17 June 2004 12:30
Russia warns NATO not to deploy infrastructure in the Baltics
Moscow, 17 June: The creation of a military infrastructure on the territories of the Baltic countries "will be
seen in Russia only as hostile steps", Lt-Gen Aleksey Sigutkin, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee
on Defence, has said.
He was speaking today at a joint meeting of committees of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and a State Duma delegation
in that assembly.
"We cannot but see that the integration of Baltic countries into NATO potentially has negative consequences for
ensuring Russian security," the general noted.
This is connected first and foremost with the possible deployment of NATO potential on the territories of the Baltic
countries which, in Aleksey Sigutkin's view, presupposes the advance creation of an infrastructure for troop
deployment.
Moreover, he said, additional possibilities are appearing to organize control and observation over adjoining Russian
territory.
"Our military will have to take into account that NATO aerodromes will be `a jump' closer to towns and
other installations on Russian territory," Gen Sigutkin explained.
The [Russian] parliamentarians also drew the attention of European parliamentarians to the fact that, with the
acceptance of the Baltic countries into the alliance, "a grey zone" is forming in the system of control over
conventional weapons since the timeframe for the adapted treaty on conventional forces in Europe (CFE Treaty) to go into
force is being delayed further and further by Western partners while treaty limitations are not in force on the
territories of the Baltic countries.
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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