President trump has a fresh approach to the information agenda: diluted coronavirus theme issues of arms control. Or rather, scrapping the existing system of arms control. Following the withdrawal from the Treaty on intermediate-range and shorter-range U.S. out of the Treaty on open skies.
the So-called agreement concluded in the period of détente. Its members are several dozen countries. According to him, the country could dispel all their fears in relation to the military preparations of its neighbors, perform an observation flight on a specially equipped aircraft over foreign territory. Per year performed several dozen such flights.
All the rules, on the approved quotas. We, for example, one flight over the United States, the Americans – one flight over Russia. Warned about flying in a few days.
it is a reasonable mechanism to build confidence and reduce tensions. And here he is the US President than Trump is not pleased. As usual, blame the Russian Federation. She supposedly does not fulfill the Contract. Is it really so? “MK” asked about it ex-the head of the International Treaty Directorate of the Main Directorate of international military cooperation of the defense Ministry, Lieutenant-General reserve Evgeny Buzhinsky.
Evgeny Petrovich, how justified are the accusations against Russia from the United States in compliance with the Treaty on open skies?
-first, I want to say that this step trump was expected. With regard to the claims. There were a number of objective questions. For example, we limit the distance of flights over the Kaliningrad region. It is not a violation of the Treaty, but rather ambiguous. But the United States, in turn, is also restricted our flights over Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, Hawaii. Moreover, according to our expert assessment, we are closed, relatively speaking, 20% of the territory of the Kaliningrad region, and they want us to shut down 90% of Alaska, Aleutian Islands, almost all of Hawaii.
They banned our crews to spend the night at a number of airfields, which forced us to carry across the Atlantic two of the crew. Pilots are worked to the limit given the distance. We Americans expressed our concerns because they effectively created a threat to flight safety.
Another controversial issue – the American observers could not fly over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Because the Contract States: to conduct observation flights can only countries parties to the Treaty. The United States consider it Georgian territory, and we recognized the republics as independent States.
But still, all these issues were solved. We proposed interchange.
But the United States simply seized the moment and, given the General philosophy aimed at the destruction of the control system nhell weapons, I decided just to get out of another contract.
-the United States in a situation of open skies Treaty trumps more than we do? I mean that they have the possibility of space exploration is much higher. Roughly speaking, they have 100 companions-scouts, and we have 10. That is, they will get information.
-with regard to national technical means of intelligence, that is, observation satellites, we are in a more favourable position compared to them. Our territory, especially the Central European part is covered by clouds 300 days a year. So much it’s impossible to see from space.
they don’t Have it. We see more of their territory from space than they do ours. So here they are playing a bit against myself.
But the US probably will be able to obtain the necessary information from its Junior European partners that the Contract will remain?
-with regard to this channel of information, then Yes, it is our legitimate concern. Given the fact that in NATO there is no single verification center, the organized exchange of information, the United States will be required to obtain information from its allies. Nobody will argue that this will not happen. No matter what anyone said.
beneficial for Russia to withdraw from the Treaty in response to the decision of the United States?
-No, I think that politically is not profitable. Maybe from a military point of view, and it would be possible. But politically is completely losing. Because the act in company with the Americans as the destroyer of the system of arms control is counter-productive.
unlike the Americans, we’re not yet out. Since the ABM Treaty, the Treaty on intermediate-range and shorter-range. We are only in the Treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe – CFE Treaty – has suspended its activities. And that, for objective reasons, because the partners of 9 years could not ratify the agreement on the CFE Treaty.
