concerns about the European missile defence into account," Mr Medvedev said.
He warned that Russia would deploy short-range Iskander missiles in its westernmost region, the Kaliningrad exclave bordering Poland.
PA
The UK will stop sharing military information with Russia under an international convention following Moscow's failure to co-operate, the Government has announced.
The Russians suspended compliance with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) in December 2007. The treaty places limits on the build-up of troops, tanks, artillery and other non-nuclear forces from the Atlantic to the Ural Mountains.
Europe Minister David Lidington said despite "considerable efforts to engage the Russian Federation" talks had broken down. The decision was formally announced at a meeting in Vienna on Tuesday and Mr Lidington's statement to Parliament follows the United States' declaration it would halt co-operation with Russia.
In a written Commons statement Mr Lidington said: "Since December 2007, we have continued to fulfil our CFE Treaty obligations, and attempted to exercise our Treaty rights. We, our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) allies and other States Parties to the Treaty have also made considerable efforts to engage the Russian Federation in negotiations aimed at finding a mutually acceptable resolution, but without success."
He said a situation where 29 nations "fulfilled their Treaty obligations and one did not" could not continue indefinitely. "As a result, alongside a number of CFE Treaty signatories, the United Kingdom announced that for as long as the Russian Federation fails to fulfil its obligations towards the United Kingdom under the CFE Treaty, we will cease fulfilment of our key obligations towards the Russian Federation."
Mr Lidington said the UK would no longer provide information to the Russians in the annual data exchange that takes place under the terms of the Treaty on December 15. Also, the UK will not provide notifications to Russia under the terms of the CFE or accept inspections requested by them.
Mr Lidington said: "The United Kingdom remains committed to conventional arms control in Europe and will continue to fulfil our Treaty obligations with respect to all other states parties to the CFE Treaty. We will also continue to abide by and respect the numerical limitations on conventional armaments and equipment established by the Treaty. We remain open to negotiations with the Russian Federation should they demonstrate a willingness to address constructively the key issues which are currently preventing progress."
The move represents a further strain in relations between Moscow and the West.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned yesterday that he could deploy missiles to target a proposed US missile shield based in Europe. "The United States and its Nato partners as of now aren't going to take our concerns about the European missile defence into account," Mr Medvedev said.
He warned that Russia would deploy short-range Iskander missiles in its westernmost region, the Kaliningrad exclave bordering Poland.
PA
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What the hell is going on with posting display?
Responses to posts are appearing before posts appear to need responding to..... If you see what I mean.
It's a Two Ronnies sketch all over again!
Unless that last glass of red had more of a kick in it than I thought....Hic
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A glitch
Responses to posts are appearing before posts appear to need responding to..... If you see what I mean.
It's a Two Ronnies sketch all over again!
Unless that last glass of red had more of a kick in it than I thought....Hic
Ahh
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Please push the back button and reload the previous window.
A glitch
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I do wonder what the Russians are going to do for entertainment now, I can see the kremlins internal emails...
Boris, ve have just received the latest updates from ze UK, they say they have spent Many billions of roubles converting metal ingots into state of the past maritime aircraft and back into metal ingots...
Boris, me again, latest update, ze British have spent more billions of roubles modernising their Harrier fleets, so they can be fed seemlessly into the US Marines spares system.
Boris, ve have just received the latest updates from ze UK, they say they have spent Many billions of roubles converting metal ingots into state of the past maritime aircraft and back into metal ingots...
Boris, me again, latest update, ze British have spent more billions of roubles modernising their Harrier fleets, so they can be fed seemlessly into the US Marines spares system.
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On the flip side, another cold war could sort out that global warming thing 
.
Seriously, does DC really believe this even shows up on Russian radar? Never mind Ghost Hawk and Stealth Hawk... Britain is a whole other kind of invisible these days.
. Seriously, does DC really believe this even shows up on Russian radar? Never mind Ghost Hawk and Stealth Hawk... Britain is a whole other kind of invisible these days.
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Originally Posted by Melchett01
You'd better get a shift on - I think by Dec 15 they mean in 2 weeks not 4 years. You know how slow the stores system can be ...
He is referring to the time between Russia's cessation of cooperation with CFE and the UK (and US) decision to also suspend activities under that treaty.
Note the following:
The Russians suspended compliance with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) in December 2007.
Friday 25 November 2011
The decision was formally announced at a meeting in Vienna on Tuesday and Mr Lidington's statement to Parliament follows the United States' declaration it would halt co-operation with Russia.
The decision was formally announced at a meeting in Vienna on Tuesday and Mr Lidington's statement to Parliament follows the United States' declaration it would halt co-operation with Russia.
In a written Commons statement Mr Lidington said: "Since December 2007, we have continued to fulfil our CFE Treaty obligations, and attempted to exercise our Treaty rights.
"We, our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) allies and other States Parties to the Treaty have also made considerable efforts to engage the Russian Federation in negotiations aimed at finding a mutually acceptable resolution, but without success."
