China News Service, Moscow, July 4 (Reporter Wang Xiujun) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov told the media in Moscow on the 4th that after the United States withdrew from the "Open Sky Treaty", Russia does not rule out other countries also withdraw from the treaty .
Ryabkov said that although there were several meetings before the United States officially withdrew from the "Open Sky Treaty" on November 22, including the special meeting on the treaty held on July 6 and the example of the treaty held in early October Review meeting, but Russia is convinced that the United States will not change its decision to withdraw from the Open Sky Treaty. It is also incorrect to speculate that Russia will change its own policies for some reason. In recent weeks, the Russian side has publicly stated its policies on many occasions, and Russia’s logic is irrefutable.
Data map: On May 26 local time, one of the two Russian Su-35 fighters flew with the US Navy P-8A anti-submarine Poseidon patrol aircraft. On the 26th local time, the US Navy issued a statement saying that two Russian Su-35 fighters intercepted an American P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft.
Ryabkov said that after the United States withdrew from the "Open Sky Treaty", the Russian side did not want American allies to follow the United States to withdraw from the treaty under American pressure. In fact, there is such a risk. In addition, after the United States withdraws from the treaty, how can we ensure that American allies will not pass over the data collected during the flight over Russian territory to the United States? We need this guarantee.
Ryabkov said that the decision of the United States to withdraw from the treaty has nothing to do with those dissatisfaction with Russia. Americans are fully aware that these dissatisfaction are full of speculation and understand that as long as there is a political resolution, then these dissatisfaction can be resolved in a coordinated manner. All the problems are that the United States is withdrawing from the international arms control agreement step by step and is destroying the structure in this area. Withdrawing from the "Open Sky Treaty" is only one of the major components of the United States' policy, so everything went smoothly, and the United States will no longer be a member of the "Open Sky Treaty" on November 23.
Ryabkov also mentioned that the Open Sky Treaty is one of the pillars of European security. At present, Russia is continuing to conduct an internal analysis of the situation. After the United States withdrew from the "Open Sky Treaty", Russia is considering all action plans, depending on the extent to which other countries are responsible for the fate of the treaty and how they are concerned about the European security situation in their actual actions.
The Open Sky Treaty was signed in 1992 and entered into force in 2002. According to the treaty, a Contracting State may conduct unarmed reconnaissance on the entire territory of other Contracting States to verify the other party’s implementation of international arms control treaties. There are currently 34 parties to the treaty, including Russia and most members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
On May 21 of this year, the United States announced that it would start the steps to withdraw from the Open Sky Treaty on May 22 on the grounds that Russia violated the treaty. The withdrawal step will be completed in six months. In this regard, Russia has stated that the withdrawal of the United States from the "Open Sky Treaty" does not mean the end of the treaty. As long as the "Open Sky Treaty" is in effect, Russia intends to fully abide by the treaty. (Finish)