21.   The U.S. withdrawal has cast doubt on whether the treaty could be ratified by enough countries to make it a binding international treaty.

22.   He can also point to the signing of a legally binding treaty on disarmament rather than the loose accord that the White House was said to have preferred.

23.   At his meeting with US President Bill Clinton in Helsinki, Yeltsin appeared to drop his demand for a legally binding treaty with NATO.

24.   Moscow wants the cuts to be formalised in a binding treaty, whereas Washington has expressed a preference for a verbal agreement.

25.   Moscow is keen on a legally binding treaty with the Atlantic alliance, while NATO has proposed only a charter or political statement.

26.   Moscow wants security guarantees in the former of a binding treaty, while NATO is only prepared to conclude some form of flexible charter.

27.   Moscow is keen on a legally binding treaty, while NATO is only suggesting a charter or political statement.

28.   Moscow wants the cuts to be formalised in a binding treaty, whereas Washington has expressed preference for a verbal accord.

29.   NATO officials have stressed their preference for a political document endorsed by government leaders, rather than a binding treaty ratified by all parliaments.

30.   Other than agreeing a legally binding treaty, Washington had made no concessions, and has not pledged to go any further than unilateral cuts already decided upon.