FINAL ACT OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE STATES PARTIES TO THE TREATY ON CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE

Having met in Istanbul from 17 to 19 November 1999,

Guided by Section III of the Final Document of the First Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and the Concluding Act of the Negotiation on Personnel Strength, of May 1996,

Guided by the Document on the Scope and Parameters of the Process Commissioned in Paragraph 19 of the Final Document of the First CFE Treaty Review Conference adopted in Lisbon on 1 December 1996,

Taking into account the Decision of the Joint Consultative Group No. 8/97 of 23 July 1997, concerning Certain Basic Elements for Treaty Adaptation,

Recalling their commitment at the OSCE Oslo Ministerial Meeting in December 1998 to complete the process of adaptation of the Treaty by the time of the OSCE Summit in 1999,

Taking into account the Decision of the Joint Consultative Group No. 3/99 of 30 March 1999,

Recalling the Decision of the Joint Consultative Group No. 8/99 of 11 November 1999 on the Agreement on Adaptation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, hereinafter referred to as the Agreement on Adaptation,

Have taken note of the Statement on Adaptation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe issued by the North Atlantic Council and the Representatives of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Hungary and the Republic of Poland at the Ministerial Meeting held in Brussels on 8 December 1998, and have taken note of the commitments contained therein;

Have taken note of the statement by the Russian Federation, which is attached to this Final Act, concerning its commitments on restraint and the use of Treaty flexibilities in the region which includes the Kaliningrad oblast and the Pskov oblast;

Have noted with appreciation that in the course of the adaptation negotiations several States Parties have committed themselves to reducing their permitted levels of armaments and equipment limited by the Treaty, thus reflecting the fundamental changes in the European security environment since the signing of the Treaty in November 1990;

Have further taken note of the statements by the Czech Republic, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic, which are attached to this Final Act, concerning their commitments regarding the future adjustment of their territorial ceilings, and the relevant conditions;

Have taken note of the statements by the Republic of Belarus, the Czech Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Poland, the Slovak Republic and Ukraine, which are attached to this Final Act, concerning their commitments regarding their future use of the provisions on increasing territorial ceilings set forth in the Agreement on Adaptation, and the relevant conditions;

Have undertaken to move forward expeditiously to facilitate completion of national ratification procedures, so that the Agreement on Adaptation can enter into force as soon as possible, taking into account their common commitment to, and the central importance of, full and continued implementation of the Treaty and its associated documents until and following entry into force of the Agreement on Adaptation; and, in this context, have taken note of the statement by the Government of the Russian Federation on 1 November 1999, including its commitment, contained therein, to all obligations under the Treaty and, in particular, to agreed levels of armaments and equipment;

Have welcomed the joint statement by Georgia and the Russian Federation of 17 November 1999, which is attached to this Final Act;

Have taken note of the statement by the Republic of Moldova, which is attached to this Final Act, concerning its renunciation of the right to receive a temporary deployment on its territory and have welcomed the commitment of the Russian Federation to withdraw and/or destroy Russian conventional armaments and equipment limited by the Treaty by the end of 2001, in the context of its commitment referred to in paragraph 19 of the Istanbul Summit Declaration;

Have expressed their intention to review the above elements, as appropriate, at the Second Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty, which will take place in May 2001;

Have noted that, following entry into force of the Agreement on Adaptation, other participating States of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe with territory in the geographic area between the Atlantic Ocean and the Ural Mountains will have the possibility to apply for accession to the Treaty;

Have noted that a consolidated version of the Treaty as amended by the Agreement on Adaptation is being produced for information and to facilitate implementation;

Have adopted this Final Act at the time of signature of the Agreement on Adaptation.

This Final Act, in all six official languages of the Treaty, shall be deposited with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as the designated Depositary for the Treaty, which shall circulate copies of this Final Act to all States Parties.

Original: ENGLISH

"Upon the signature of the Agreement on Adaptation of the CFE Treaty the Czech Republic establishes its territorial and national ceiling at the level of its currently notified maximum national levels for holdings.

