Russian to strengthen its nuclear potential

Russian State Duma has passed a new law Wednesday regarding NATO expansion.

305 delegates voted for it, while 41 were against, two abstained.  The bill was prepared by three Duma's committees (committee of international affairs, committee of defense and committee of security).

The law enables Russia to reconsider expediency of its involvement in International negotiations concerning regular armament and strengthen its nuclear potential in case NATO disregards Russia's position concerning the organization's expansion.

State Duma considers that further relations between Russia and NATO have to be based on the following foundation. “The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has to take into account those concerns of our country regarding the expansion as well as organization's specific moves of strengthening international security and total control of the regime of armed forces in Europe,” reports the document.

Otherwise, State Duma will advise the President and the government to take all the necessary precautions to assure Russia's safety.

In the document State Duma also asks the government to hold a meeting of Defense Counsel “to discuss establishment of additional defense facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation that borders with those countries of NATO,” reports “Interfax”.

States-members of NATO “continue to purposely delay” ratification of the OSCE agreement signed in November of 1999 in Istanbul. Delegates notice that this delay could have been caused by the fact that supposedly Russia does not fulfill its promises.

“State Duma accuses such actions of NATO and regards them as an attempt to create illusionary obstacles thus preventing adoption of a crucial control mechanism of regular armament”, reads the document. 

The document also emphasizes the fact that a certain number of new NATO newcomers including three Baltic States, have nothing to do with OSCE. As a result “the so-called ‘gray-zone’ has emerged in Europe where internationally acclaimed restrictions on particular location of foreign armed forces have no effect.”