The Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Executive Authority of Georgia, the Government of the Republic of Moldova, the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, hereinafter referred to as the Parties,

Proceeding from the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation among their countries and peoples, and underlining their aspiration for further development,

Praising the development of multilateral interaction among GUUAM Participating States,

Reaffirming their adherence to basic norms and principles of international law,

Being deeply concerned with increasing number of emergencies and terrorist acts, including the possibility of use of weapons of mass destruction or their elements that represent a serious threat not only to individuals and States, but also to the whole international community, and recognizing the need for cooperation in the field of prevention of emergencies and elimination of their effects,

Taking into account the benefits for the Parties brought by exchange of scientific and technical information and elaboration of actions during joint training of readiness and reaction to emergencies,

Reaffirming the need for improvement of the mechanism of communication and cooperation among the Parties in the said field at the national and regional levels,

Recognizing that cooperation in the field of prevention of emergencies and elimination of their effects shall represent a weighty contribution to the welfare and security of all States,

Being guided by the provisions of Yalta Charter of GUUAM dated 7 June 2001, as well as by bilateral agreements among the Parties on cooperation in the field of prevention of emergencies and elimination of their effects,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1
Sphere of application

This Agreement shall regulate the conditions and forms of cooperation in the field of prevention of emergencies and elimination of their effects, as well as interaction of the Parties at the international level in the course of emergency reaction.

Article 2
Definitions

The terms used in this Agreement shall have the following meaning:

Cooperation – interaction of the Parties for application of necessary resources for the purpose of joint effective activity in the field of prevention of emergencies and elimination of their effects under immediate control of civil structures;

National Coordination Center – a center that exists, or performs its duties, in the State of each Party for the purposes of coordination of activities on minimization or elimination of effects of emergencies, exchange of information and other activity related to implementation of this Agreement;

Emergency – violation of normal conditions of human life and activity within a certain territory, caused by an accident, catastrophe, emergency or other dangerous phenomenon that led or may lead to human and material losses;

Elimination of effects of emergency – search and rescue and other immediate works carried out in case of emergency, aimed at saving human life and health, minimization of damage to environment and material damages, as well as localization of emergency area.

Article 3
Principles of Corporation

All joint activities under this Agreement shall be carried out in accordance with the legislation of the States of the Parties and universally recognized international norms; they shall also be based on the principles of equality, reciprocity and mutual benefit; they shall be aimed at solution of common problems, improvement of readiness of the Parties to emergency response and rescue operations in case of emergency.

Article 4
Forms of cooperation

  1. The Parties shall develop their cooperation in the aforementioned field in the following directions of common interest:
    1. development of mechanisms and methods of improvement of capabilities of the Parties regarding their readiness to reaction, mitigation and elimination of consequences of natural and man-made emergencies, including:
      • monitoring of dangerous natural and man-made phenomena;
      • mutual informing about threats of emergency, or emergencies of transborder character;
      • forecasting of natural and man-made emergencies; coordination of emergency assistance;
      • assessment of impact of emergencies and reaction required; development of emergency plans;
    2. exchange of specialists and researchers, as well as of information, technologies and assessment methodology;
    3. joint conferences, seminars and practical training, as well as mutual planning, development and implementation of research and development projects;
    4. training of rescue operations and joint training exercises;
    5. creation of databases and other developments related to the subject of this Agreement;
    6. establishment of communication among the Parties; g) implementation of pilot projects;
    7. training and professional development of personnel;
    8. any other form of cooperation, subject to approval by the Competent Authorities of the Parties.
  2. Establishment of mechanisms of operative communication regarding:
    1. information of the Parties about natural and man-made emergencies that took place within the territories of the Parties;
    2. requests and proposals regarding assistance among the Parties;
    3. possible joint reaction to natural and man-made emergencies in third countries.

