MOSCOW, August 11 (RIA Novosti) - Delegations from Finland and Norway will conduct an observation flight over Russia under the Treaty on Open Skies, Sergei Ryzhkov, the head of the Russian National Center for Reducing Nuclear Threat, said Monday.
“From August 11 to 15 under the Treaty on Open Skies a joint delegation of Norway and Finland will be conducting an observation flight over the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said.
The Russian specialists on board will ensure the compliance with the agreed terms of flight and monitor the use of the surveillance equipment.
While the Finnish-Norwegian delegation carries out a flight over Russia, the Russian delegation will be flying over the territory of the UK. For Russia it will be the 24th observation flight under the Treaty on Open Skies this year.
The Treaty on Open Skies was signed on March 24, 1992, in Helsinki and currently applies to 34 countries. It entered into force 10 years later in 2002. The treaty establishes a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the entire territory of its participants. The treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants a direct role in gathering information about areas of concern to them.
