Article XVII. Depositories, Entry Into Force and Accession

2. This Treaty shall enter into force 60 days after the deposit of 20 instruments of ratification, including those of the Depositaries, and of States Parties whose individual allocation of passive quotas as set forth in Annex A is eight or more.

3. This Treaty shall be open for signature by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirgistan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and shall be subject to ratification by them. Any of these States which do not sign this Treaty before it enters into force in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article may accede to it at any time by depositing an instrument of accession with one of the Depositaries.

4. For six months after entry into force of this Treaty, any other State participating in the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe may apply for accession by submitting a written request to one of the Depositaries. The Depositary receiving such a request shall circulate it promptly to all States Parties. The States applying for accession to this Treaty may also, if they so wish, request an allocation of a passive quota and the level of this quota.

The matter shall be considered at the next regular meeting of the Open Skies Consultative Commission and decided in due course.

5. Following six months after entry into force of this Treaty, the Open Skies Consultative Commission may consider the accession to this Treaty of any State which, in the judgement of the Commission, is able and willing to contribute to the objectives of this Treaty.

6. For any State which has not deposited an instrument of ratification by the time of entry into force, but which subsequently ratifies or accedes to this Treaty, this Treaty shall enter into force 60 days after the date of deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession.

7. The Depositaries shall promptly inform all States Parties of:

1. the date of deposit of each instrument of ratification and the date of entry into force of this Treaty;

2. the date of an application for accession, the name of the requesting State and the result of the procedure;

3. the date of deposit of each instrument of accession and the date of entry into force of this Treaty for each State that subsequently accedes to it;

4. the convening of a conference pursuant to Articles XV and XVI;

5. any withdrawal in accordance with Article XV and its effective date;

6. the date of entry into force of any amendments to this Treaty; and

7. any other matters of which the Depositaries are required by this Treaty to inform the States Parties.