OSCE PA Political and Security Affairs Committee Chair issues statement on the Open Skies Treaty

COPENHAGEN, 25 October 2019 – In response to reports that the current U.S. administration is considering withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty, a multilateral agreement establishing a system of unarmed observation flights over the territories of 34 State Parties, Filippo Lombardi, Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Political Affairs and Security, issued the following statement:

“It is with some concern that I have been following the news about a possible U.S. withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty. For many years, this treaty has provided a framework for greater openness and transparency in military activities and has substantially enhanced security through concrete confidence-building measures and co-operation. Not only is the treaty one of the signature achievements of the OSCE, it is indeed one of the most significant accomplishments of the post-Cold War era, providing a strong basis for transparency, accountability and co-operation in military affairs.

“In these times of heightened tensions between East and West, we need more confidence-building and security, not less. I strongly urge the United States to remain a party to the treaty and pursue any grievances it may have through established diplomatic channels, including the Open Skies Consultative Commission at the OSCE.”

In the OSCE PA’s Istanbul Declaration of 2013, the Assembly noted that the Open Skies Treaty is “a unique measure of confidence, openness and transparency.” The 2018 Berlin Declaration highlighted “the substantial contribution of the Open Skies Treaty as a confidence- and security-building measure aimed at promoting transparency, trust and predictability regarding military capabilities.”