MOSCOW. Dec 28 (Interfax) - The problem of military aircraft flights over the Baltic region with their transponders switched off, which has been highlighted by NATO, is far-fetched and has emerged through the fault of a member of the alliance, Russian Foreign Ministry European Cooperation Department Director Andrei Kelin said on Wednesday.
"Apparently, there is absolutely no problem with these transponders," Kelin told Interfax in an interview.
"The problem was merely far-fetched. It was an attempt at accusing us of something, alleging that Russian warplanes were flying over the Baltic and scaring civilian aircraft," the high-ranking Russian diplomat said.
"First of all, it appeared that the problem has been resolved within the framework of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) - a concrete route between Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg has been designated and the locations which military planes should fly over with active transponders have been determined," he said.
"The thing is that our planes, which are using this route, are equipped with transponders but they have been inactive because one country has not fulfilled the ICAO instruction. I would not call it by name, but this is a NATO member country," Kelin said.
"In fact, this is it. This is a minor technical problem, which can be resolved with a good will of the country that has frozen the entire thing," the diplomat said.
"It appeared that everything is actually solvable, moreover that on the civilian level. There is no need for any new deals, agreements," Kelin said.
"We believe that the issue should be further considered on the appropriate platform, the ICAO," he said.