About the Author: Diana Marvin serves as a Senior Advisor in the Office of Euro-Atlantic Security in the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.

On March 24, the United States commemorated the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Open Skies, and the role it has played in providing peace and stability for Euro-Atlantic relations. On March 27, Acting Under Secretary Rose Gottemoeller spoke at a special reception in Vienna, Austria, hosted by the governments of Canada and Hungary, to mark this occasion. In her remarks, Gottemoeller emphasized, “While much has been accomplished under the Treaty, its potential, in our view, has not yet been fully tapped. Parties need to upgrade to digital sensors as soon as possible, and application of the results should be used to address a wider range of transnational threats and verification challenges.”

In a nutshell, the Treaty gives each State Party the opportunity to conduct unarmed aerial observation… more »