The country also
expresses readiness for further dialogue, which is held on "the basis of
mutual respect, and not in the language of ultimatums".
BRUSSELS, May 23.
/TASS/. Russia confirms its intention to implement the Open Skies Treaty, the
fate of which will be decided at a conference of the member-states, the Russian
mission to NATO told TASS on Friday following an emergency meeting of the North
Atlantic Council.
The meeting was
convened to discuss the United States’ unilateral decision to withdraw from the
Open Skies Treaty.
"The Russian
side has reaffirmed its intention to continue implementing the provisions of
the Treaty. We express our readiness for further dialogue, which is held on the
basis of mutual respect, and not in the language of ultimatums - in the
interests of European and international security," the mission said.
"All parties to
the Treaty will have to clearly define their positions and to declare them at a
special conference, the convening of which will be required to assess the
consequences and the order of the further functioning of this important multilateral
regime. The results of that conference will determine the fate of the
Treaty," the mission concluded.
US President Donald
Trump on Thursday declared Washington’s intention to pull out from the Open
Skies Treaty, which enables its signatories to perform inspection flights over
each other’s territories to monitor military activity. In a written statement
US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo explained that the US decision to withdraw
from the agreement would take effect six months after May 22. The United States
claimed that alleged violations of the treaty by Russia were the official
reason. Moscow dismissed these charges.
Source: ITAR-TASS
23-05-2020
