The Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and Republic of Lithuania, hereinafter referred to as Parties, as the members of the United Nations,

perceiving the high responsibilities of the international community in maintaining and safeguarding peace all over the world,

taking into consideration the realities and complications of the present day world related in terms of ever emerging conflict situations on different continents,

striving to make their contribution, according to their capacity, to the efforts of the UN and/or CSCE in regulating crises, preventing war and maintaining peace,

have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1

1. the Parties commit to establish and form a joint peacekeeping unit the Baltic Peacekeeping Battalion, hereinafter referred to as the BALTBAT, in order to exercise mandates given by the UN and/or CSCE for peacekeeping, also cooperating with NATO and WEY in the field of peacekeeping. The BALTBAT shall be organized in accordance with internationally recognized military and peacekeeping.

2. The structure, command, responsibilities and manual of the BALTBAT shall be established according to the special agreement between the Parties.

3. The personnel f the BALTBAT shall be recruited on a voluntary principle and contract basis from the Parties servicemen and citizens with military training.

4. The size of national contingent of the BALTBAT personnel shall be determined by the purpose of the mission, in accordance with the structure and personnel list of the BALTBAT and agreed upon by the Parties.

ARTICLE 2

1. Seeking to prepare and train the BALTBAT personnel as well as ensure the battalion's future functioning, the Parties shall form national peacekeeping units of such structure and size that would guarantee the BALTBAT's stable functional structure taking into consideration the rotation of personnel and continuous supply of equipment.

2. Until the national peacekeeping units become subordinate to the commander of the BALTBAT, they shall be subordinate of the national authorities.

ARTICLE 3

1. The supply of the BALTBAT's personnel by personal weapons, ammunition, uniforms and food shall arranged according to special agreements between the authorized Parties.

2. BALTBAT's financing, maintenance and supply of material resources necessary for operational activities shall be settled by special agreements between the authorized institutions of the Parties the basis of equality.

ARTICLE 4

1. Each Party shall independently and according to its national legislation decide the conditions of service, salaries, taxation and social and legal guarantees for BALTBAT personnel of its nationality serving on its territory.

2. The conditions and guarantees mentioned in the 1st paragraph of this Article as well as the conditions of the stay for the BALTBAT national personnel during their stay within the territory of another Party (training, preparations, exercises etc.) shall be agreed by the Parties.

3. Conducting the UN and/or CSCE mission's peacekeeping operations within the territory of another State, the conditions and guarantees as mentioned in the 1st paragraph of this Article as well as the conditions, responsibilities and rights of their stay shall be defined by the UN and/or CSCE mandate, requirements and guarantees as well as by the additional agreements between the Parties.

ARTICLE 5

For solving the urgent issues related with the BALTBAT establishment and formation, the Parties shall form a Joint Working Group, approved by the Government of each Party, in which resolutions shall be passed by consensus.

ARTICLE 6

The Government of the Republic of Latvia shall as the official Depository for this Agreement.

ARTICLE 7

The present Agreement shall be subject to confirmation in accordance with respective national requirements and shall come into force thirty days after the receipt of the last note of confirmation by the official Depository.

ARTICLE 8

1. This Agreement is concluded for an indefinite period of time. It may be terminated by any Party by written notification through diplomatic channels to the official Depository. The official Depository shall immediately convey such notification in writing to the other Parties. The Agreement shall cease to be in force three months after such notice has been received by the other Parties, but not earlier the end of peacekeeping mission being conducted by the BALTBAT.

2. All issues related to the termination of this Agreement shall be resolved by the special commission appointed Joint Working Groups.

ARTICLE 9

All issues in dispute regarding the interpretation and application of this Agreement shall be resolved through trilateral consultations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned plenipotentiaries, being duly authorized thereto have signed the present Agreement.

Done at Riga on September 13, 1994 in single copy in Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and English languages, all texts being equally authentic, which shall be deposited with the Government of the Republic of Latvia. In case of dispute the English text shall prevail.