[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.