29.02.2012
OSCE in deadlock in arms control improvement
MINSK, 29 February (BelTA) – Countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are virtually in a deadlock as far as the improvement of arms control documents is concerned, Nina Mazai, Chairwoman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus, told media on 29 February.
Nina Mazai said a joint session of three committees held as part of the winter session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Vienna one of these days focused on procedures for arms control in the OSCE space. She reminded there are three documents: the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty, the Vienna Document and the Open Skies Treaty. Several countries now have different views on ways of improving these documents, said Nina Mazai.
Participants of the winter session discussed what should be done to address the situation as well as the stance of national parliaments. “Summing up results of the first stage in using the control mechanisms, they said that the documents had prevented a new escalation of the arms race and had removed fears regarding how the USSR legacy arms should be divided,” said Nina Mazai. Participants of the session also discussed how a united and indivisible security space can be created and what should be done to fulfill the Astana declaration.
In turn, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Viktor Guminsky remarked Belarus was one of the first countries to ratify the agreement on adapting the CFE treaty. “We hoped other countries would do the same”. But for now the adapted CFE treaty does not work because it has been ratified by four countries only.
Nina Mazai said a joint session of three committees held as part of the winter session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Vienna one of these days focused on procedures for arms control in the OSCE space. She reminded there are three documents: the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty, the Vienna Document and the Open Skies Treaty. Several countries now have different views on ways of improving these documents, said Nina Mazai.
Participants of the winter session discussed what should be done to address the situation as well as the stance of national parliaments. “Summing up results of the first stage in using the control mechanisms, they said that the documents had prevented a new escalation of the arms race and had removed fears regarding how the USSR legacy arms should be divided,” said Nina Mazai. Participants of the session also discussed how a united and indivisible security space can be created and what should be done to fulfill the Astana declaration.
In turn, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Viktor Guminsky remarked Belarus was one of the first countries to ratify the agreement on adapting the CFE treaty. “We hoped other countries would do the same”. But for now the adapted CFE treaty does not work because it has been ratified by four countries only.