Open Skies Treaty Osce
To the treaty on open skies the open skies consultative commission taking into account the considerable changes affecting the implementation of the treaty on open skies especially its entry into force on 1 january 2002 and the experience gained since taking into account the information provided by the osce secretariat annexed to this decision.
Open skies treaty osce. The principles of military transparency embodied by the treaty flow from the same fundamental commitments that led to the creation of today s organization for security and cooperation in europe osce. The treaty on open skies was signed in march 1992 in helsinki by 23 member nations of the organization for security and cooperation in europe osce. The treaty on open skies establishes a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the territories of its signatories. The open skies treaty signed in march 1992 in helsinki finland promotes openness and transparency in military activities through reciprocal unarmed observation flights.
The open skies consultative commission which oversees implementation of the treaty meets monthly at osce headquarters in vienna austria. The main purposes of the open skies regime. The oscc is in charge of the questions related to compliance with the treaty and seeks to resolve ambiguities and differences of interpretation should they occur consider applications for accession to the treaty and take care of technical and administrative measures. The treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants regardless of size a direct role in gathering information through aerial imaging on military forces and activities of concern to them.
The open skies consultative commission oscc is the implementing body for the open skies treaty. On board a turkish casa cn 235 aircraft flying under the open skies treaty 23 february 2004. The treaty gives each signatory the right to gather information about the military forces and activities of other signatories. The treaty established a regime of unarmed observation flights over the territories of state parties.
It specifies inter alia quotas for observation flights the notification of points of entry the technical details and inspection for sensors. The oscc meets at the headquarters of the organization for security and co operation in europe osce in vienna austria. It consists of representatives from each of the 34 states parties to the open skies treaty.