He said a situation where 29 nations "fulfilled their Treaty obligations and one did not" could not continue indefinitely.
"As a result, alongside a number of CFE Treaty signatories, the United Kingdom announced that for as long as the Russian Federation fails to fulfil its obligations towards the United Kingdom under the CFE Treaty, we will cease fulfilment of our key obligations towards the Russian Federation."
Mr Lidington said the UK would no longer provide information to the Russians in the annual data exchange that takes place under the terms of the Treaty on December 15.
"We, our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) allies and other States Parties to the Treaty have also made considerable efforts to engage the Russian Federation in negotiations aimed at finding a mutually acceptable resolution, but without success."
He said a situation where 29 nations "fulfilled their Treaty obligations and one did not" could not continue indefinitely.
"As a result, alongside a number of CFE Treaty signatories, the United Kingdom announced that for as long as the Russian Federation fails to fulfil its obligations towards the United Kingdom under the CFE Treaty, we will cease fulfilment of our key obligations towards the Russian Federation."
Mr Lidington said the UK would no longer provide information to the Russians in the annual data exchange that takes place under the terms of the Treaty on December 15.
Sorry, Pprune Time Machine again!
Reposted from post #10!
PN
Nearly died in a Lada Riva once!
So after reading the Exchange and Mart did he go back to "What range is Skyflash Missile?"?
LJ
Reposted from post #10!
PN
Nearly died in a Lada Riva once!
So after reading the Exchange and Mart did he go back to "What range is Skyflash Missile?"?
LJ
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
The treaty places limits on the build-up of troops, tanks, artillery and other non-nuclear forces from the Atlantic to the Ural Mountains.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Leon, RTFA,
I think Rebecca will continue to receive visitors at all hours from various exotic places.
we will cease fulfilment of our key obligations towards the Russian Federation.
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No Surprise Really
JACIG's not quite gone yet as there are other things they get involved in (Vienna Document 99, Open Skies and a range of other related activities).
It might look like the politicians have been slow to react, but the beancounters wasted no time in reducing the size of JACIG from about 62 in 2007 down to (ISTR) about 19 by the end of next year.
It has been clear to anyone involved in Arms Control for some years that the CFE Treaty in its original guise had become irrelevant since the countries involved reducted their holdings of conventional weapons to levels way below those required by the Treaty, a position not helped by countries changing sides! The Russians have always had issues with other aspects (flanks etc) and had been trying to get the west to revisit the Treaty for several years prior to 2007. It was no surprise when the Russians suspended in 2007, amidst claims that there was no provision for such action: the Treaty was (and I believe still is) 'legally binding' on all signatories. What the UK seems to have done now is to follow the precedent set by the Russians and presumably accept that the Russians were right to do it first.
There will still be a data exchange each year, for the VD99 if not the CFE, but I guess we can start removing the stickers found on many bases with CFE on them indicating doors wider than 2m.
I wondered at first what our American friends would have thought of this action, but to be honest, I would be a bit surprised if they weren't in on it.
STH
It might look like the politicians have been slow to react, but the beancounters wasted no time in reducing the size of JACIG from about 62 in 2007 down to (ISTR) about 19 by the end of next year.
It has been clear to anyone involved in Arms Control for some years that the CFE Treaty in its original guise had become irrelevant since the countries involved reducted their holdings of conventional weapons to levels way below those required by the Treaty, a position not helped by countries changing sides! The Russians have always had issues with other aspects (flanks etc) and had been trying to get the west to revisit the Treaty for several years prior to 2007. It was no surprise when the Russians suspended in 2007, amidst claims that there was no provision for such action: the Treaty was (and I believe still is) 'legally binding' on all signatories. What the UK seems to have done now is to follow the precedent set by the Russians and presumably accept that the Russians were right to do it first.
There will still be a data exchange each year, for the VD99 if not the CFE, but I guess we can start removing the stickers found on many bases with CFE on them indicating doors wider than 2m.
I wondered at first what our American friends would have thought of this action, but to be honest, I would be a bit surprised if they weren't in on it.
STH
PN
I believe that a lot of Rebecca's old exotic friends are in our Organisation these days anyway? The others that aren't don't play nice with regards to CFE so what's the point?
LJ
I believe that a lot of Rebecca's old exotic friends are in our Organisation these days anyway? The others that aren't don't play nice with regards to CFE so what's the point?
LJ
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Leon, had coffee once with a major for Kyrgyzstan however he was more interested in the motoring section of Exchange and Mart looking for Lada spares.
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Originally Posted by SirToppamHat
I wondered at first what our American friends would have thought of this action, but to be honest, I would be a bit surprised if they weren't in on it.
STH
STH
The decision was formally announced at a meeting in Vienna on Tuesday and Mr Lidington's statement to Parliament follows the United States' declaration it would halt co-operation with Russia.