US stops sharing data on its troops in Europe with Russia

Blaming Moscow for non-cooperation, United States has announced to stop sharing data with Russia on its troop presence in Europe.

"The US has made a decision to cease implementing, vis-a-vis Russia, certain obligations under the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty.

This move responds to Russia's cessation of implementation of CFE, which began in December 2007, and the subsequent impasse with Moscow on a way forward," State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, said on Tuesday.

Adopted in November 1990, it was seen as a groundbreaking accord credited with greatly advancing global security. But Russia suspended its observance of the treaty in 2007.

The US she said has made repeated efforts to bring Russia back to full implementation of CFE.

"Efforts were made in 2007. Efforts were made in 2009 and 2010. So what this means specifically is that the US will not accept Russian inspections of our bases under the CFE, and we will also not provide Russia with the annual notifications and military data called for in the treaty. It is our understanding that a number, if not all, of the US-NATO allies will do the same," she said.

However, she said, the United States will continue to implement the Treaty and carry out all obligations with all States Parties other than Russia, including not exceeding the numerical limits on conventional armaments and equipment established by the Treaty.

"We will resume full Treaty implementation regarding Russia if Russia resumes implementation of its Treaty obligations," she said.

Nuland said the US remains firmly committed to revitalising conventional arms control in Europe.

"In order to increase transparency and consistent with our longstanding effort to promote stability and build confidence in Europe, the United States will voluntarily inform Russia of any significant change in our force posture in Europe," she said.

Responding to questions, Nuland said the treaty is not serving the purpose for which it was signed, which was to provide military transparency among all the 30 states parties to the treaty, and to allow for reassurance.

"We have tried repeatedly to bring Russia back to the table, because we do believe in the CFE and we think it provides reassurance.

But we're at a stage now where, after a number of efforts to salvage this, we don't think it's in our interest to continue to provide data that is not reciprocated on the Russian side," she noted.

The US is not giving up on conventional arms control nor giving up on the possibility of saving and modernising the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, which she said, has been a goal of this Administration.

"We are simply saying that at this stage, after four years of non-Russian implementation, and after repeated efforts, including high-level efforts to save the treaty, we think that it's important to take some countermeasures vis-a-vis Russia, and maybe this will crystallise the mind in terms of our ability to get back to the table.

Because hitherto, there had been, as you said, a nonreciprocal situation where we were giving data and being open, and Russia was not reciprocating," she said.

"I would also say that we will continue to give data and cooperate in inspections with regard to the other 28 states parties in the CFE Treaty.

So the CFE Treaty goes forward normally vis-a-vis the countries who are implementing it fully.

And it is our hope and our goal that we can still get back to the table and resolve the situation with Russia," Nuland said.