Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the State of Israel on Co-operation in the Field of Tourism

The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the State of Israel, hereinafter referred to as the "Parties",

Recognising their mutual interest to establish tight and long-term co-operation in the field of tourism,

Desiring to develop relations in this field between both countries as well as their national tourist organisations,

Have agreed on the following:

Article 1

The Parties shall encourage the extension of the tourist traffic between the Republic of Latvia and the State of Israel for the purpose of improving the mutual respect and knowledge of life, history and culture of their nations.

The co-operation under the present Agreement shall be carried out in accordance with the laws and regulations that are in effect in the two countries, respectively, and the provisions of this Agreement.

Article 2

The Parties shall favour the development of closer co-operation between their tourism authorities and tourist organisations as well as between other organisations participating in the development of international and domestic tourism.

Article 3

The Parties shall facilitate the exchange of tourist information, namely printed materials, films and advertising campaigns and arrangement of activities regarding tourism, namely conferences, seminars, exhibitions and trade fairs.

For this purpose, each Party may establish an information centre or appoint representative of its state tourist authority in the territory of the other Party.

Article 4

The Parties shall encourage the development of co-operation, both by public and by private organisations in education, training and exchange of experts, personnel and students in the tourist sector.

The Parties shall endeavour both public and private organisations, to carry out different tourist development studies and projects.

Article 5

The Parties shall exchange, through their state tourist authorities, information regarding their legislation, experience and data, as well as regarding their activities in international tourism organisations.

Article 6

The Parties shall, within their participation in the work of international tourism organisations, co-operate through, inter alia, the exchange of views and information, and when agreed, through mutual support, while participating in conferences and fora of those organisations.

Article 7

To enhance the implementation of this Agreement, the Parties shall establish a Joint Tourism Committee.

The Joint Committee shall consist of equal number of representatives of each country, including tourism officials.

The Joint Committee shall be responsible for formulating joint proposals and working programme, which shall, inter alia, specify the terms and the conditions for the co-operation, and for supervising their implementation.

The Committee shall meet, as necessary, alternately in Riga and in Jerusalem. Both Parties shall mutually determine, through the diplomatic channels, the date and the administrative aspects of each meeting.

Article 8

The implementing authorities for the purpose of the present Agreement shall be:

on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Latvia, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development,

on behalf of the Government of the State of Israel, the Ministry of Tourism.

Article 9

Each Party shall bear its own costs resulting from co-operation and activities undertaken pursuant to the present Agreement unless otherwise mutually agreed upon in writing.

Article 10

The Parties shall resolve any dispute arising from the interpretation and application of this Agreement through negotiations and consultations between the implementing authorities. If this does not lead to a solution, the dispute shall be resolved through the diplomatic channels.

Article 11

This Agreement does not affect the rights and obligations of each Party resulting from prior bilateral and multilateral international Agreements with third states and international organisations, to which it is a party.

Article 12

The present Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the latter of the diplomatic Notes by which the Parties inform each other that their internal legal requirements for the entering into force of the Agreement have been complied with.

This Agreement shall be valid for a period of five (5) years and shall be automatically extended for further additional periods of five (5) years each unless terminated by either Party, notifying the other Party by a diplomatic Note of its intention to terminate the Agreement, not later six (6) months prior to the expiry of the relevant period.

Termination of the present Agreement shall not affect the implementation of programmes and projects, which have already concluded between the Parties during the Period of its validity, but which have not been fully implemented or fully executed at the time of its expiry, unless otherwise agreed upon by the Parties, in writing.

The Agreement may be modified by mutual consent of the Parties. Any modification of the Agreement shall follow the same procedure as its entering into force.

DONE in Riga on the 6 day of December, 2001, which corresponds to the 21 day of Kislev, 5762, in two original copies each in Latvian, Hebrew and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence of interpretation the English text shall prevail.