Russia warns it may quit key arms pact in 5 months

By Dmitry Zhdannikov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Saturday it would suspend its participation in a key pact limiting military forces in Europe in five months' time unless a compromise was found on updating the treaty.

The move follows months of verbal sparring with Europe and Washington on a range of fronts, including U.S. plans for a missile shield in eastern Europe, proposed independence for Serbia's Kosovo province and Moscow's energy policies.

The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had signed a decree suspending Russia's role in the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty for reasons of "national security."

NATO, Washington and the European Union expressed regret and disappointment at the Russian move.

The pact was adopted in 1990 to limit the number of tanks, heavy artillery and combat aircraft deployed and stored between the Atlantic and Russia's Ural mountains.

Russia criticizes the West for failing to ratify a version amended to take into account the new post-Cold War situation. Talks last month with NATO states ended without progress.

The pact requires signatories to notify other member states 150 days before suspending participation. The Foreign Ministry said it would start the notification process on Saturday.

"The Russian moratorium on the CFE pact does not mean that we are fully shutting the door to dialogue," it said.