Friday, April 12 2024 11:42

ArmInfo. The agreement, first signed with the United States in 2000, will be extended for another  seven years. On April 12, the Cabinet of Ministers of Armenia approved the proposal to sign an agreement "On the extension of the agreement between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the  Government of the United States of America on cooperation in the field of countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."

As noted in the explanation to the document, an agreement between the  governments of the Republic of Armenia and the United States on  cooperation in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass  destruction was signed on July 24, 2000 (came into force on November  25, 2002) in Washington in order to counter the proliferation of  weapons of mass destruction, as well as the proliferation  technologies, materials, knowledge and experience directly related to  such weapons, nuclear, in order to prevent unauthorized transfer,  transit, transportation of biological and chemical weapons, as well  as raw materials directly related to such weapons.

In accordance with the agreement of the parties, in particular, the  US government undertakes to provide free of charge to the RA  government, upon its requests, equipment, materials, technologies to  prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, conduct  personnel training, etc. The Armenian side undertakes to ensure the  entry and exit of relevant representatives of the US government into  the territory of the Republic of Armenia to carry out the planned  activities, and the procedure and conditions for transporting the  planned funds are determined.

According to the agreement, the RA government also undertakes: - not  to transfer ownership or ownership of equipment, materials,  technologies, training and services provided by the US government to  any other person, not to allow them to be used for other purposes, to  ensure their security, to protect them from misappropriation or  transformation without the prior written consent of the U.S.  Government; - release the US Government, except for claims under  relevant agreements, from legal liability and claims for loss of or  damage to the property of any person in the Republic of Armenia as a  result of actions related to the implementation of the agreement, and  not require the US Government, its employees, contractors and their  employees compensation in case of death or personal injury of any  person. Such compensation in accordance with the Agreement may be  carried out by the Parties in the manner prescribed by their national  legislation. 

According to the agreement, the US government and its employees,  contractors and contractors' employees are exempt from paying taxes,  customs and other duties on the territory of the Republic of Armenia  during the implementation of this agreement, and military or civilian  personnel of the United States located on the territory of the  Republic of Armenia within the framework of the implementation of  this agreement , enjoy the immunities and privileges provided for  administrative and technical personnel by the Vienna Convention on  Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961.

On May 15, 2009, the Agreement was extended for seven years, which  expired on November 25, 2016. The second extension (from 2016) ends  on November 25, 2023.

"The agreement to extend the Agreement for another seven years will  help prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," note  the authors of the document represented by the Armenian Ministry of  Defense.