Finland to sign the Open Skies Treaty

Government's Information Unit Press release 304/2001 21 December, 2001


The meeting of the Foreign and Security Policy Committee of the Government and the President of the Republic on Friday, 21 December, dealt with Finland´s accession to the Treaty on Open Skies Treaty on observation flights.

Finland´s application to accede to the Treaty will be presented to the Government on 27 December and to the President of the Republic on 28 December. The decision will have to be ratified by the Parliament.

The Treaty on Open Skies, signed in Helsinki in 1992, will enter internationally into force on 1 January, 2002, and it is part of the web of arms control agreements within the framework of the Organisation on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Treaty allows its signatories the right to make observation flights in the air space of other States parties with unarmed planes that are equipped with strictly defined sensors. Similarly, the States parties have an obligation to allow observation flights as well as transit flights by other parties in their own air space.

The Treaty is an important contribution to military transparency within the OSCE area from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The imagery produced by the implementation of the Treaty plays an important role in arms control, especially in the field of verification. It contributes also to crisis management, conflict prevention and the protection of the environment.

So far Finland participates in the Open Skies acitivities as an observer. Sweden will also accede to the Treaty.

More information: Elina Kalkku, Head of Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 - 9 - 1341 5480, and Pentti Olin, researcher, General Staff, tel. +358 - 9 – 181 23224.










OSCE