USA suspends discretionary application of 2019 U.S-Belarus Air Services Agreement
<p> MINSK, May 31 - PrimePress. The United States will suspend its discretionary application of the 2019 U.S-Belarus Air Services Agreement following the Ryanair incident in Minsk, the White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement on May 29. </p> <p> </p> <p> The Dec. 3, 2019 agreement gives U.S. and Belarusian airlines the right to fly and land in both countries. The agreement was negotiated to promote international aviation, competition among companies, facilitate flights, and increase travel opportunities. By signing the agreement the parties agreed to maintain a high level of safety and security for international air transport and reiterated concerns about threats to aircraft safety. </p> <p> </p> <p> Belarus used a fighter aircraft on May 23 to force down a Ryanair flight on its way from Athens to Vilnius under the guise of a bomb threat, which subsequently proved to be false, and arrested dissident journalist Roman Protasevich, who was listed as a terrorist by the Belarusian authorities and declared wanted by the state. He is charged under three articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus. Under one of the articles, Protasevich is charged with masterminding mass riots. </p> <p> </p> <p> After that, leaders of the EU states initiated a reinforcement of economic sanctions against Belarus and now their decision needs technical approval at the ministerial level. </p> <p> </p> <p> May 26, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recommended European airlines to avoid flying over Belarus, as its airspace is not safe. End </p> <p> </p>
2021-06-01
Primepress
USA suspends discretionary application of 2019 U.S-Belarus Air Services Agreement
MINSK, May 31 - PrimePress. The United States will suspend its discretionary application of the 2019 U.S-Belarus Air Services Agreement following the Ryanair incident in Minsk, the White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement on May 29.
The Dec. 3, 2019 agreement gives U.S. and Belarusian airlines the right to fly and land in both countries. The agreement was negotiated to promote international aviation, competition among companies, facilitate flights, and increase travel opportunities. By signing the agreement the parties agreed to maintain a high level of safety and security for international air transport and reiterated concerns about threats to aircraft safety.
Belarus used a fighter aircraft on May 23 to force down a Ryanair flight on its way from Athens to Vilnius under the guise of a bomb threat, which subsequently proved to be false, and arrested dissident journalist Roman Protasevich, who was listed as a terrorist by the Belarusian authorities and declared wanted by the state. He is charged under three articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus. Under one of the articles, Protasevich is charged with masterminding mass riots.
After that, leaders of the EU states initiated a reinforcement of economic sanctions against Belarus and now their decision needs technical approval at the ministerial level.
May 26, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recommended European airlines to avoid flying over Belarus, as its airspace is not safe. End