The Open Skies Treaty allows Russia and western nations to conduct observation flights
Julian Borger in Washington
Thu 21 May 2020 THE GUARDIAN
Donald Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House on Thursday. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty ImagesThe US has declared its intention to leave the Open Skies Treaty, which is intended to reduce the risk of war by allowing Russia and western nations to conduct observation flights over each other’s territory.
Washington informed the other 33 parties to the treaty of its intention to deliver a formal six-month notice of withdrawal on Friday, accusing Russia of violations.
“I think we have a very good relationship with Russia, but Russia didn’t adhere to the treaty, and so until they adhere to the treaty, we will pull out,” Donald Trump told reporters. He added: “There’s a very good chance we’ll make a new agreement or do something to put that agreement back together.”
In a written statement, the secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the US could reconsider its withdrawal during the six month notice period “should Russia return to full compliance with the Treaty”. Moscow denies being in violation of the agreement.
By starting the six-month notice period now, the administration ensures that - even if Donald Trump loses the election in November – the US will have left the treaty before a Biden administration takes office.
“The timing of the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw is clearly tied to the political calendar,” said Bob Menendez, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “By rushing this abrupt withdrawal, it is clear the Trump Administration is attempting to bind a future administration from participation in this longstanding and valuable treaty for our nation.”
America’s European allies are keen to keep the treaty going. They have benefited from the more than 1,500 overflights carried out under the OST, allowing them to observe Russian military movements, and see it as a remaining element of international cohesion and transparency.
“The writing has been on the wall for a long time,” a European diplomat said, adding it was “still disappointing”.
The OST is the third arms control agreement Trump has left. He took the US out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, and the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty in 2019. There are fears for the future of the last treaty limiting US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons, New Start, which is due to expire in February next year, and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which the US has signed (observing a voluntary moratorium on nuclear tests) but not ratified.
It is unclear how Russia will respond to US withdrawal. They will now be able to fly over US bases in Europe but the US will no longer be allowed to overfly Russia.
Under the 2020 defence spending act, the administration is supposed to explain to Congress how leaving OST serves US security interests and give assurances that Washington has consulted its partners, 120 days before serving formal notice of withdrawal.
“Reckless deal wrecking and the collapse of US leadership continues,” Kingston Rief, director for disarmament and threat reduction policy at the Arms Control Association said.
“The treaty benefits US and European security. Our allies value it and don’t want us to leave. It has been an important tool for responding to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. This is a propaganda coup for Moscow.”
The US has complained about curbs that Moscow has imposed on overflights that have violated the accord. Russia limited the flight time of observation flights over the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and set up an exclusion corridor along the border of the Russian-occupied regions of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Europe must prepare for US exit from vital Russia treaty, former Nato generals warn
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/12/europe-must-prepare-for-us-exit-from-vital-russia-treaty-former-nato-generals-warn
Washington informed the other 33 parties to the treaty of its intention to deliver a formal six-month notice of withdrawal on Friday, accusing Russia of violations.
“I think we have a very good relationship with Russia, but Russia didn’t adhere to the treaty, and so until they adhere to the treaty, we will pull out,” Donald Trump told reporters. He added: “There’s a very good chance we’ll make a new agreement or do something to put that agreement back together.”
In a written statement, the secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the US could reconsider its withdrawal during the six month notice period “should Russia return to full compliance with the Treaty”. Moscow denies being in violation of the agreement.
By starting the six-month notice period now, the administration ensures that - even if Donald Trump loses the election in November – the US will have left the treaty before a Biden administration takes office.
“The timing of the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw is clearly tied to the political calendar,” said Bob Menendez, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “By rushing this abrupt withdrawal, it is clear the Trump Administration is attempting to bind a future administration from participation in this longstanding and valuable treaty for our nation.”
America’s European allies are keen to keep the treaty going. They have benefited from the more than 1,500 overflights carried out under the OST, allowing them to observe Russian military movements, and see it as a remaining element of international cohesion and transparency.
“The writing has been on the wall for a long time,” a European diplomat said, adding it was “still disappointing”.
The OST is the third arms control agreement Trump has left. He took the US out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, and the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty in 2019. There are fears for the future of the last treaty limiting US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons, New Start, which is due to expire in February next year, and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which the US has signed (observing a voluntary moratorium on nuclear tests) but not ratified.
It is unclear how Russia will respond to US withdrawal. They will now be able to fly over US bases in Europe but the US will no longer be allowed to overfly Russia.
Under the 2020 defence spending act, the administration is supposed to explain to Congress how leaving OST serves US security interests and give assurances that Washington has consulted its partners, 120 days before serving formal notice of withdrawal.
“Reckless deal wrecking and the collapse of US leadership continues,” Kingston Rief, director for disarmament and threat reduction policy at the Arms Control Association said.
“The treaty benefits US and European security. Our allies value it and don’t want us to leave. It has been an important tool for responding to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. This is a propaganda coup for Moscow.”
The US has complained about curbs that Moscow has imposed on overflights that have violated the accord. Russia limited the flight time of observation flights over the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and set up an exclusion corridor along the border of the Russian-occupied regions of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Europe must prepare for US exit from vital Russia treaty, former Nato generals warn
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/12/europe-must-prepare-for-us-exit-from-vital-russia-treaty-former-nato-generals-warn
“Realize the Russians were cheating,” Tim Morrison, who was briefly the top arms control official in the Trump White House, said on Twitter. “They were misusing the treaty against the US – as senior military and civilian leaders warned. Withdrawing denies Putin a collection tool – this is not a win for him.”
