Turkey prevented a Russian reconnaissance Antonov An-30B (codenamed NATO Clank) to perform the flight provided for by the treaty Open Skies in its own airspace. The ban would have taken place after Ankara discovered the route that the Russian reconnaissance aircraft should have followed: it would have included areas near the Syrian border as well as flying over air bases where NATO jets are concentrated. This was declared by Sergey Ryzhkov, head of the Department of the Russian Defense Ministry for monitoring the implementation of the treaties. The turboprop of the VVS (the Air Force of the Federation) was supposed to carry out its surveys between 2 and 5 February.
The treaty Open Skies (http://goo.gl/tvoDFN) was signed in 1992 by 34 states: Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, Great Britain and the United States of America.
It provides that a "disarmed, fixed-wing observation aircraft designated to perform observation flights and registered by the competent authorities of a State Party and equipped with agreed sensors can perform a detection and photogrammetry flight in the airspace of a member country on a previously communicated in order to promote greater openness and transparency in their military activities and to enhance security through measures aimed at strengthening confidence and security ".
The alleged violations of Turkish airspace by Russian jets along the Syrian border (the latest relief was a few days ago and concerns a Su-34 which took off from the Hmeymim base, near Latakia) could be the cause of the capture of position of the Ankara government despite Turkey being a signatory to the treaty. Since Russia intervened in support of Assad in the Syrian crisis there have been several long-distance duels between VVS fighters (but also of other military aviation) and Turks: the most serious ended with the killing of the Russian Su-24 by of a Turkish Air Force F-16 last November 24 (see deepening). This umpteenth case only aggravates the already tense relations between the two countries and would reveal Turkey's intention to hide what is happening along its borders with Syria.
