MOSCOW. Jan 17 (Interfax - AVN) - Russia has fulfilled its obligations under the adapted Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty signed at the 1999 summit of the OSCE in Istanbul, head of the National Nuclear Threat Reduction Center Major General Sergei Burutin told Interfax-Military News Agency.
The fulfillment of the obligations was officially announced at the OSCE December session held in Vienna last year.
The emphasis has been put on fulfilling the so-called flank commitments. Armament and military assets prohibited by the CFE treaty were pulled out from Moldavia's Trans-Dniester region or destroyed; armament stationed in Georgia has been reduced to the required level. Two military bases in Vaziani and Gudauta have been disbanded and their assets removed to Russia.
Burutin stressed the fulfillment of obligations concerned the North Caucasus military district as well. All excessive units and military assets participating in the anti-terrorist operation in Chechnya were pulled out from the region.
The representative of the Russian Defense Ministry said that as of January 1, 2002, the Russian Armed Forces operated 1,300 tanks, 2,140 combat vehicles and 1,680 artillery systems in the flank areas.
The general expressed his belief that the move would prompt NATO member states to ratify the CFE treaty, since the fulfillment of Russia's obligations was the pre-condition of ratifying the document. Now that Russia has honored its commitments, there is nothing that can prevent NATO nations from ratifying the treaty.