The Czech Republic will reduce its territorial ceiling in all three ground categories of TLE by conversion of its DPSS entitlements not later than by the year 2002. This means that the Czech territorial and national ceiling will then be:

The reduced TC and NC in the three ground categories of TLE, will only take effect upon successful and satisfactory conclusion of the adaptation process. In deciding to exercise the above unilateral restraint, the Czech Republic reserves the right to receive on its territory exceptional temporary deployments up to 459 battle tanks, 723 armoured combat vehicles and 420 artillery pieces in excess of the country's territorial ceiling."

Statement on behalf of the Republic of Hungary

"Upon signature of the Agreement on Adaptation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, the Republic of Hungary intends to establish its national and territorial ceiling at the level of its present Maximum National Levels for Holdings.

However, in the current and foreseeable security environment, defence plans of the country make possible significant reductions in Treaty-Limited Equipment. The Republic of Hungary is ready to reduce its territorial ceiling in the three ground categories of TLE by conversion of the country's DPSS entitlements by no later than the end of the year 2002. This means that the Hungarian national and territorial ceiling will be at that time:

The reduced Hungarian NC and TC will take effect only upon successful and satisfactory conclusion of the adaptation process. In undertaking the above unilateral restraint, the Republic of Hungary reserves the right to receive on its territory exceptional temporary deployments up to 459 battle tanks, 723 armoured combat vehicles and 420 artillery pieces in excess of the country's territorial ceiling."

Statement on behalf of the Republic of Poland

"The Republic of Poland commits herself politically to the following:

At signature of the adapted CFE Treaty, Polish territorial ceilings equal our currently notified maximum national levels for holdings.

In light of the on-going restructurization of the Polish armed forces, Polish actual holdings in the Treaty-limited ground categories of armament and equipment not later than the end of 2001 will not exceed:

and not later than the end of 2002 will not exceed:

Subject to reciprocal good will and restraint in the immediate neighbourhood of Poland, Polish territorial ceilings not later than the end of 2003 will be adjusted to match the above numbers for actual holdings, through the partial conversion of the DPSS, in accordance with the mechanisms envisaged in the adapted CFE Treaty.

It is understood that during this period of time, Poland in accordance with her immediate and full access to Exceptional Temporary Deployments rights may host on its territory up to:

ANNEX 4

Original: ENGLISH
 

Statement on behalf of the Slovak Republic

"Upon the signature of the Agreement on Adaptation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe the Slovak Republic establishes its Territorial and National Ceilings at the level of its currently notified Maximum National Levels for Holdings.

The Slovak Republic undertakes a political commitment to reduce its territorial ceiling in the ground categories of the armament and equipment limited by the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, through the partial conversion of the Designated Permanent Storage Site entitlements, in accordance with the mechanism provided for in the adapted Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. Not later than by the end of the year 2003, the Territorial Ceiling of the Slovak Republic will be:

The Slovak Republic reserves the right to host on its territory Temporary Deployments in excess of the Territorial Ceiling established in the Protocol on Territorial Ceilings up to 459 battle tanks, 723 armoured combat vehicles and 420 artillery pieces."

"In the context of the political commitments and efforts of other States Parties to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty), in particular those aimed at further strengthening stability in Central Europe, the Russian Federation will show due restraint with regard to ground TLE levels and deployments in the region which includes the Kaliningrad oblast and the Pskov oblast. In the present politico-military situation, it has no reasons, plans or intentions to station substantial additional combat forces, whether air or ground forces, in that region on a permanent basis.

If necessary, the Russian Federation will rely on the possibilities for operational reinforcement, including temporary deployments, in a manner compatible with the CFE Treaty mechanisms."

Statement on behalf of the Republic of Belarus

"The Republic of Belarus undertakes the following political commitments:

Taking into account the statements of other States Parties with regard to the reduction of their territorial ceilings (TCs), the Republic of Belarus will be prepared, upon signing of the adapted CFE Treaty, to make its national ceilings (NCs) equal to the existing maximum national levels for holdings (MNLHs) of Treaty-limited conventional armaments and equipment (TLE).

