Provisions
The Treaty is a complex instrument which establishes a regime for the conduct of observation flights over the territories of States-Parties to the Treaty, and regulates the technicalities, including, inter alia, the quotas for observation flights, based upon reciprocity between the States-Parties or groups of States-Parties; the notification of points of entry for observation flights for each State; the technical details for sensors (photo and video cameras, infra-red line scanning devices, and radar equipment) used for the purposes of conducting observation flights as well as their inspection by the State concerned; the designation and use of personnel and aircraft for observation flight, and the conduct during observation, including provisions to prohibit flights, or to change mission plans, or for emergency situations.The Treaty further established the Open Skies Consultative Commission (OSCC) in Vienna as a body representing all States Parties to the Treaty, for further consultations, clarification of issues, and the proposal of amendments to the Treaty.
Status
The idea for Open Skies dates back to a proposal made by then US President Eisenhower in 1955. It envisages a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the territory of States-Parties to promote confidence, predictability, and stability. The conference process started with a Canadian-Hungarian initiative which led to a first meeting on 12 February, 1990. Further negotiations took place in Vienna supported by the CSCE Conference Services with the participation of the member States of NATO and the then Warsaw Treaty Organisation (WTO), and resulted in the Open Skies Treaty, signed 24 March 1992.On 1 January 2002, the Open Skies treaty entered into force. With Russia and Belarus ratifying the treaty last year, the final instruments for its entry into force were put in place. Even though this treaty was primarily designed for the Cold War security environment, The State Department in its statement about the entry into force added that the Treat would be a "useful element of the European security framework."
Texts
Primary documents, including treaty text and associated memoranda, statements and other related material.News
Chronological archive of news reports, commentary analysis and other related material.Related Web Sites
- Treaty on Open Skies @ the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
- Open Skies Treaty @ Naval Treaty Implementation Homepage