Uredba o ratifikaciji Sporazuma o Koordinacijskem odboru v okviru Pobude za sodelovanje obrambnih ministrstev jugovzhodne Evrope

– Reaffirming their dedication to the purposes and principles contained in the UN charter.

– Taking into consideration NATO and Partnership for Peace (PfP) documents;

– Confirming their commitment to contribute to peace and confidence and to foster good neighborly relations and close cooperation among the States in South-Eastern Europe;

– Noting commitment to the aims and principles stated in the Agreement on the Multinational Peace force South-Eastern Europe (hereinafter the MPFSEE Agreement), signed in Skopje on the 26th of September 1998 and concluded within the framework of SEDM;

– Believing that cooperation and partnership among the States of the region of South-Eastern Europe must be further developed for their benefit;

– Recognizing the need to find more effective ways to promote and coordinate numerous regional projects, initiatives and activities within the wider defense and security area in the framework of SEDM process;

– Determined to further develop and strengthen regional security and defense cooperation and willing to contribute to the integration of the region into the Euro-Atlantic structures;

– Noting that initiatives and activities in the SEDM context have multiplied, and therefore desiring to establish an appropriate structure in the framework of SEDM for the coordination of all SEDM initiatives and activities, as a whole;

– Recognizing the achievements of the politico-Military Steering Committee (hereinafter the PMSC, established pursuant to Article IV of the MPFSE Agreement;

Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE I

1. SEDM Coordination Committee (SEDM-CC)

1.1. The Parties agree to establish a committee as an extended format of PMSC to coordinate, manage, propose, endorse, supervise and implement all SEDM initiatives and activities beyond the scope of the PMSC, as provided for in the MPFSEE Agreement and its related Protocols. The Basic aims of this committee are to provide the Parties with:

a. Advice, management and coordination of all activities and initiatives held within the SEDM framework;

b. A self-sustaining and standing forum for consultative and implementing purposes accountable to SEDM Ministers.

1.2 To accomplish these aims, SEDM-CC is constituted as a body with the equal participation of all Parties.

1.3 The SEDM-CC shall be responsible for the coordination, management, proposals, endorsement, supervision, and implementation of all activities and initiatives, which take place in the context of SEDM, and for the elaboration of relevant documentation to be submitted to the SEDM Ministers for approval.

1.4 In particular, the SEDM-CC shall have the following key functions:

a. Coordinating all meetings and preparing agendas of MODs, DCHODs and other political-military high-level meetings, through the SEDM-CC Secretariat, in cooperation with the host nation.

b. Elaborating proposals, making Recommendations and drafting assessments on future developments within the SEDM process.

c. Overseeing all SEDM working groups and approving their working plans.

d. Providing politico-military guidance to those working groups, as needed.

e. Promoting and coordinating SEDM activities with activities of other regional and international organizations in accordance with the guidance of the SEDM Ministers.

1.5 The Parties may also agree by consensus on other functions.

1.6 For the SEDM-CC, each Party nominates a delegation, headed by a senior representative who may he advised by experts.

2. SEDM-CC Chairperson

2.1 The SEDM-CC is presided over by the SEDM-CC Chairperson, who is also PMSC Chairperson, appointed by the Chairing Nation in accordance with the Article IV, Paragraph 8 of the MPFSEE Agreement.

2.2 The SEDM-CC Chairperson presides over all meetings and submits SEDM-CC documents to Ministers or DCHODs.

2.3 The SEDM-CC Chairperson performs all his/her duties, with the assistance of the SEDM-CC Secretariat.

3. SEDM-CC Secretariat

3.1 The nation holding the Chairmanship will take over the responsibility of the SEDM-CC Secretariat structure, functioning and manning.

3.2 The SEDM-CC Secretariat supports the Chairperson in the preparation of all documents and the coordination and conduct of all meetings and activities, at any level.

3.3. The Secretariat, under the supervision of the Chairperson, is responsible for the coordination of SEDM initiatives working groups.

3.4 The SEDM-CC Secretariat is responsible for the SEDM official web-site, all promotional publications, correspondence and archives.

