AGREEMENT ON THE PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TREATY ON CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE

TASHKENT, 15 MAY 1992

The Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the Republic of Georgia, as states successors of the USSR in regard to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and its associated documents, and hereinafter referred to as the Contracting Parties;

Affirming their adherence to the goals and tasks of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe;

Considering the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe of November 19, 1990, hereinafter referred to as the Treaty, as one of the basic elements of the foundation of the new system of security in Europe;

Seeking consistent implementation of all obligations arising from the Treaty and its associated documents;

Taking into account the security interests of all Contracting parties;

Have agreed the following:

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Article 1

Each contracting party shall fully exercise the rights and fulfill the obligations provided for in the Treaty and its associated documents unless otherwise provided in paragraph 2 of this Article.

The Russian Federation shall exercise the rights and fulfill the obligations contained in the Treaty and its associated documents with regard to forces and also conventional armaments and equipment stationed on the territory of the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, The Polish Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Republic of Estonia, and subject to the withdrawal to the territory of the Russian Federation. In the event of their withdrawal to the territory of another Contracting Party, the exercise of rights and fulfillment of obligations under the Treaty shall rest with that Contracting Party.

The Contracting Parties shall cooperate in exercising the rights and fulfilling the obligations resulting from the Treaty and its associated documents.

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Article 2

In the framework of the obligations resulting from provisions of the Treaty there shall be established for each of the Contracting parties, under corresponding protocols:

Maximum levels for holdings of conventional armaments and equipment;

The levels of armored vehicle launched bridges in active units;

The number of MI­24K and MI­24R helicopters equipped for reconnaissance, spotting, or chemical / biological / radiological sampling which are not subject to the limitations on attack helicopters.

The maximum levels for holdings of conventional armaments by a Contracting Party shall not in total exceed the ceilings established for the USSR in the Treaty and in the agreement on maximum levels for holdings of conventional armaments and equipment of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Hungary, the Polish Republic, Romania, the USSR and the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic in connection with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe of November 3, 1990.

The numbers of armaments and equipment listed in subparagraphs b and c of paragraph 1 of this Article shall not in total exceed the levels and numbers established for the USSR in the Treaty and its associated documents.

Following the entry into force of the Treaty, the Contracting Parties will coordinate their efforts on questions of the implementation of the Treaty and its associated documents, including questions of the allocation of maximum levels for holding of armaments and equipment for each of the Parties in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article, with the goal of ensuring regional, national and collective security in Europe.

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Article 3

The Contracting Parties shall observe the provisions of the Statement of the Government of the USSR of June 14,1991 as it applies to conventional armaments and equipment in categories limited by the Treaty and located in the coastal defense forces, naval infantry, and strategic rocket forces.

In the framework of the obligations resulting from the above­ mentioned statement, a corresponding protocol shall establish for the Contracting Parties the maximum levels of conventional armament and equipment in categories limited by the Treaty and located in the coastal defense forces, naval infantry, and strategic rocket forces.

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Article 4
  1. Upon mutual agreement and in keeping with the reduction liabilities and other requirements of the Treaty and its associated documents, the Contracting Parties shall transfer to each other conventional armaments and equipment that are subject to reduction.

  2. With the aim of optimal organization of the reduction process of conventional armaments and equipment limited by the Treaty, and lowering of costs of reduction, the Contracting States shall jointly utilize reduction sites. The procedure for the use of reduction sites and also of the arms and equipment that have been reduced shall be determined by the Contracting Parties on the basis of corresponding agreements.

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Article 5
  1. The Contracting States shall cooperate as necessary on questions of the preparation and transmission of information and notifications provided for by the Treaty and its associated documents during the period of its provisional application and following its entry into force.

  2. The Contracting Parties affirm that the information on conventional armaments and equipment provided at Treaty signature by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, including technical data and photographs of conventional armaments and equipment, remains in force.

  3. Simultaneously with the deposit of their ratification instruments with the Treaty Depositary, the Contracting Parties shall transmit to all the States Parties information intended for the provision before the entry into force of the Treaty.

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Article 6
  1. The Contracting States confirm that during the first 120 days after the entry into force of the Treaty, their aggregate passive inspection quota will not be less than the passive quota of the former Soviet Union, determined for it according to the data on the number of objects of verification notified in accordance with the Protocol on the Exchange of information at Treaty signature.

  2. The Contracting States shall cooperate in carrying out inspection activities. They shall also cooperate in the formation of multinational inspection teams for the conduct of inspections on the territory of State Parties of the Treaty that are not Contracting States.

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Article 7

At the request of any of the Contracting Parties, the Depositary of this Agreement shall convene consultations of all Contracting Parties for the discussion of issues linked to the implementation of this Agreement. Such consultations shall take place no later than 15 days following the dispatch of a notification to this effect to all of the Contracting Parties.

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Article 8
  1. In the event of the withdrawal of a Contracting Party from the Treaty such a Party shall cease to be a Party to this Agreement.

  2. Each Contracting Party shall have the right to withdraw from this Agreement. The Contracting Parties intending to withdraw from this Agreement shall no later than 90 days prior to the proposed date of the withdrawal from the Agreement, send a notification to this effect to all the other Contracting Parties. No later than 21 days following the dispatch of such a notification, the Depositary of this Agreement shall convene consultations of the Contracting Parties to discuss issues connected to such a withdrawal.

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Article 9

Nothing in this agreement shall be construed as affecting the sovereign rights of the Contracting Parties including those resulting from the adoption by them of acts regarding their state sovereignty as independence.

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Article 10

The following shall constitute integral parts of this Agreement: the Protocol on Maximum Levels for Holdings of Conventional Armaments and Equipment Limited by the Treaty; the Protocol on Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges in Active units; the Protocol on Combat Helicopters MI­24K and MI­24R Not Subject to Limitations on Attack Helicopters; The Protocol on Conventional Armaments and Equipment in Categories Limited by the Treaty Located in Coastal defense Forces, Naval Infantry and Strategic Rocket Forces.

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Article 11

Each Contracting Parties, as a Successor of the USSR in Regard to the Treaty signed by the USSR November 19, 1990, undertakes to ratify the Treaty as quickly as possible and to deposit its instrument of ratification with the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

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Article 12

This Agreement shall be subject to ratification in accordance with the constitutional procedures of each Contracting Parties simultaneously with the ratification of the Treaty.

Documents regarding the ratification of the Agreement shall be deposited in the archives of the Depositary.

The Agreement shall enter into force 10 days after the deposit with the Depositary of the Agreement of documents of ratification by all Contracting Parties, and shall remain in force as long as the Treaty remains in force.

This Agreement will be registered in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Done at Tashkent this 15th day of May 1992, in one copy each in the Azerbaiji, Armenian, Belarusian, Georgian, Kazakh, Moldovan, Russian, and Ukrainian languages, all texts having equal force. The original of this Agreement shall be held in the archives of the government of the Republic of Belarus, which is hereby designated Depositary. Certified copes of the Agreement shall be transmitted by the Depositary to the Contracting Parties and other States Parties of the Treaty.

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Protocol
on Maximum Levels for Holdings of Conventional Armaments and Equipment of
the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the
Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine,
and the Republic of Georgia

The Contracting Parties, as successors of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with regard to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, hereinafter called the Treaty and the agreement on the maximum levels for holdings of conventional armaments and equipment of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, the Hungarian Republic, the Republic of Poland, Romania, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic in connection with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, hereinafter called the Budapest Agreement, hereby affirm that their maximum levels for holdings of conventional armaments and equipment will not, in total, exceed the maximum levels established for the former USSR in the Treaty and the Budapest Agreement.

  1. In accordance with the provisions of the Treaty and Article 1 of the Budapest Agreement, the following maximum levels for holdings of conventional armaments and equipment limited by the Treaty are established for each of the Contracting States:

    Republic of Azerbaijan
    battle tanks:
    - including in active units
    not more than 220 units
    not more than 220 units
    armored combat vehicles
    - including in active units
    - of these, AIFVs and HACVs
    - including HACVs
    not more than 220 units
    not more than 220 units
    not more than 135 units
    not more than 11 units
    artillery
    - including in active units
    - combat aircraft
    - attack helicopters
    not more than 285 units
    not more than 285 units
    not more than 100 units
    not more than 50 units

    Republic of Armenia
    battle tanks:
    - including in active units
    not more than 220 units
    not more than 220 units
    armored combat vehicles
    - including in active units
    - of these, AIFVs and HACVs
    - including HACVs
    not more than 220 units
    not more than 220 units
    not more than 135 units
    not more than 11 units
    artillery
    - including in active units
    - combat aircraft
    - attack helicopters
    not more than 285 units
    not more than 285 units
    not more than 100 units
    not more than 50 units

    Republic of Belarus
    battle tanks:
    - including in active units
    not more than 1800 units
    not more than 1525 units
    armored combat vehicles
    - including in active units
    - of these, AIFVs and HACVs
    - including HACVs
    not move than 2600 units
    not more than 2175 units
    not more than 1590 units
    not more than 130 units
    artillery
    - including in active units
    - combat aircraft
    - attack helicopters
    not more than 1615 units
    not more than 1375 units
    not more than 260 units
    not more than 80 units

    Republic of Kazakhstan
    (in the area of application)
    battle tanks:
    - including in active units
    not more than 0 units
    not more than 0 units
    armored combat vehicles
    - including in active units
    - of these, AIFVs and HACVs
    - including HACVs
    not more than 0 units
    not more than 0 units
    not more than 0 units
    not more than 0 units
    artillery
    - including in active units
    - combat aircraft
    - attack helicopters
    not more than 0 units
    not more than 0 units
    not more than 0 units
    not more than 0 units

    Republic of Moldova
    battle tanks
    - including in active units
    not more than 210 units
    not more than 210 units
    armored combat vehicles
    - including in active units
    - of these, AIFVs and HACVs
    - including HACVs
    not more than 210 units
    not more than 210 units
    not more than 130 units
    not more than 10 units
    artillery
    - including in active units
    - combat aircraft
    - attack helicopters
    not more than 250 units
    not more than 250 units
    not more than 50 units
    not more than 50 units

    Russian Federation
    (in the area of application)
    battle tanks:
    - including in active units
    not more than 6400 units
    not more than 4975 units
    armored combat vehicles
    - including in active units
    - of these, AIFVs and HACVs
    - including HACV
    not more than 11480 units
    not more than 10525 units
    not more than 7030 units
    not more than 574 units
    artillery
    - including in active units
    - combat aircraft
    - attack helicopters
    not more than 6415 units
    not more than 5105 units
    not more than 3450 units
    not more than 890 units

    including active units, on the territory of the Russian Federation within the area of application in accordance with Article V, para. 1 of the Treaty

    battle tanks
    - including in storage
    not more than 1300 units
    not more than 600 units
    armored combat vehicles
    - including in storage
    not more than 1380 units
    not more than 800 units
    artillery
    - including in storage
    not more than 1680 units
    not more than 400 units

    Ukraine
    battle tanks:
    - including in active units
    not more than 4080 units
    not more than 3130 units
    armored combat vehicles
    - including in active units
    - of these, AIFVs and HACVs
    - including HACVs
    not more than 5050 units
    not more than 4350 units
    not more than 3095 units
    not more than 253 units
    artillery
    - including in active units
    - combat aircraft
    - attack helicopters
    not more than 4040 units
    not more than 3240 units
    not more than 1090 units
    not more than 330 units

    including active units, on the territory of the Ukraine within the area of
    application in accordance with Article V, para. 1 of the Treaty

    battle tanks
    - including in storage
    not more than 680 units
    not more than 400 units
    armored combat vehicles not more than 350 units
    artillery
    - including in storage
    not more than 890 units
    not more than 500 units

    Republic of Georgia
    battle tanks
    - including in active units
    not more than 220 units
    not more than 220 units
    armored combat vehicles
    - including in active units
    - of these, AIFVs and HACVs
    - including HACVs
    not more than 220 units
    not more than 220 units
    not more than 135 units
    not more than 11 units
    artillery
    - including in active units
    - combat aircraft
    - attack helicopters
    not more than 285 units
    not more than 285 units
    not more than 100 units
    not more than 50 units

  2. In accordance with the provisions of the Treaty and this Protocol, the Contracting States shall have the right to change their maximum levels for holdings of Treaty­limited armaments and equipment.

A Contracting State that intends to increase its maximum levels for holdings of Treaty­ limited armaments and equipment shall have the right to carry out such increase only with the agreement of all interested Contracting Parties and in such a manner that corresponding provisions of the Treaty are not violated.

In the event that a Contracting party makes a notification of its intent to increase its maximum levels for holdings of Treaty­limited armaments and equipment, the interested Contracting States shall, no later than 14 days after receipt of such notification, inform all other Contracting Parties of the position on the issue set forth in the notification. In the absence of consensus, the Contracting State intending to increase its maximum levels for holdings of Treaty­limited armaments and equipment shall, no later than 21 days after the receipt of the last notification, convene consultations of all interested Contracting States to discuss issues set forth in the notification.

A decrease in the quantity of Treaty­limited armaments and equipment held by a Contracting State does not in and of itself confer the right to another Contracting State to increase its maximum levels for holdings of Treaty­limited armaments and equipment.

The use of its maximum levels for holdings of Treaty­limited armaments and equipment is the exclusive prerogative of each Contracting State.

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Protocol
on Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges in Active Units
  1. Based on the fact that, in accordance to the Budapest Agreement of November 3, 1990, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics could hold in active units not more than 462 armored vehicle launched bridges, the Contracting States have agreed to limit their quantities in the following manner:

    Republic of Azerbaijan 8 units
    Armenian Republic 8 units
    Belarusian Republic 64 units
    Georgian Republic 8 units
    Republic of Kazakhstan 0 units
    Moldovan Republic 7 units
    Russian Federation 233 units
    Ukraine 144 units

  2. The increase by any Contracting States of the above quantity of armored vehicle launched bridges should, by agreement of the Contracting States, be preceded or accompanied by a corresponding reduction by one or more Contracting States in their quantity of armored vehicle launched bridges.

