Norway and Denmark conducting observation flights over Belarus and Russia

June 28, 2005

In accordance with the Treaty on Open Skies, Norway and Denmark started conducting observation flights over Belarus and Russia yesterday. These flights are expected to last until July 1, with seven Belarusian and two Russian inspectors monitoring foreign planes.

The treaty establishes a program of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its 34 state 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. Russia and Belarus signed the treaty in 1992 in Helsinki.

According to the spokesman of Belarusian Ministry of Defense, Russia and Belarus have finished their analogous flight over the USA on June 25.