"The CFE ratification should not be drawn out because it could issue a positive signal to, above all, the European supporters of the adapted CFE", Antonov said.
The modes of information exchange and control set by the CFE adaptation agreement rule out whatever significant transboundary arms and hardware movements, Antonov said.
He recalled that for the agreement to become effective it has to be ratified by every CFE member. As of now, only three out of the 30 members have ratified the agreement - Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan. Under pressure from the United States, the NATO countries are delaying ratification referring to Russia's underfulfilment of its political commitments assumed under the Istanbul accord, which intends the withdrawal of the Russian bases from Georgia and Transdnestria. "Russia cannot agree with such linkage", Antonov said.
"The true reason for delaying ratification of the agreement by the United States may be its apprehensions that the plans to unfold its military hardware keeping bases in Central and East Europe may not fit into the CFE parameters", Antonov said. Such an agreement may also complicate the conduct of operations like that in Iraq, he added.
"The carrying out of massive transit of military hardware via the CFE-covered region and its concentration in the territory of the member states may entail the sending of detailed notifications", he said.
