2024-04-12 06:42:57
The Hungarian Parliament has approved a bill to suspend the country’s participation in the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE). During the voting, which was broadcast on the website of the legislative body, 177 deputies spoke in support of the document, 5 were against, Day.Az reports with reference to TASS.
Speaking at the meeting on behalf of the Hungarian government, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Peter Staraj said that the CFE Treaty played an important role in maintaining the balance of armed forces in Europe, but “lost its significance due to Russia’s withdrawal” from this agreement.
Russia denounced the CFE Treaty in May 2023, after which NATO countries announced their intention to permanently suspend their participation in it. According to the Hungarian press, more than a third of the alliance countries have already adopted the relevant laws.
The agreement was signed in 1990, came into force in 1992 and was adapted in 1997. It provides for limits on the total levels of conventional weapons and equipment in five main categories (tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery, attack helicopters and combat aircraft), as well as mechanisms for verifying compliance with obligations (information exchange and inspections).
NATO members did not ratify the adapted version of this document, continuing to adhere to the 1990 provisions that contain conventional weapons rules taking into account the balance between NATO and the now disbanded Warsaw Pact. Russia could not be satisfied with such an approach.