Belarus expects the US decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies to be reviewed

Belarus counts on the political wisdom of the American side and a review of the decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies.

Belarus counts on the political wisdom of the American side and a review of the decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies. This is stated in a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the US withdrawal from the Treaty on Open Skies, and reported by BELTA with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"On November 22, the US decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies (TOS) entered into force. The Republic of Belarus received this step by the American side with deep regret," the statement reads. "Developed precisely on the initiative of the US in the early years after the end of the Cold War, the TOS remains one of the most significant and effectively functioning legally binding military-political mechanisms in the space from Vancouver to Vladivostok, which ensures an unprecedented level of transparency and predictability between participating states in the military sphere."

The statement notes that the fourth Review Conference of the Treaty, held on October 7-9 this year, confirmed the demand for the TOS as a unique confidence-building measure and an integral element of the Euro-Atlantic security system.

"The US was one of the key participants in the treaty and made a significant contribution to its successful implementation. Washington's withdrawal from the TOS undermines the viability of the treaty, will lead to a further increase in mistrust and military-political tension," the document states. "Serious damage is being done to the architecture of Euro-Atlantic security and the arms control toolkit."

"We expect that the American leadership will show political wisdom and this decision will be reviewed in the near future. We are convinced that the return of the US to the 'open skies' community will not only strengthen the security of all TOS participating states but also positively affect the restoration of the atmosphere of trust in the Euro-Atlantic space," the statement notes.