Turkey halts enforcement of Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in EU
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Turkey suspends Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe implementation after Russia's withdrawal, a decision that could be reversed, per Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli.
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An undated image of the spokesperson of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oncu Keceli. (Turkish MFA)
Turkey has officially announced the suspension of its implementation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), following Russia's withdrawal from the pact and the US also suspending implementation.
However, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli emphasized that Turkey has not withdrawn from the treaty but has merely suspended its implementation, with the possibility of reversal.
According to Keceli, after Russia's withdrawal last November, "there was no possibility to continue meaningful implementation of the treaty."
In a statement, Keceli explained that this comes after "a statement was made by the NATO Council on Nov. 7," adding that in this regard, Turkey followed that with a statement "announcing our decision with its justifications."
The Turkish FM then highlighted that "the date on which the decisions of NATO allies to suspend implementation of the treaty will enter into force is determined by each ally within the framework of their national legislation."
Moreover, Keceli clarified, "Currently, the decision to suspend implementation of the treaty by the majority of NATO allies who are parties to the CFE has entered into force. The internal legal process for the suspension of our implementation of the CFE was completed as of April 8, 2024, and the presidential decree on this matter was published in the Official Gazette dated April 5, 2024."
It is significant to note that during the final days of the USSR, the CFE accord served as one of the key components of an effort to defuse tensions between NATO and the Warsaw Pact bloc. The agreement, signed in 1990, imposed restrictions on the deployment of conventional troops on the European continent and included the establishment of a number of transparency tools, such as on-site verification inspections.
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