    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 19, 1999]
    [Pages 2113-2114]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Agreement Modifying the Conventional Armed Forces in
    Europe Treaty
    November 19, 1999

        Today I joined the leaders of 30 nations in signing an agreement
    that will adapt the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)
    to the post-cold-war world.
        The original CFE treaty limited the armaments of the Eastern and
    Western blocs, a division that has happily been erased since the
    collapse of the Warsaw Pact. The adapted treaty will place legally
    binding limits on the armed forces of every individual country that is
    party to it, from the Atlantic to the Urals. It will require nations to
    provide more information about their deployment of military equipment.
    It will strengthen the requirement that host nations must consent to the
    deployment of foreign forces on their territory, which speaks directly
    to the interests of a number of nations of the former Soviet Union
    including Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.

    [[Page 2114]]

        The adaptation agreement will also open the treaty to accession by
    other European countries, and it will preserve NATO's ability to fulfill
    its post-cold-war responsibilities.
        In all these ways, the adapted treaty will enhance peace, security,
    and stability throughout Europe. Therefore, it is in America's national
    interest to sign it now and to lock in the commitment of other nations
    to its terms. At the same time, in order to reap these benefits, we must
    have confidence that there will be real compliance.
        Russia has pledged that it will comply with the flank provisions of
    the adapted treaty by reducing its forces in the North Caucasus. This
    must be done as soon as possible. I will only submit this agreement to
    the Senate for advice and consent to ratification when Russian forces
    have in fact been reduced to the flank levels set forth in the adapted
    treaty.