UPDATE 1-Putin declares moratorium on European arms pact

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MOSCOW, April 26 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a moratorium on the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, saying the NATO signatories of the pact had not ratified it and did not respect its clauses.

He said the decision was linked in part to a U.S. plan to station elements of a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic which Moscow has said threatens its national security.

"(NATO countries) are ... building up military bases on our borders and, more than that, they are also planning to station elements of anti-missile defence systems in Poland and the Czech Republic," Putin said.

"In this connection, I consider it expedient to declare a moratorium on Russia's implementation of this treaty -- in any case, until all countries of the world have ratified and started to strictly implement it," Putin said in his annual address to both houses of parliament.

Keywords: RUSSIA PUTIN/TREATY