Transfer Of Open Skies Treaty Data To Non-Parties Must Be Ruled Out - Russia's Grushko

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th May, 2020) The transfer of data received by the countries participating in the Open Skies Treaty to third countries that are not parties to it will be a gross violation of the "letter and spirit" of the treaty, and this must be ruled out, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Sputnik.

"Under the agreement, any state party can request information about the flight, that is, photos [of aerial survey] from another state party. Naturally, this is not provided for third states that are not parties to the agreement," he said.

"Based on the letter and spirit of the treaty, this [data transfer to non-participating states] must be ruled out. Otherwise, this will be a gross violation of the obligations that the participating states took," Grushko emphasized.