The Governments of the Participating States of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development – GUAM – the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, hereinafter referred as the Parties,

Being guided by the Agreement on Cooperation among the Governments of GUUAM Participating States in the Field of Combat against Terrorism, Organized Crime and Other Dangerous Types of Crimes of the 20 July 2002 (hereinafter referred as the Agreement of 2002), as well as the documents approved by the Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of GUUAM on 28 June 2004 in Istanbul,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

The exchange of information with classified level of restricted access not higher than “Secret” shall be conducted within the communication subsystem of the GUAM Interstate Information Management System (hereinafter referred as IIMS) in accordance with the norms of the national legislation of each Party.

Article 2

The protection of information within the national segments of GUAM IIMS shall be provided in accordance with the established requirements and with the use of means of protection of information, which are authorized (cleared to exploit, or certified) by the Parties.

Article 3

The protection of information within the interstate channels of communications among the national segments of GUAM IIMS shall be provided in four stages:

  1. By using an open program module of cryptographic protection of information (taking into account the national requirements to the exploitation of program systems of protection of information without the right to transfer information with classified level “For Official Use Only (Restricted)” and higher levels).
  2. By using the means of cryptographic protection of information with classified level of restricted access “For Official Use Only (Restricted)” developed and authorized (cleared to exploit, or certified) in one of the GUAM Participating States, which shall bear responsibility for securing information exchange through the channels of GUAM IIMS.
  3. By using the means of cryptographic protection of information with classified level of restricted access “Secret” developed and authorized (cleared to exploit, or certified) in one of the GUAM Participating States, which shall bear responsibility for securing information exchange through the channels of GUAM IIMS.
  4. By using the means of cryptographic protection of information authorized (cleared to exploit, or certified) in all Participating States of GUAM.

Article 4

  1. The present Protocol shall constitute an integral part of the Agreement of 2002 and shall enter into force and terminate its effect under conditions provided by this Agreement.
  2. Each of the GUAM Participating States may withdraw from the present Protocol in accordance with the procedure envisaged by the Agreement of 2002.
  3. The Depositary of the present Protocol shall be the Depositary of the Agreement of 2002.

Article 5

Any disputes related to the interpretation or application of the present Protocol shall be settled in accordance with the procedure envisaged by the Agreement of 2002.

Done in Helsinki on 4 December 2008 in a single original copy in the English and Russian languages, both texts being equally authentic.