US urged to keep cooperating with Russia on reconnaissance treaty

The United States should continue to cooperate with Russia and carry on allowing reconnaissance flights over its territory, or risk a future misunderstanding that could lead to war, a group of retired NATO generals and defense officials have said.

The warning follows reports that Mark Esper, the US defense secretary, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are eager to withdraw from a 1992 treaty that allows unarmed mutual reconnaissance flights.

The Open Skies Treaty is aimed at reducing tension between nations by encouraging transparency and an oversight of facilities that supporters believe limits the arms race.

The European Leadership Network, a London-based pan-European think tank that focuses on European defense and security issues, released the joint statement from 16 retired military commanders and defense ministers on Tuesday that says the treaty has helped ensure stability among nuclear powers.

"With 34 states parties, including the United States, Russia, and most European countries, the multilateral accord has facilitated 1,517 short-notice and unarmed overflights," the statement says. "Throughout its operation, the treaty has increased military transparency and predictability, helped build trust and confidence, and enhanced mutual understanding."

The statement adds that a US withdrawal would mean Washington losing the right to fly over Russia, but it says Russia would still have the right to fly over US military facilities in Europe, leaving the US a net loser in terms of intelligence.

But the statement says the major loser would be the continent of Europe because "the intelligence and confidence-building advantages" of the treaty are particularly useful for European nations because they have few spy satellites and rely on the flights.

The document says European nations have conducted 55 percent of the flights allowed by the treaty, more than the US and Russia combined.

The statement, which was signed by General David Richards, the United Kingdom's former chief of defence staff, and General Klaus Naumann, a former chief of staff of Germany's armed forces, urges Russia to stop pushing the limits of what is allowed under the treaty. It says Russian incursions are a major reason why the US is considering withdrawing.

The signatories urge all remaining nations to get around the table in the event of a US withdrawal, so they can discuss how they might continue to cooperate.

They say new cooperation would likely include limitations on what information gleaned from the flights could be passed from NATO member nations on to Washington.

Andreas Persbo, the think tank's research director, told the Guardian newspaper European nations must plan for a new kind of treaty.

"It's important for Western European governments, to be prepared for this," he said. "For them, this treaty has some value, and it would be in their interest to continue flying over Russia, and Russia would like to continue to overfly Western Europe. The question is, can that be maintained without Russia exacting too heavy a price from Western governments?"