Uredba o ratifikaciji Sporazuma med Vlado Republike Slovenije in Vlado Azerbajdžanske republike o sodelovanju na področju informacijsko-komunikacijskih tehnologij

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan (hereinafter referred to as “the Parties”).

Willing to develop and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of information and communication technologies within the framework of the social and economic development of both countries;

Sharing similar goals and objectives regarding the provision of efficient and reliable services to the public in each of their respective countries;

Taking into account the fact that the improvement on the present degree of cooperation in information and communication technologies and cooperation in areas of common interest through the exchange of ideas, information, skill and experience will be of benefit to both Parties;

Considering the potential available in strengthened commercial relations between the Parties in the field of information and communication technologies and the need to more fully exploit the capacity and the opportunities of that area;

Given that both Parties are willing to increase investments, joint ventures, common interests, technological development and trade in the field of information and communication technologies;

Have agreed on the following:

The Parties, on the basis of mutual benefit and in accordance with their national legislation and relevant norms and principles of the international law, as well as pursuant to this Agreement, will develop and improve their economic, industrial, scientific and technical cooperation in the field of information and communication technologies.

Cooperation between the Parties in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) will cover the following areas:

1. To learn the experience that Slovenia has gained in the regulation of telecommunications, on-line content, on-line services and on-line business;

2. Cooperation in the field of E-Government and E-Signature applications (Electron Government and Electron-Signature);

3. To encourage investments by Slovenia to information and communications technologies field of the Republic of Azerbaijan;

4. To encourage creation of joint ventures in the Republic of Azerbaijan in the field of information and communication technologies through mutually applicable terms;

5. To provide training courses of Azerbaijani officials in telecommunication institutions of Slovenia;

6. Expenditures for joint seminars, conferences, forums and exhibitions;

7. To support each other in international organizations (such as UPU and ITU) wherever the national interests of both countries coincide;

8. To re-consider tariffs for international telephone calls through discussions at the level of specialists within the deregulated environment and efficiently use existing facilities of transit telephone traffic exchange of both countries;

9. To provide mutual trips by representative teams of the both Parties for the purpose of exchange of experience;

10. Cooperation and experience sharing in the area of ICT R&D policy preparation and implementation (ICT technology platforms, national and EU ICT R&D support);

11. Other issues in accordance with mutual agreement.

With the purpose of promoting activities in the field of ICT, increasing cooperation, applying new technologies and creating joint ventures, the Parties will encourage the relevant bodies, organizations and enterprises concerned of both countries to cooperate in promoting closer interaction and a closer exchange of information regarding ICT and, where possible, to cooperate in carrying out specific programs and projects.

The Parties will provide that specialists from both Parties make joint actions for the purpose of applying experience that Slovenia has gained in the field of promotion of rural telecommunications, transition of digitals and regulation of local networks.

The terms of this Agreement shall not affect the obligations of the Parties resulting from other international Agreements on which the Parties are signatories.

The Parties will take all necessary measures to protect, in full accordance with their respective legislation, the confidentiality of information, which is exchanged within the framework of cooperative activity, and will not reveal or disseminate to third parties any information provided by the other Party without the latter’s written authorization. This provision will survive after the termination of this current Agreement.

Any disagreements concerning the interpretation or the application of the provisions of this Agreement will be settled by negotiations and consultation between the Parties.

The authorized bodies responsible for implementation of this Agreement and for coordination of the activity are:

Ministry of the Economy of the Republic of Slovenia - on behalf of the Government of Slovenia; and

Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan - on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Parties, depending on characteristics of cooperation, can assign the other governmental bodies responsible for coordination of the activity for implementation of this Agreement, and they will notify each other through diplomatic channels.

This Agreement may be amended and changed upon the reciprocal approval of the Parties. Such changes and amendments will be officialized in separate protocols, which would form integral part of this Agreement and come into force as specified in Article 9 of this Agreement.

This Agreement shall come into force from the date of receipt by the parties the last written notification about the completion of internal procedures necessary for entering into force of this Agreement.

This Agreement is signed for two years. If six months prior to the date of termination of this Agreement one of the Parties fails to provide the other Party with a written notice of the intention to rescind the Agreement, the legal force of this Agreement shall automatically be extended for the next two years.

This Agreement was signed in Ljubljana on 28 August 2007 in two originals each in Slovenian, Azerbaijani and English languages, three texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergence on interpretation, the English text shall prevail.