MOSCOW, May 16. /TASS/. The Russian State Duma is set to consider the withdrawal from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) at its plenary session on Tuesday.

The bill that provides for the denunciation of the CFE Treaty was submitted to the State Duma by Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 10. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has been appointed to represent the president in the parliament during the deliberation of the bill.

A memo to the bill stated that the treaty used to be an effective tool to strengthen European security in early 1990s, but it "lost its connection to reality" following comprehensive military and political changes, primarily related to NATO expansion.

Natural gas exports

The State Duma is also poised to consider the first reading of a bill that would allow natural gas exports from more deposits. The bill would introduce amendments to the law On Gas Export allowing exports from onshore deposits that are to the north of 67th degree north latitude.

Deputy Energy Minister Anastasia Bondarenko said earlier that the bill would permit exports from 36 deposits operated by Rosneft. That would enable sales of gas reserves that are too far from Gazprom’s pipeline system. The bill would also amend the export legislation so that it doesn apply to the business of refueling ships with liquefied natural gas.