Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Latvia And The Government Of The State Of Israel Concerning Cooperation In The Field Of Telecommunications And Posts

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

Desiring to expand, strengthen and promote the relations between their two countries in the field of Telecommunications and Posts, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit;

Have agreed as follows:

Article I

1. The Contracting Parties shall encourage the undertaking of joint projects between their respective ministries of Communications (the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Latvia and the Ministry of Communications of the State of Israel), research institutes and other organisations affiliated with them and shall take steps to establish ongoing technical and scientific cooperation to ensure the improvement and development of new technologies.

2. The cooperative activities envisaged by the Contracting Parties shall include, but are not limited to, the areas set forth in this Agreement.

Article II

1. The Contracting Parties shall promote educational and scientific cooperation in the fields of telecommunications, including exchanges of visiting lecturers, scientists or delegations between academic, scientific and other appropriate institutions, as well as governmental agencies and business firms.

2. Recognising the importance of the telecommunications industry to the national economies of both countries, the Contracting Parties shall explore possible means of promoting greater mutual trade in this field, as well as promoting manufacture under license, investment and joint ventures.

Article III

1. The Contracting Parties shall exchange information and experts relating to the evaluation of their telecommunications regulatory policy and the development of their respective national networks. Particular emphasis shall be given to matters related to the digitalization of the telecommunications networks, including inter alia:

(a) Introduction of ISDN and Intelligent Networks;

(b) Traffic management;

(c) Feeding of radio and television transmitters through microwave radio link systems;

(d) Rural radio;

(e) Radio local loop;

(f) Cable TV and Direct Satellite Broadcasting;

(g) New telecommunications services made possible by the digitalization of the network;

(h) The development of regulations, regulatory policy and the role of communications ministries in service industries, under market conditions;

(i) State financed projects and entrepreneurial initiatives;

(j) Domestic and international satellite communications.

Article IV

1. In the field of postal relations the Contracting Parties shall continue the exchange of information on development trends in postal services, including but not limited to:

(a) Electronic mail, hybrid services and messaging;

(b) Computerization of postal counters and post offices;

(c) Computerized mobile post office;

(d) Optical Character Reader sorting systems;

(e) Management information systems;

(f) Security systems;

(g) Courier services;

(h) Mail distribution centers;

(i) Rural postal development planning;

(j) General postal advisory services;

(k) Philatelic services.

2. The Contracting Parties shall encourage cooperation between the Philatelic Services of their respective countries.

Article V

1. All activities undertaken pursuant to this Agreement will be subject to the respective laws, regulations and budgetary considerations of the Republic of Latvia and the State of Israel.

2. The Contracting Parties undertake to develop their relations on the basis of the UPU Convention, the ITU Convention and Constitution and this Agreement.

3. In case of conflicting obligations, the international commitments of the Contracting Parties in the framework of the UPU and ITU shall have precedence.

Article VI

1. The present Agreement shall be approved or ratified in accordance with the legal procedures of the Contracting Parties.

2. The present Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the latter of the Diplomatic Notes by which the Contracting Parties notify each other that their internal legal procedures of the entering into force of the Agreement have been complied with, and it shall be valid for an indefinite period, unless one of the Contracting Parties notifies the other in writing, six months before the date of expiration, of its intention to terminate the Agreement.

3. At any time, either of the Contracting Parties may suggest to the other Contracting Party any amendment to this Agreement. Direct consultation between the Contracting Parties regarding amendments and addenda shall commence no later than 60 days from the day of transmittal of the written notification to that effect by one of the Contracting Parties.

4. Any amendment to this Agreement made in accordance with Paragraph 3 of this article shall become effective by the same procedure as its entering into force.

Done at Riga on the 14th day of May 1997, which corresponds to the 7th day of Iyar, 5757, in two original copies in the Latvian, Hebrew, and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergency of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.

For the Government of For the Government of

the Republic of Latvia the State of Israel

Vilis Krištopāns Limor Livnat

Minister of Transport Minister of Communication