Moscow against UN military bases in Baltic states

Moscow draws Vilnius's attention to the need to pursue a policy of military restraint in the NATO framework, official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko stated, when giving comments on Lithuanian Defence Minister Linas Linkevicius' statement about a possibility to set up NATO military bases in Lithuania or other Baltic states after their joining the alliance.

"In compliance with the Fundamental Act on mutual relations, cooperation and security, which is also a basis of the Roman Declaration on qualitatively new Russia-NATO relations, the alliance member-states have accepted liabilities to restrain from additional permanent deployment of military forces on the territory of new NATO member-states," Yakovenko stressed.

"The current political liability is fundamental for Russia's relations with the NATO and has so far been observed," he pointed out. It was repeatedly and consciously confirmed in the statement of the Russia-NATO Council of Foreign Ministers, which took place in Madrid on June 4th 2003, during the discussion of new NATO member-states.

Besides, the liabilities on military restrain are also an essential part of the adopted Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe /CFE/. All Baltic States including Lithuania announced their intention to join the Treaty immediately after its coming into force.