ISTANBUL, Turkey -- With reservations about Russian troops in Chechnya, President Clinton joined world leaders Friday in signing a treaty restricting the number of tanks, planes and artillery of nearly every major army across Europe.

However, Clinton said he would not ask the Senate to ratify the agreement until Moscow reduces its forces in Chechnya, now in excess of agreed limits. "We must have confidence that there will be real compliance," Clinton said.The treaty was signed on the closing day of the 54-nation summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Leaders also updated the OSCE's charter to strengthen the organization's role in human rights monitoring, conflict prevention and mediation, and post-war reconstruction.

After five days in Turkey, Clinton arrived in Greece where a planned two-day visit was cut to less than 24 hours because of anti-American protests. Some 10,000 protesters gathered in front of parliament, and several clashed with riot police and threw gasoline bombs at stores.

Dozens of shops were set ablaze as the violence continued. But police had cordoned off much of downtown, reducing the chance that Clinton would even see any of the protests called over the NATO bombing campaign in nearby Yugoslavia.

Before leaving Istanbul, leaders approved a statement trying to balance a dispute over Chechnya between Russia and most other summit nations. It condemned terrorism and reaffirmed Russia's territorial integrity but at the same time said a political solution -- not a military victory -- was essential. it praised Russia for promising to cooperate with the OSCE in finding an end to the conflict.

The arms treaty signed by Clinton and 29 other leaders updates a Cold War-era agreement, signed nine years ago, that limited non-nuclear weapons of the Eastern and Western blocs ---- a division erased after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The new accord imposes country-by-country restrictions from the Atlantic Ocean to Russia's Ural Mountains on the number of tanks, armored combat vehicles, heavy artillery, combat aircraft and attack helicopters.

It also sets territorial limits to prevent a buildup of allied forces in any country. Moscow favored that provision, wary that a former Warsaw Pact country like Poland would invite American or other NATO forces to be stationed on its territory, closing in on Russian borders.

Clinton said the treaty would "preserve NATO's ability to fulfill its post-Cold War responsibilities," and "enhance peace, security and stability throughout Europe."

Overall, the treaty sets a lower weapons ceiling across Europe but in reality will not require arms reductions since the actual number of deployed weapons is well below the limit.

Clinton urged Russia to quickly honor its pledge to reduce its heavy arms in the North Caucasus -- the Chechnya area -- and come in compliance with the treaty. "This must be done as soon as possible Clinton said.

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"I will only submit this agreement to the Senate ... when Russian forces have in fact been reduced to the flank levels" established in the treaty.

The treaty will require Russia to set a schedule for withdrawing its troops from Moldova and Georgia, under a provision that host nations must consent to the deployment of foreign forces on their territory.

Addressing Moscow's crackdown in Chechnya, Clinton expressed relief that Russia had agreed to permit a European leader to visit the war-torn region, and had acknowledged that outside countries have a right to be concerned about the internal affairs of other nations.

"Obviously we've got a lot of turns in the road on Chechnya before it's resolved," Clinton said. But he said there was reason for hope.

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