4. SEDM Projects

4.1 Projects are common initiatives approved by SEDM Ministers whereby the Parties intend to achieve the objectives mentioned in the preamble of this Agreement.

4.2 Projects' cycle and function will be regulated by internal SEDM projects guidance approved by SEDM-CC.

ARTICLE II

The role of the SEDM-CC to coordinate and manage SEDM activities referred to in this Agreement does not include MPFSEE-related activities and does not constitute any change to or revision of the existing agreed functions, duties and responsibilities of the PMSC in relation to the MPFSEE Agreement, which continue to he in force without prejudice.

ARTICLE III

1. The SEDM-CC will hold either regular meetings before or after the meetings of the PMSC, twice a year, or special meetings held in response to a specific request by any Party or upon invitation by the Chairperson. Regular meetings and meetings upon invitation by the Chairperson will be hosted by the Party holding the Chairmanship. Special meetings will be hosted by the requesting Party.

2. The hosting Party of the SEDM-CC meeting covers all costs related to the meeting facilities, administrative expenses, internal transportation, accommodation and meals.

ARTICLE IV

1. Participation in the SEDM process is based on the principle of volunteering and consensus of all SEDM member states.

2. Principles, criteria and procedures for participation in the SEDM process will be regulated by a framework document approved by SEDM Ministers.

3. Any State requesting full membership in the SEDM process shall be required to accede to this Agreement by signing a Note of Accession. This Note of Accession will be signed by all Parties.

ARTICLE V

1. Disputes arising from the interpretation or application of this Agreement will be settled by consultations among the Parties without recourse to outside jurisdiction.

2. Any Party may propose amendments to this Agreement in writing at any time. Any such amendments will be effective when accepted in writing by all Parties in accordance with respective national legal procedures.

ARTICLE VI

1. This Agreement shall be subject to approval in accordance with respective national legal procedures. Upon completion of national legal procedures, each Party shall notify the depositary State. After all Parties have notified the depositary State that they have completed national legal procedures, this Agreement will enter into effect. 'The depositary shall duly inform all Parties.

2. The Parties agree, in so far as national legal procedures permit, to begin implementation of the provisions contained in this Agreement upon signature.

3. Upon entry into effect of this Agreement, the Agreement on the Establishment of a Coordination Committee in the Framework of the SEDM Process, signed in Thessaloniki on 9th October 2000 will be superseded and terminated.

ARTICLE VII

This Agreement shall remain in effect for an indefinite period of time, unless the Parties decide otherwise.

ARTICLE VIII

1. This Agreement may be denounced by any Party at any time. The denunciation will be effected by a written notification addressed by this Party to the depositary. In such a case the depositary shall duly inform all Parties.

2. The denunciation shad take effect thirty days after the date of receipt of such notification. After the expiration of this period, the Agreement shall cease to be in effect as regards the Party that denounced it, but it shall continue to be in effect for the remaining Parties.

3. If, on the effective denunciation date, there are still unresolved financial issues or claims that affect the denouncing Party, this Agreement shall continue to apply with respect to the resolution of these issues or claims.

Done in Sofia on the 21st of October 2009 in one original, in the English language, which will be deposited with the government of Greece.

The latter will provide certified copies to all Parties.

On behalf of the Parties:

Mr. Arben IMAMI (s)
Minister of Defence

Dr. Selmo CIKOTIĆ (s)
Minister of Defence

Mr. Nikolay MLADENOV (s)
Minister of Defence

Mr. Pjer ŠIMUNOVIĆ (s)
State Secretary of Defence

Mr. Zoran KONJANOVSKI (s)
Minister of Defence

Mr. Evangelos VENIZELOS (s)
Minister of Defence

Mr. Giuseppe COSSIGA (s)
Undersecretary of state for Defence

Mr. Viorel OANCEA (s)
State Secretary for Defence Policy
nd Planing

Dr. Ljubica JELUŠIČ (s)
Minister of Defence

Mr. Mehmet Vecdi GÖNÜL (s)
Minister of Defence

Mr. Valerii IVASHCHENKO (s)
Acting Minister of Defence

Mr. Alexander VERSHBOW (s)
Assistant Secretary of Defence