Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Estonia, The Government Of The Republic Of Latvia And The Government Of The Republic Of Lithuania Concerning The Baltic Defence College

The Government of the Republic of Estonia, the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, hereinafter referred to as the Parties,

Realising the need to enhance senior staff officers training in the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania;

Considering that a joint educational institution for senior staff officers training will increase and strengthen the co-operation and understanding between the armed forces of the Parties;

Noting that other States have indicated their willingness to support the establishment and initial operation of such a joint educational institution;

Have agreed as follows:

Article I

1. The Parties agree to establish a joint educational institution - the Baltic Defence College.

2. The Baltic Defence College shall be situated in the Republic of Estonia. The status of the Baltic Defence College and its personnel, including students, shall be subject to separate arrangements.

3. The main objective of the Baltic Defence College shall be to establish and continuously improve the training and development of senior staff officers of the armed forces and, if so agreed, civil servants of the Parties.

4. The working language of the Baltic Defence College shall be English.

5. Activities and courses conducted by the Baltic Defence College, as their primary role, shall

a) take account of the general political and geographical conditions of the Parties,

b) reflect national defence tasks of the armed forces of the Parties,

c) mirror defence concepts of the Parties,

d) to the extent possible integrate NATO principles and procedures in order to prepare the Parties for NATO membership,

e) deepen the knowledge of the role and tasks of the international organisations involved in European security.

6. The first Baltic Defence College courses shall start in August 1999.

Article II

1. The Baltic Defence College shall have its own budget.

2. The Baltic Defence College shall have its own seal and emblem.

Article III

1. Training and other activities of the Baltic Defence College shall be conducted in accordance with an Annual Plan of Activities, to be agreed between the Parties in accordance with Article VI, paragraph b, of this Agreement.

2. The Parties agree to provide support when hosting agreed activities connected to the Baltic Defence College. The terms on which support shall be rendered, shall be laid down in administrative arrangements, concluded in accordance with Article VI, paragraph b, of this Agreement.

Article IV

1. The Baltic Defence College shall be headed by a Commandant. The procedures for appointment and rotation period shall be laid down in administrative arrangements, concluded in accordance with Article VI, paragraph b, of this Agreement.

2. Appointment of the Commandant of the Baltic Defence College, being a national responsibility, shall prior to the appointment be submitted to national approval of the authorities of the Parties.

3. The selection, preparation and timely placement and replacement of their staff members and students at the Baltic Defence College shall be a national responsibility of the Parties and shall be carried out in accordance with the legislation and procedures of the Parties.

Article V

1. While in the territory of any of the Parties due to activities connected to the Baltic Defence College, the Parties agree that the Agreement among the States Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and the other States participating in the Partnership for Peace regarding the status of their Forces, hereinafter referred to as the PfP SOFA, shall govern the relationship between the Parties as for status of their forces.

2. Unless otherwise agreed and subject to separate arrangements, the Parties agree to facilitate the application of the PfP SOFA to personnel of States not Parties to this Agreement but parties to the PfP SOFA, when present in the territory of any of the Parties to this Agreement due to activities connected to the Baltic Defence College.

Article VI

1. Within the scope of this Agreement, the Parties authorise their Ministers of Defence,

(a) to set up an organisational structure for the co-ordination of efforts, operation and administration of the Baltic Defence College;

(b) except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, to conclude necessary administrative arrangements and establish procedures for the purpose of the co-operation in, and the operation, funding and administration of the Baltic Defence College.

Article VII

1. The Government of the Republic of Estonia shall act as the official Depository for this Agreement.

2. This Agreement shall enter into force 30 days after the Depository have received the last written notification stating that the necessary national legal requirements for this Agreement to enter into force have been completed. The Depository shall inform the Parties of each notification received and of the date of entry into force of the Agreement.

Article VIII

1. Disputes between the Parties regarding the interpretation or application of this Agreement shall be resolved by negotiation between the Parties.

2. Any of the Parties may at any time request amendments to this Agreement. The request shall be addressed to the Depository, which shall notify all the other Parties of each such notification and the date of the receipt thereof. Such amendments shall come into force pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article VII of this Agreement.

Article IX

1. The present Agreement is concluded for an unlimited period of time. It may be denounced by any of the Parties by written notification to the Depository, which shall notify all the other Parties of each such notification and the date of the receipt thereof.

2. The denunciation shall take effect 6 months after the receipt of the notification by the Depository.

Done in Brussels on June 12 in single original in the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian and English language, all texts being equally authentic, which shall be deposited in the archives of the Depository. The Depository shall transmit certified copies of the Agreement to all Parties. In case of different interpretation the English version shall prevail.

For the Government of the Republic of Lithuania

For the Government of the Republic of Latvia

For the Government of the Republic of Estonia