In a press release, OSCE said the Benelux flight was the 500th to be conducted under the Open Skies Treaty, since it came into force in January 2002.
Hugh Neighbour, chairman of the Vienna-based Open Skies Consultative Commission, said: "This is a remarkable achievement that has depended on the cooperation and goodwill of 34 countries in Europe, Eurasia and North America."
The Open Skies Treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participating countries the possibility to obtain information on military or other activities of concern to them.
The Open Skies flights could and have been used to address threats posed, for example, by natural disasters. All participating countries of the treaty are OSCE member States.



