Conventional forces treaty buries cold war

Journal Article · · Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00963402.1991.11459934· OSTI ID:5676709

Forsberg, R ^[1]; Leavitt, R; Lilly-Weber, S

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1. Institute for Defense and Disarmament Studies, Brookline, MA (USA)

The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), negotiated by the 22 NATO and Warsaw Pact countries. The CFE Treaty resulted from just 20 months of negotiations, but it was preceded by 15 years of fruitless Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction talks. The recent, rapid progress was due largely to Soviet acceptance of deep reductions in the East's ground forces. The result is a treaty that requires NATO to cut very little, while the Soviets and East Europeans will make major reductions. This will put an end to the East's huge numerical advantage in ground forces, which has long been used to justify the arms race. In addition, CFE verification provisions - and data exchanges mandated by both agreements - will make armed forces in Europe transparent for the first time. Coming on the heels of political revolution and Soviet withdrawal from Eastern Europe, the agreements will open the door to far-reaching cooperation between East and West. On the down side, the CFE Treaty will bring no significant financial savings in the West and will leave in place excessively large forces on both sides. Nor will it limit technological advances which could be destabilizing given the reductions that will take place.

• OSTI ID: 5676709
• Journal Information: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (USA), Journal Name: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (USA) Vol. 47:1; ISSN BASIA; ISSN 0096-5243
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

350101* -- Arms Control-- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation-- Treaties-- (1987-)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ARMS CONTROL
ASIA
CONVENTIONAL WARFARE
EASTERN EUROPE
EUROPE
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NATO
TREATIES
USSR
WARFARE