U.S. pulls out of international open skies treaty

By Jay Jackson, Illinois Intelligencer
23 Nov 2020, 18:32 GMT+10

The United States is no longer a party to the Open Skies Treaty.
Outgoing President Donald Trump made the decision six months ago and gave six months notice.
"The United States is no longer a State Party to the Treaty on Open Skies."

WASHINGTON, DC - The United States is no longer a party to the Open Skies Treaty. The U.S, formerly left the treaty on Sunday, abandoning 33 other countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia, Turkey, and many European countries including France, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Norway, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Finland, and Sweden.

Outgoing President Donald Trump made the decision six months ago claiming Russia was not adhering to the treaty's terms, and gave formal notice. The formal withdrawal occurred on Sunday.

"On May 22, 2020, the United States exercised its right pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article XV of the Treaty on Open Skies by providing notice to the Treaty Depositaries and to all States Parties of its decision to withdraw from the Treaty, effective six months from the notification date. Six months having elapsed, the U.S. withdrawal took effect on November 22, 2020, and the United States is no longer a State Party to the Treaty on Open Skies," the U.S. State Department said in a statement released on Sunday.

"Six months having elapsed, the US withdrawal took effect on November 22, 2020, and the United States is no longer a State Party to the Treaty on Open Skies," the statement added.

The treaty, which came into effect on 1 January 2002, enables nations to fly over each other's territory on military reconnaissance flights.

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