Turkish Inspectors Set for Surveillance Flight over Russia

MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti)

Inspectors from Turkey and Norway will conduct an inspection flight over Russia under the Open Skies Treaty, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

“In the period from October 1 to 5, 2012, a joint group of Turkish and Norwegian inspectors will conduct a surveillance flight on board a CN-235 surveillance aircraft over the territory of the Russian Federation under the international Treaty on Open Skies,” a ministry spokesman said.

He added that the flight will take place along the route coordinated earlier with Russian specialists, who will be on board the aircraft monitoring implementation of agreements on the use of technical equipment for the observation.

The Open Skies Treaty, signed in 1992 on an initiative of U.S. President George H.W. Bush, established a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the territories of its member states to promote openness and transparency of military forces and activities.

The treaty entered into force on January 1, 2002 and its regime covers the national territories (land, islands, internal and territorial waters) of all 34 treaty signatory states. It is an important element of the European security structure.