Interfax: NATO seeks to steer clear of Founding Act commitments to Russia – envoy

BRUSSELS. May 14 (Interfax) – It is clear that certain forces in NATO are preparing the ground to rescind the 1997 Russia-NATO Founding Act, which starts with the statement that Russia and the alliance have stopped being adversaries, Russian Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Alliance Alexander Grushko said.

“In addition to cooperation principles, schemes and areas, it carries an important commitment of military self-restraint. For instance, NATO undertook not to deploy nuclear weapons on territories of its new member states, not to create related infrastructure and not to permanently station substantial additional contingents. These commitments are an important element of the existent military security system in Europe,” Grushko said in a statement released in Brussels on Tuesday evening.

Now it seems they want to abandon these commitments, shift the military potential to the Baltic Republics, Poland and Romania and deploy U.S. military brigades there, he opined.

“If it comes to that, we will take every measure necessary for the reliable protection of our defense ability. As you know, potentials rather than intentions, which are variable, are taken into account in the military sphere,” Grushko said.

“Hopefully, support to political work done in relevant formats, primarily the OSCE, and the fulfillment of the Geneva statement of April 17, which requires “quiet diplomacy” and an end to militant rhetoric, will win in Brussels,” he said.