Article 5
Competent authorities

1. For the purposes of implementation of this Agreement, the Parties shall appoint the following Competent Authorities:
For the Republic of Azerbaijan: State Commission for Emergencies;
For Georgia: Main Department for Emergencies and Civil Defense, Ministry of Internal Affairs;
For the Republic of Moldova: State Department for Emergencies; For the Republic of Uzbekistan: Ministry of Emergencies;
For Ukraine: Ministry for Emergencies and Protection of Population from the Effects of Chernobyl Disaster.
2. The Parties shall inform each other in writing through diplomatic channels on any designation and change of the Competent Authority or the national Coordination Center.

Article 6
Joint Commission

1. In order to develop the strategy, tactic and plans of joint activities within the framework of this Agreement, review and analyze the results of such activities, the Parties shall establish the Joint Commission on Cooperation in Prevention of Emergencies and Elimination of their Effects, hereinafter referred to as the joint Commission.
2. The Competent Authorities of the Parties shall determine the composition and functions of the Joint Commission.
3. The meetings of the joint Commission shall be held in turns in the territories of GUUAM Participating States annually, as a rule; they shall be held as deemed necessary by agreement of the Competent Authorities of the Parties.

Article 7
Coordination Centers

1. The national Coordination Centers of each Party shall perform coordination and facilitate development of cooperation under this Agreement. 2. The Coordination Centers of the Parties shall perform the following tasks:
sending information to GUUAM Participating States, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and NATO Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center about emergency and making requests for the aid necessary;
receipt and processing of humanitarian aid proposals;
performance of domestic procedures, preparation and sending of information to the national Coordination Centers of GUUAM Participating States, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and NATO Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center about readiness of countries to provide humanitarian aid and about adjustment of the list of the required material means and delivery site;
development of domestic procedures, preparation and sending answers about the readiness to provide aid by various means of transport;
organization of receipt of aid, development and conduct of customs and border procedures in accordance with the national legislations of the States of the Parties;
sending information to GUUAM Participating States, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and NATO Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center about arrival of humanitarian aid;
preparation and sending of information to GUUAM Participating States, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and NATO Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center about the end of emergency or terrorist act and of request for aid to affected population;
preparation and sending of information about provision of aid;
other coordination activities related to the subject of this Agreement.

Article 8
Access to territories

In order to conduct joint activities under this Agreement, each Party shall, in accordance with international law and relevant domestic legislation, provide assistance for access to the territories under its jurisdiction, as well as to relevant establishments, organizations and information sources on such acceptable conditions that may be established by such Party.

Article 9
Exchange of information

The information received as a result of activity under this Agreement, except for the information that is not subject to disclosure in accordance with domestic legislations of the States of the Parties, may be accessible to the world community though conventional channels on the basis of the legislations of the States of the Parties, if not agreed otherwise in writing by the Parties.

Article 10
Relation to other international treaties

This Agreement shall be without prejudice to rights and obligations of the Parties arising from other international treaties, parties to which are the States of the Parties.

Article 11
Dispute Settlement

Any disputes regarding interpretation or application of this Agreement shall be settled through negotiations among the Competent Authorities of the Parties; if necessary, they shall be settled through diplomatic channels.

Article 12
Depositary

The Government of Ukraine shall be the Depositary of this Agreement.

Article 13
Amendments and supplements to this Agreement

  1. Amendments and supplements to this Agreement may be introduced by mutual consent of the Parties; they shall be drawn up in the form of Protocols, which shall form inalienable part of this Agreement.
  2. The Protocols shall enter into force in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 14 (1) of this Agreement.

Article 14
Final provisions

  1. This Agreement shall be of indefinite duration; it shall enter into force on the thirtieth day from the date of receipt by the Depositary of this Agreement of the last written notification of completion by the Parties of the domestic procedures required for its entry into force.
  2. Any Party may withdraw from this Agreement by sending through diplomatic channels a written notification of its intention to terminate this Agreement to the Depositary of this Agreement. In such case, this Agreement shall be terminated for such Party in six months from the date of receipt by the Depositary of this Agreement of the written notification of its intention to terminate this Agreement.
  3. The termination of this Agreement, if not agreed otherwise by the Parties, shall not affect the obligations undertaken during the period of validity of this Agreement.

Done at Yalta on July 4, 2003 in a single copy in the English and Russian languages, both texts being equally authentic.