Kazakhstan Clears The Sky For Turkish Military Transit

Kazakhstan has approved the transit of Turkish military cargo and personnel through its airspace, Orda.kz reports.

The relevant law was approved at a plenary session of the Mazhilis. Deputy Defense Minister Askar Mustabekov said Turkish military aircraft and cargo would be allowed to cross Kazakhstan’s airspace only with prior authorization.

According to him, transit may be carried out either under an annual permit or a one-time permit for a specific flight.

Transit is carried out on the basis of an annual or one-time permit. At the same time, each state retains the right to reject the request, suspend or cancel the validity of the issued permit.Mustabekov said.

He added that Kazakhstan reserves the right to stop any military transit at any time if it considers it unsafe. Before granting permission, the authorities will check the type of aircraft, the cargo being transported, its tonnage, and the number of personnel on board.

The type of aircraft, the cargo transported, the tonnage, the number of personnel are indicated, the relevant state bodies determine whether the transit meets the requirements.he said. 

At the same time, deputies questioned why the document does not clearly spell out the deadlines for refusing transit requests.

In his report, Mustabekov used the phrase “as soon as possible” when referring to a refusal. He later explained that although there is no fixed deadline, the state must respond as quickly as possible.

He also stressed that the agreement would not require additional budget spending. At the same time, he said it expands Kazakhstan’s ability to participate in international operations, including peacekeeping missions.

Original author: Alina Elgeldina

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