Treaties
Aviation
REF: TIAS 11984
Agreement signed at Sofia April 24, 1991;
Entered into force April 24, 1991
CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, (the Contracting Parties),
Having regard to our civil air transport relations, which are conducted on the basis of comity and reciprocity;
Reaffirming, that our obligation to protect, in our mutual relationship, the security of civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference is an integral part of our civil air transport relations in accordance with our rights and obligations under international law;
Noting, that each Contracting Party has the right to withhold, revoke, limit or impose conditions on the operating authorization or technical permission of an airline or airlines designated by the other Contracting Party as it deems appropriate to ensure the security of civil aviation;
Agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
The Contracting Parties shall provide upon request all necessary assistance to each other to prevent acts of unlawful seizure of aircraft and other unlawful acts against the safety of passengers, crew, aircraft, airports and air navigation facilities and any other threat to aviation security.
ARTICLE II
The Contracting Parties shall act in conformity with the provisions of the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft, signed at Tokyo on 14 September 1963, the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft, signed at the Hague on 16 December 1970 and the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation, signed at Montreal on 23 September 1971.(1)
ARTICLE III
The Contracting Parties shall, in their mutual relations, act in conformity with the aviation security provisions established by the International Civil Aviation Organization and designated as Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation;(2)they shall require that operators of aircraft of their registry or operators who have their principal place of business or permanent residence in their territory act in conformity with such aviation security provisions.
ARTICLE IV
Each Contracting Party agrees to observe the security provisions required by the other Contracting Party for entry into the territory of that other Contracting Party and to take adequate measures to protect aircraft and to inspect passengers, crew, their carry-on items as well as cargo and aircraft stores prior to and during boarding or loading. Each Contracting Party shall also give positive consideration to any request from the other Contracting Party for special security measures to meet a particular threat.
ARTICLE V
When an incident or threat of an incident of unlawful seizure of aircraft or other unlawful acts against the safety of passengers, crew, aircraft, airports and air navigation facilities occurs, the Contracting Parties shall assist each other by facilitating communications and other appropriate measures intended to terminate rapidly and safely such incident or threat thereof.
ARTICLE VI
When a Contracting Party has reasonable grounds to believe that the other Contracting Party has departed from the provisions of the Agreement, that Contracting Party may request immediate consultations with the other Contracting Party.
ARTICLE VII
This Agreement shall enter into force upon signature and shall remain in force for an indefinite period of time.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized by their respective governments, have signed this Agreement.
DONE at Sofia this 24th day of April, 1991, in duplicate, in English and Bulgarian, each text being equally authentic.
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF
THE UNITED STATES: THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA:
H.Kenneth Hill Veselin Pavlov
___________________________________________________________
(1) TIAS 6768, 7192, 20 UST, 2941, 22 UST 1641, 24 UST 564
(2) TIAS 1591, 6605, 6681; 61 Stat. 1180; 19 UST 7693; 20 UST 718