Russia’s foreign ministry rejected allegations of infringements as “groundless” on Thursday and said Moscow had an “alternate plan” in the event of US withdrawal, but did not provide details.
None of the other parties believed that the Russian infringements were enough to jeopardise the treaty.
US partners were informed of the decision on Thursday with calls from the national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, the defence secretary, Mark Esper and the Pentagon’s acting undersecretary for policy, James Anderson.
“This is insane,” was the immediate tweeted reaction from Michael Hayden, a former CIA director.
In a joint statement earlier this month, a group of 16 retired military commanders and defence ministers said: “Throughout its operation, the treaty has increased military transparency and predictability, helped build trust and confidence, and enhanced mutual understanding.”
On Thursday, German foreign minister Heiko Maas called on the US to “reconsider”.
“I deeply regret the announcement,” Maas said, adding that “we will work with our partners to urge the US to consider its decision”.
He also said that Germany - along with France, Poland and Britain - had repeatedly explained to Washington that the difficulties on the Russian side in recent years “did not justify” pulling out.
Russia’s foreign ministry rejected allegations of infringements as “groundless” on Thursday and said Moscow had an “alternate plan” in the event of US withdrawal, but did not provide details.
None of the other parties believed that the Russian infringements were enough to jeopardise the treaty.
US partners were informed of the decision on Thursday with calls from the national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, the defence secretary, Mark Esper and the Pentagon’s acting undersecretary for policy, James Anderson.
“This is insane,” was the immediate tweeted reaction from Michael Hayden, a former CIA director.
In a joint statement earlier this month, a group of 16 retired military commanders and defence ministers said: “Throughout its operation, the treaty has increased military transparency and predictability, helped build trust and confidence, and enhanced mutual understanding.”
On Thursday, German foreign minister Heiko Maas called on the US to “reconsider”.
“I deeply regret the announcement,” Maas said, adding that “we will work with our partners to urge the US to consider its decision”.
He also said that Germany - along with France, Poland and Britain - had repeatedly explained to Washington that the difficulties on the Russian side in recent years “did not justify” pulling out.
U.S. pulls out of Open Skies treaty, Trump's latest treaty withdrawal
Steve Holland, Jonathan Landay
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it will withdraw from the 35-nation Open Skies treaty allowing unarmed surveillance flights over member countries, the Trump administration’s latest move to pull the country out of a major global treaty.
The administration said Russia has repeatedly violated the pact’s terms. Senior officials said the pullout will formally take place in six months, but President Donald Trump held out the possibility that Russia could come into compliance.
“I think we have a very good relationship with Russia. But Russia didn’t adhere to the treaty. So until they adhere, we will pull out,” Trump told reporters.RELATED COVERAGE
Russia says U.S. withdrawal from Open Skies treaty will affect all members: RIA
His decision deepens doubts about whether Washington will seek to extend the 2010 New START accord, which imposes the last remaining limits on U.S. and Russian deployments of strategic nuclear arms to no more than 1,550 each. It expires in February.
Trump has repeatedly called for China to join the United States and Russia in talks on an arms control accord to replace New START. China, estimated to have about 300 nuclear weapons, has repeatedly rejected Trump’s proposal.
NATO allies and other countries like Ukraine had pressed Washington not to leave the Open Skies Treaty, whose unarmed overflights are aimed at bolstering confidence and providing members forewarning of surprise military attacks.
In Moscow, RIA state news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko as saying that Russia has not violated the treaty and nothing prevents the continuation of talks on technical issues that Washington calls violations.
The Open Skies decision followed a six-month review in which officials found multiple instances of Russian refusal to comply with the treaty.
Last year, the administration pulled the United States out of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia.
A senior administration said U.S. officials had begun talks in recent days with Russian officials about a new round of nuclear arms negotiations to “begin crafting the next generation of nuclear arms control measures.”
Trump’s arms control negotiator mounted a full-blown defense of the administration’s arms control policies, focusing on the president’s proposal that China join the United States and Russia on a replacement for New START.
“We know how to win these races and we know how to spend the adversary into oblivion. If we have to, we will, but we sure would like to avoid it,” Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea told the Hudson Institute think tank.
The Open Skies treaty, proposed by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in 1955, was signed in 1992 and took effect in 2002. The idea is to let member nations make surveillance flights over each other’s countries to build trust.
The officials cited a years-long effort by Russia to violate the terms, such as by restricting U.S. overflights of Russia’s neighbor Georgia and the Russian military enclave in Kaliningrad on the Baltic coast.
In addition, they said Russia has been using its own overflights of American and European territory to identify critical U.S. infrastructure for potential attack in time of war.
Some experts worry that a U.S. exit from the treaty, which will halt Russian overflights of the United States, could prompt Moscow’s withdrawal, which would end overflights of Russia by the remaining members, weakening European security at a time that Russian-backed separatists are holding parts of Ukraine and Georgia.
Trump’s decision to leave the treaty is “premature and irresponsible,” said Daryl Kimball, head of the Washington-based Arms Control Association.
Reporting By Steve Holland and Jonathan Landay; additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and Arshad Mohammed in Washington and Andrey Ostroukh in Moscow; editing by David Gregorio and Steve Orlofsky
https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2020/05/trump-to-pull-u.html
https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2020/05/trump-to-pull-u.html
TRUMP IS DOING PUTIN'S BIDDING BY WITHDRAWING FROM THESE NUCLEAR DETERRENT AGREEMENTS
PUTIN AND RUSSIA HATE (ALL VIOLATIONS ARE RECENT UNDER PUTIN)
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