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Russia denies link between adapted CFE Treaty, military pullout

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VIENNA, June 9 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's envoy to Europe's largest security organization denied Friday statements that an adapted Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) could only be ratified after Moscow fulfilled commitments it undertook in Istanbul in 1999.

The commitments include withdrawal of Soviet-era bases, now belonging to Russia, from Georgia and Moldova.

"No agreements of the kind have been reached," Alexei Borodavkin told a session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna.

He said some countries were speculating on a link between the agreement and Russia's commitments on its military bases, to achieve their political goals, but that their comments had no legal basis.

The diplomat also dismissed statements that Russian peacekeepers were illegally staying in Moldova's conflict zone in the breakaway Transdnestr region.

"On July 21, 1992, the Russian and Moldovan presidents signed an agreement on peaceful resolution of the armed conflict in Transdnestr," he said, adding that the Russian contingent had been reduced since then.

Borodavkin also said that the Russian military units that are not part of the peacekeeping force were staying in Moldova to guard military depots, which could not be left unattended.

The diplomat said Russia's position was based on the latest agreement reached by OSCE Ministers in Porto, when Russia pledged to withdraw its forces in the near future, given the necessary conditions.

"In the current situation, where negotiations have reached a dead-end, it is difficult to expect any progress on the issue," Borodavkin said.

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