Treaty on Open skies

2021 JAN 16

Preliminary   > International Relations   >   Agreements   >   Multi lateral Agreement

Why in news?

  • Russia announced that it was pulling out of the Open Skies treaty, saying that the pact, which allows unarmed surveillance flights over member countries, had been seriously compromised by the withdrawal of the United States.
  • The United States left the Open Skies arms control and verification treaty in November, accusing Russia of violating it, something Moscow denied.

About Open Skies treaty:

  • The Treaty on Open Skies entered into force on January 1, 2002, and currently has 35 party states.
  • It establishes a program of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants.
  • The treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants, regardless of size, a direct role in gathering information about military forces and activities of concern to them.
  • This treaty is not related to civil-aviation open skies agreements.
  • Open Skies is one of the most wide-ranging international efforts to date promoting openness and transparency of military forces and activities.
  • Russia and United Kingdom are members while China and India are not.

Why Russia is leaving?

  • Russia has raised concerns that despite leaving the treaty Washington could potentially retain access to overflight intelligence gathered by allies who remain members in the treaty.
  • The Kommersant newspaper reported earlier that Moscow had tried to get guarantees from other countries that they would not share such intelligence with the U.S. but had not been given any assurances.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Which of the following countries are signatories to ‘Treaty on Open Skies’?
1.India
2.China
3.Canada
4.United Kingdom
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a)1 and 2 only
(b)1,2 and 4 only
(c)3 and 4 only
(d)1,2,3 and 4

Answer to Prelims Question