Lavrov Threatens Russian Withdrawal From Arms Treaty

Lavrov (left) with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer last month (AFP) May 22, 2007 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow will withdraw from a key arms treaty if NATO members do not ratify the pact.

Lavrov made his comments ahead of talks today in Vienna with his Austrian counterpart, Ursula Plassnik.

Only four countries -- Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine -- have ratified the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, which limits military deployments across Europe.

NATO members say they will ratify the treaty when Russia meets commitments it made to withdraw its forces from Georgia and Moldova.

(Interfax, ITAR-TASS)