In case any of you have used up your free articles this month:
Sir, The basic premise of the “Gaping gap’ in Ireland’s airspace defence” article is misleading, as it was over the recent months during which The Irish Times has been trying, with enviable persistence, to push the idea of the Russian air force being a threat to Ireland and international aircraft traffic in the North Atlantic.
Russian military aircraft have been carrying out routine training missions in the region of the North Atlantic for many decades (so do military aircraft of other countries). The flights take place in international airspace.
The aircraft at no point enter the sovereign airspace of Ireland, nor there are any plans to do so.
The issue of air travel safety has always been the top priority for Russia both in civilian and military aviation. The missions we have mentioned are no exception. They are carried out in strict accordance with all International Civil Aviation Organisation rules and regulations.
There is no reason, nor any intent, on the part of Russia to “provoke Ireland”. Both countries enjoy a positive and respectful relationship, which is advancing steadily in many areas. We do appreciate the important voice of Ireland in world affairs as well as its prominent place in the global economy, and we see the clear potential for the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
This time the issue of Russian “air threat” is played up in the context of discussions in Ireland on the future of its Defence Forces – an important and serious issue for any country. One thing we object to is the attempt to create a Russian “connection”. Russia does not and should not have anything to do with Irish defence planning.
One might conclude from the article that there is a different view in the UK political and military establishment, which is not content with ruining its relations with Russia and wants Ireland to follow suit, paying in the process at least part of the bill for British anti-Russian paranoia. – Yours, etc,
YURIY FILATOV,
Ambassador of
the Russian Federation
to Ireland,
Dublin 14.
Russian military aircraft have been carrying out routine training missions in the region of the North Atlantic for many decades (so do military aircraft of other countries). The flights take place in international airspace.
The aircraft at no point enter the sovereign airspace of Ireland, nor there are any plans to do so.
The issue of air travel safety has always been the top priority for Russia both in civilian and military aviation. The missions we have mentioned are no exception. They are carried out in strict accordance with all International Civil Aviation Organisation rules and regulations.
There is no reason, nor any intent, on the part of Russia to “provoke Ireland”. Both countries enjoy a positive and respectful relationship, which is advancing steadily in many areas. We do appreciate the important voice of Ireland in world affairs as well as its prominent place in the global economy, and we see the clear potential for the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
This time the issue of Russian “air threat” is played up in the context of discussions in Ireland on the future of its Defence Forces – an important and serious issue for any country. One thing we object to is the attempt to create a Russian “connection”. Russia does not and should not have anything to do with Irish defence planning.
One might conclude from the article that there is a different view in the UK political and military establishment, which is not content with ruining its relations with Russia and wants Ireland to follow suit, paying in the process at least part of the bill for British anti-Russian paranoia. – Yours, etc,
YURIY FILATOV,
Ambassador of
the Russian Federation
to Ireland,
Dublin 14.
Comment