Statement of the representative of the Russian Federation

To promote the implementation of the Statement of the Representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to the Joint Consultative Group of 14 June 1991 (the Statement of the Soviet Representative), I have been instructed by the Government of the Russian Federation to state the following.

Statements of the Chairman of the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and the Concluding Act of the Negotiation on Personnel Strength:

– Notwithstanding the rights of each State as stated in Article XIV of the Treaty, each State Party should attempt to avoid conducting inspections during the officially recognized holidays of the other State Party.

– With regard to the phrase “on the availability of financial resources" in the Statement of the Representative of the Russian Federation as contained in Annex E of the Final Document of the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, it is understood that this phrase is without prejudice to other arms control obligations.

– Temporary deployment and reallocation of quotas referred to in Section IV, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the Document contained in Annex A of this Final Document, will not be used in the context of the Azerbaijan Republic.

Statement by the Delegation of the Russian Federation at the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe

31 May 1996

“Unless the flexibilities listed in the agreement on the flank issue are given effect by 31 May 1999, the Russian Federation reserves the right to use the other Treaty flexibilities discussed but not referred to in the above agreement."

Statement by the Delegation of the Netherlands at the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe

31 May 1996

“It is the view of the 16 members of the Atlantic Alliance that any future flexibility must be consistent with the legal framework of the Treaty, as agreed by all 30 States Parties.

It is requested that this statement be attached to the Final Document."

Statement by the Delegation of Ukraine at the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe

31 May 1996

“In connection with the decision of 31 May 1996 of the Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe to adopt the “Document agreed among the States Parties to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe of 19 November 1990", Ukraine gives its consent to that decision on the understanding that, in implementing its provisions, the States Parties will be guided by the following:

1. The rights and obligations of the Russian Federation set forth in Section II, paragraphs 1 and 3, and Section V, paragraph 1, of the Document in relation to “the area described in Article V, subparagraph 1(A), of the Treaty, as understood by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics at the time the Treaty was signed" shall not extend to the territory of Ukraine, namely the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea, and Nikolayev, Zaporozhye and Kherson oblasts.

2. Section II, paragraphs 1 and 3, and Section IV, paragraph 2, of the Document shall not apply to that portion of the Treaty-limited conventional armaments and equipment of the Coastal Defence Forces and Naval Infantry of the Black Sea Fleet which, as a result of their division between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, will be assigned to the Russian Federation and be subject to withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine within the agreed time-limits.

3. The provisions of Section IV, paragraph 2, of the Document shall in no way restrict the right and possibilities of Ukraine to deploy on a temporary basis, in accordance with Article V, paragraph 1, of the Treaty, combat tanks, armoured combat vehicles and artillery within the “new" flank area.

4. The provisions of Section IV, paragraph 3, of the Document shall in no way affect the rights and obligations of Ukraine under the Agreement on the Principles and Procedures for the Implementation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe of 15 May 1992.

The delegation of Ukraine requests that this statement be distributed as an annex to the Final Document of the Conference."

Statement by the Delegation of the Russian Federation at the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe

31 May 1996

“In connection with the statement by Ukraine of 31 May 1996 regarding the Document agreed among the States Parties to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, the Russian Federation takes the position that the said statement will in no way impede the implementation of the aforementioned Document."

Statement by the Delegation of Turkey at the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe

31 May 1996

“On the occasion of the adoption of the Final Document of the First Review Conference, the Turkish Delegation registers the following understanding:

1. The Document in question does not change in any way the legally binding character of the CFE Treaty and its Associated Documents, or the obligations of individual States Parties to the Treaty.

2. Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Section IV of the Document may not be interpreted in a manner which might prejudice the provision contained in Article IV, paragraph 5, of the CFE Treaty, or the principle of free consent enshrined in the OSCE documents on the use of such rights.

3. The “flexibilities" contained in the Treaty consist of those mentioned in the above paragraphs and may only be used in full respect of the relevant Treaty provisions and on the basis of agreements concluded and implemented with the free consent of the States Parties involved.

4. While the Turkish Delegation accepts an examination of the DPSS provisions, it makes it clear that it can accept eventual modifications only if they do not result in force concentrations prejudicial to regional balances and provided that a similar examination is carried out for the clarification of the question of “temporary deployments", in particular with regard to their duration.

5. In view of the continued relevance of the regional sub-limits even under changing conditions, the Turkish Government will not enter into any negotiation prejudicial to the principle of regional sub-limits, nor will it accept any force limits that do not take due account of the size of its territory, population and the security environment in adjacent regions not subject to Treaty limitations.

It is requested that this statement be attached to the Final Document."

Statement by the Delegation of Georgia at the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe

31 May 1996

“The Georgian Delegation has considered paragraphs 2 and 3 of Section IV of the Document agreed among the States Parties on the flank issue very carefully. We still have some very serious concerns about the future implementation of their content. In this context we would like to make the following statement:

Any agreement on temporary deployment of conventional armed forces on the territory of Georgia or on the reallocation of equipment quotas established by the Tashkent Agreement must be the result of free negotiation and must be taken with full respect for the sovereignty of Georgia and for its Constitution. All Parties must implement all the provisions of any such agreements in good faith and in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty."

Statement by the Delegation of Moldova at the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe

31 May 1996

“With reference to paragraph 7, Section II, of the Final Document, the Republic of Moldova would like to make the following statement: