
"Fourteen European countries called to re-launch a conventional arms control treaty with Russia ... The foreign ministers of 14 European nations have called to renew conventional arms controls ... The initiative was put forward by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and was signed by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. ... 'We are convinced that a re-launch of conventional arms control is one important path towards a genuine and effective cooperative security allowing for peace and stability on our continent' ... 'we see an urgent need to re-establish strategic stability' ... The treaty proposed equal limits for ... the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Warsaw Pact. ... Leonid Ivashov noted that the US has long been opposed to the treaty ... 'This is just a reaction to last years' events. European countries are concerned about the series of military drills on the border with Russia and the rise in flights of NATO and Russian military jets in close proximity to each other' ... 'If Europe and Russia want to de-escalate the conflict and move on, there is every reason to revive this treaty' ... 'a new treaty fixes the number of military equipment deployed in Europe, it will prevent its further build-up. If it agrees upon reduction of the scale and frequency of military drills and stipulates that they should not be held on the border with Russia'"
https://sputniknews.com/world/201611261 ... ce-treaty/