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Countries need to make stronger commitments to defending civil aircraft — ICAO

The International Civil Aviation Authority also added that the "risk of weapons targeting civilian planes grows worldwide"

WASHINGTON, September 3. /TASS/. The International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) said that all its member countries need to make stronger commitments to protecting civil aircraft from risks created by armed conflicts.

"ICAO is reiterating its calls for stronger commitments from all Member States to protect civilian aircraft from all risks arising from conflict zones," the organization said in a statement.

It added that the "risk of weapons targeting civilian planes grows worldwide."

Earlier, TASS requested ICAO to assess Ukraine’s "warning" to air carriers that flying over Russia was unsafe. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that threats against civil aviation are "a bid for state terrorism," and stressed that Moscow does not negotiate with terrorists: "I would like to point out that they are asking us to resume talks and are asking for personal meetings. Terrorists are not negotiated with." In turn, Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin said that Russia "will not allow significant disruptions" to civil aviation operations.