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Protocol
on Combat Helicopters MI24­K AND MI­24R Not Subject to Limitations on Attack Helicopters
  1. Proceeding from the fact that, in accordance with the Treaty, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics could hold an overall aggregate number not exceeding 100 MI24K and MI­24R helicopters equipped for reconnaissance, spotting, or chemical / biological / radiological sampling that were not subject to the limitations on attack helicopters, the Contracting States have agreed to limit their quantities in the following manner:

    Republic of Azerbaijan 4 units
    Armenian Republic 4 units
    Belarusian Republic 16 units
    Georgian Republic 4 units
    Republic of Kazakhstan 0 units
    Moldovan Republic 4 units
    Russian Federation 50 units
    Ukraine 18 units

  2. The increase by any Contracting States of the above quantity of MI­24K and MI­24R helicopters not subject to the limitations on attack helicopters should, by agreement of the Contracting States, be preceded or accompanied by a corresponding reduction by one or more Contracting States in their quantity of these helicopters.

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Protocol
on Conventional Armaments and Equipment in Categories Limited by the Treaty and located in Coastal defense Forces, Naval Infantry, and Strategic Rocket Forces

  1. Confirming all commitments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics set forth in the statement of the government of the USSR of June 14, 1991, concerning conventional armaments and equipment in categories limited by the Treaty located in coastal defense forces, naval infantry, and strategic rocket forces, hereinafter referred to as the Statement, the Contracting States have agreed that the responsibility rests:

    • for conventional armaments and equipment of coastal defense forces and naval infantry, with the Russian Federation and the Ukraine;

    • for conventional armaments and equipment (APC's) in strategic rocket forces with the Belarusian Republic, the Russian Federation, and the Ukraine;

  2. On the territory of the Russian Federation and the Ukraine within the area of application of the Treaty, stationed conventional armaments and equipment in categories limited by the Treaty shall not exceed the following quantities:

    1. in coastal defense forces: on the territory of the Russian Federation­ 542 battle tanks, 488 ACV's, and 686 artillery units; on the territory of the Ukraine­ 271 battle tanks, 484 ACV's, and 160 artillery units.

    2. in naval infantry: on the territory of the Russian Federation­ 120 battle tanks, 488 ACV's, and 186 artillery units; on the territory of the Ukraine­ 265 ACV's, 48 artillery units.

  3. The destruction or conversion of conventional armaments and equipment set forth in Section III, paragraph 3 of the Statement shall be carried out in the following manner:

    1. by the Russian Federation­ as foreseen in Section II, paragraph 3 of the Declaration;

    2. by Ukraine­ fully within the area of application of the Treaty.

  4. Within the area of application of the Treaty, the Belarusian Republic, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine shall have conventional armaments and equipment (APC's) in strategic rocket forces in quantities not exceeding; Belarusian Republic­ 585 APC's; Russian Federation­ 700 APC's; Ukraine­ 416 APC's. For the Belarusian Republic and the Ukraine, the established quantities for APC's shall remain in force until the complete removal of strategic rocket force sites on their territories. In proportion to the removal of strategic rocket force sites from the territories of these states, their quota of these APC's shall be transferred to the Russian Federation.

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Joint Declaration
of the Azerbaijan Republic, the Armenian Republic, the Republics of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the Georgian Republic, in connection with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe

With the aim of furthering the implementation of the CFE treaty and documents related to it, Azerbaijan Republic, Republics of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Moldova, Russian Federation, Ukraine and the Georgian Republic declare the following:

  1. The Azerbaijan Republic, the Republics of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the Georgian Republic confirm their adherence to the provisions of the Declaration of the States Parties to the CFE Treaty with Regard to Personnel Strength.

  2. The Azerbaijan Republic, the Republics of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the Georgian Republic adhere to the provisions of the Declaration of the States Parties to the CFE Treaty with Regard to Land­Based Naval Aircraft and recognize that the number of permanently land­based naval combat aircraft, specified in paragraph 1 of the Declaration, refers to the Russian Federation and the Ukraine, with the Russian Federation having not more than 300 combat aircraft in the area of application of the Treaty, and Ukraine not more than 100 combat aircraft.

  3. The Russian Federation shall fulfill the provisions of the statement of the representative of the USSR in the Joint Consultative Group of 14 June 1991 with regard to armaments and equipment withdrawn beyond that area of application in the period before the signing of the treaty.

  4. Taking account of the political nature of the documents referred to in paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of this Statement, the obligations that arise from these paragraphs have a politically binding nature.

  5. The Azerbaijan Republic, the Republics of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Moldova, and the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the Georgian Republic confirm that all decisions taken previously within the framework of the Joint Consultative Group are binding on all these States.

Done in Tashkent this 15th day of May 1992 in one original copy in the Russian language. The original copy shall be held in the archives of the government of the Republic of Belurus, which will send a certified copy to all states that have signed this Statement, and to the Depositary and the States Parties of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe.

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