The TCs of the Republic of Belarus for ground categories of TLE will thus be equal to its NCs.

In addition, in current and foreseeable security circumstances and in the context of similar restraint by other States Parties, including those in the immediate vicinity of its borders, the Republic of Belarus will not make use of the general mechanism foreseen in the adapted Treaty for upward revision of its TCs."

Statement on behalf of the Czech Republic

"In the current and foreseeable security circumstances, and in the context of comparable commitments by other States Parties, the Czech Republic undertakes not to make use of the general mechanisms of the adapted CFE Treaty for upward revision of the territorial ceilings."

Mr. Chairman,

Under the agenda item "Statements on unilateral political commitments" I am authorized on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany to state the following:

"The Federal Republic of Germany commits itself, in the current and foreseeable security circumstances and in the context of comparable commitments by other States Parties, not to make use of the general mechanisms provided for in an adapted CFE Treaty for upward revision of territorial ceilings."

ANNEX 9

Original: ENGLISH

Statement on behalf of the Republic of Hungary

"The Republic of Hungary declares that, in the current and foreseeable security circumstances and in the context of comparable commitments by other States Parties, the Republic of Hungary undertakes not to make use of the general mechanism provided in the adapted CFE Treaty for upward revision of territorial ceilings."

Statement on behalf of the Republic of Poland

"The Republic of Poland commits herself politically to the following:

Under current and foreseeable security circumstances and depending on reciprocal measures of restraint in her immediate vicinity, including, in particular, the Russian Federation with regard to its current force levels in Kaliningrad, and Belarus with regard to its territorial ceilings at least not exceeding current MNLHs, Poland will not make use of her right for upward revision of her both current and future territorial ceilings, as envisaged in the adapted CFE Treaty."

Statement on behalf of the Slovak Republic

"In the current and foreseeable security circumstances and in the context of similar restraints by other States Parties, the Slovak Republic undertakes a political commitment not to make use of general mechanism provided for in the adapted Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe for upward revision of Territorial Ceilings."

"Ukraine commits itself, in the current and foreseeable security circumstances and in the context of comparable commitments by other States Parties, not to make use of the general mechanism provided for in the adapted CFE Treaty for upward revision of territorial ceilings."

Statement on behalf of the Republic of Moldova

"The Republic of Moldova renounces the right to receive a temporary deployment on its territory due to its Constitutional provisions which control and prohibit any presence of foreign military forces on the territory of Moldova." 

Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and Georgia

Istanbul, 17 November 1999

The Russian Federation and Georgia,

guided by paragraphs 14.2.3 and 14.2.7 of the Decision of the Joint Consultative Group of 30 March 1999 concerning adaptation of the CFE Treaty,

confirming their intention to properly implement the adapted CFE Treaty as adopted,

wishing to promote the development and strengthening of co-operative relations between the Russian Federation and Georgia,

have agreed as follows.

1. The Russian Side undertakes to reduce, by no later than 31 December 2000, the levels of its TLE located within the territory of Georgia in such a way that they will not exceed 153 tanks, 241 ACVs and 140 artillery systems.

2. No later than 31 December 2000, the Russian Side will withdraw (dispose of) the TLE located at the Russian military bases at Vaziani and Gudauta and at the repair facilities in Tbilisi.

The Russian military bases at Gudauta and Vaziani will be disbanded and withdrawn by 1 July 2001.

The issue of the utilization, including the joint utilization, of the military facilities and infrastructure of the disbanded Russian military bases remaining at those locations will be resolved within the same time-frame.

3. The Georgian Side undertakes to grant to the Russian Side the right to basic temporary deployment of its TLE at facilities of the Russian military bases at Batumi and Akhalkalaki.

4. The Georgian Side will facilitate the creation of the conditions necessary for reducing and withdrawing the Russian forces. In this connection, the two Sides note the readiness of OSCE participating States to provide financial support for this process.

5. During the year 2000 the two Sides will complete negotiations regarding the duration and modalities of the functioning of the Russian military bases at Batumi and Akhalkalaki and the Russian military facilities within the territory of Georgia.