MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted to parliament for ratification on Monday an agreement on air-defense procedures to counter plane hijackings for the forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a loose association of fomer-Soviet republics, the Kremlin website reported.
The agreement, signed on September 3, 2011 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, aims to ensure the safe use of airspace and counter-terrorism, and sets out rules and procedures for CIS-nation air defense forces and state security agencies in the event of an airplane hijacking.
It also specifies procedures for use of warplanes and ground based air-defense systems to eliminate the threat of a terrorist act in the air.
Russia has long been leading efforts to build a joint air defense shield for the CIS. An integrated air defense network was set up by 10 CIS-member countries in 1995 and currently comprises air defense units and elements from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
