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As we previously reported, the US is going to restrict observation flights of military aircraft Russia over the American territory, conducted in the framework of the open skies Treaty. Such measures Washington, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), is planning to take in response to “obvious violation” by Russia of the agreement. While the U.S. state Department stressed that the ban may be lifted “at any time”, if Russia will return to their obligations. The Russian foreign Ministry allegations of violation of the Treaty on open skies was rejected, adding that it would consider retaliatory measures if the U.S. restricts flights over its territory. Deputy Minister Sergei Ryabkov also said that Russia “there are a number of counter claims to the United States on a number of aspects of the implementation of this Treaty”.
Some experts noted that the claims of the American side are reduced to the fact that the United States were asked again to open heaven to view positions, although the Treaty negotiates a specific temporary interval between inspections. According to the americanists, member-correspondent of the Russian Academy of military Sciences Sergey Sudakov, the US claim that allegedly found during a previous flight prohibited weapons and medium-range, and so they are trying “to bring the situation under the fact that Russia is the culprit of the breach and of the Treaty on missiles and medium-range”.
Recall that the Treaty on open skies was signed in 1992. Russia ratified it in 2001. It involved 34 States. Observation flights are made over Russia, USA, Canada and Europe. The agreement assigns each party a certain number of quotas: the United States and groups of Russia and Belarus — on 42 flights per year; Germany, Canada, France, UK, Italy, Turkey, and Ukraine — 12 flights. The smallest quota — 2 flight from Portugal. To conduct observation flights Russia uses specially equipped aircraft Tu-214ON, An-30 and Tu-154M-LK-1 and USA — Boeing OC-135B Open Skies.
In 2016, Moscow said that Russia was the first of the 34 parties to the Treaty when performing observation flights will be able to use digital camcorders — certification of this equipment of domestic production, installed on Tu-154M LK-1 and An-З0Б fully completed. After that, the West began to actively promote the idea that Russia, with an improved camera will be able to obtain additional information.
— Unfortunately, when discussing the problems with the INF Treaty, or in the event of disagreement concerning the order of implementation of the Treaty on open skies, it seems, initiated a deliberate leak information to the press — said the former head of Information-analytical center of the defense Ministry of Russia, Deputy Director of the Institute of USA and Canada studies, major-General in retirement Pavel Zolotarev Is a bad thing in itself, as the unwinding of the abstract propaganda of both countries causes real damage to their understanding. But why is this happening? Perhaps this is due to the fact that at a certain stage was interrupted contacts between military departments of two countries. Think we need to talk about the resumption in General, if not military cooperation, the coordination of the Russian Federation and the United States and the resumption of full contacts between the structures of the departments that monitor the performance of the Contract, etc. and then the press will cease to receive the information, which gives rise to additional suspicion to each other and various conspiracy theories.
By the way, Russia recently carried out flight over the territory of the United States, and the aircraft flew over the White house, a complex of buildings of the U.S. Congress, the headquarters of the CIA and the Pentagon that caused some reaction from the American side. Therefore responses in relation to this Contract, likely to be associated with the restriction of flights over certain areas, and no more. Overall, I think that parties will not withdraw from the Treaty, as everyone understands its importance.
Deputy head of the Tauride information analytical centre of the RISS Sergei Ermakov believes that the Americans in the framework of existing bilateral relations if not trying to block cooperation with Russia in the military sphere, to make these connections has become much more complicated.
On the other hand, since the US is still not prepared conceptual documents that should guide American policy in the medium term (for example, “nuclear posture Review” (Nuclear Posture Review), which, on the instruction of Donald trump needs to be completed by the end of 2017), it is not clear where to move yet. Therefore, the agencies appear different point of view. Common to them is that must be stated and achieved superiority of the Americans in military power (as if they lost it).
The situation with the Treaty on open skies is really linked to the INF Treaty, the violation of which is now Moscow and Washington accuse each other. It is clear that the agreements are completely different, but the approach and issues are the same. And the open skies Treaty is primarily important from the point of view of establishing and maintaining confidence-building measures, transparency.
The Americans themselves say that they these measures are extremely important and necessary, and for this case they are trying to blame Russia for the fact that it something breaks and someone will not allow to fly over the whole Kaliningrad region. In fact, the United States is actually create a “box”, including in the expert community where you can exert on Moscow for more pressure so she went to the extension or deepening of transparency, and simply put — was uncovered and provided more information about its military activity. Why is the article in the WSJ appeared only now? Because the Americans are trying to push that they will close site, they want to force us to reconsider the provisions of the key contracts.
“SP”: — the article notes that the US is working on response. What would they be?
I think I can only relate directly to the Treaty on open skies — closing obviously we are interested in areas to monitor military activity, that is, the airspace over Alaska and Hawaii.
“SP”: — With modern means of surveillance from space activity can be seen without flights of aircraft under Contract…
— Yes, the Contract makes sure that no large-scale military activity in a particular region, and thus to remove unnecessary concern in a particular dialogue. Aircraft used for flights under the Contract, and the equipment of the aircraft must be certified to actions for the enforcement of the provisions of the Treaty do not lead to violations and the conduct of intelligence activities already. That is, the characteristics of the equipment specially zaglubljajutsja to “small details” from the air were not visible. At the same time, along with a crew of one or another country there are always officers of the army, on which flights they also monitor compliance with the provisions of the Treaty.
That is, the Treaty includes a mechanism for maintaining and increasing trust. However, as the Vienna document 2011 on confidence-building measures and security. According to him, the States parties annually exchange information on military forces and major weapons systems and technology, planning in the field of defense and military budgets. They also conduct inspections on specified areas, visiting military units for evaluation provide information about them. The Vienna document and open skies Treaty was designed in a single system, where all components support each other. But it’s not those checks and restrictions which were stipulated in the Treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe (CFE) of 1990, the implementation of which Russia in 2007 introduced a unilateral moratorium in respect of US actions in Europe and which provided a limit on the number of conventional weapons and military equipment.