OPEN SKY PLAN

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28267, 3 May 1957, Page 9

OPEN SKY PLAN

Criticism In Britain

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, May 2. Russia’s proposed open skies aerial photography plan would mean her planes could have a good look at the whole of America while Western planes could have only half a look at Russia, the “News Chronicle” said today.

The Russian proposal made on Tuesday embraced aerial photography of vast areas of Russian, American and European territory.

The “News Chronicle” said that in Europe, Russia could take aerial pictures from Germany to the extreme southern point in Albania. South-east England would be included in the zone of Russian inspection.

The Russians could photograph all the United States from the Pacific Coast to the Great Lakes as well as Alaska. Many great American cities would be under Russian cameras. The “News Chronicle” said that Western planes would find much of their inspection area as empty as the “open skies.” It would include the Western fringe of Russia and the Eastern half of Siberia.

The Russian plan would be examined by the other atomic Powers—Britain, France, Canada and the United States—at a disarmament sub-committee meeting in London next Monday. It would also be open to inspection by the 15-Power N.A.T.O. council, which is meeting at Bonn today.