Russian Duma Suspends European Arms

[Spurious George]

Russia: Parliament Suspends Arms Treaty Compliance

Parliament’s lower house voted 418 to 0 to back a Kremlin decision to suspend participation in a treaty limiting conventional forces in Europe. In July, a Kremlin statement said that NATO expansion into Eastern Europe had increased the alliance’s military capacity, in violation of the original treaty adopted in 1990 by NATO and the Soviet Union. Officials in Russia also suggested Russia would stop observing the treaty because of the Bush administration’s decision to abrogate another, the Antiballistic Missile Treaty, and move ahead with a missile-defense system in Central Europe. Russian officials have threatened to direct their missiles toward Europe if the United States proceeds with the system. The vote to suspend the conventional forces treaty must be approved by the upper house and signed by President Vladimir V. Putin. Both are expected to do so.

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418 - 0 That is some robust grip on power Putin has in Russia... very impressive