AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY ON CO-OPERATION IN THE FIELDS OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE, CULTURE AND SPORTS

The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Turkey (hereinafter referred to as "the Contracting Parties"),

Guided by the desire to further develop and strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries,

Being convinced that co-operation and exchanges in the fields of education, science, culture, sports and in other areas shall contribute to a better mutual understanding between the peoples of Latvia and Turkey,

Resolved to respect the principles of the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, concluded on l August 1975, and of the Paris Charter for a New Europe, adopted on 21 November 1990,

Have agreed as follows:

Article l

The Contracting Parties, in line with the principles of equality and mutual benefit, and in accordance with their respective laws and regulations, shall encourage and facilitate exchanges and co-operation between the two countries in the fields of education, science, culture and sports, and provide appropriate opportunities for contacts and joint activities between the organizations, institutions and persons that are active in these fields.

Article 2

In accordance with the aim of this Agreement, the Contracting Parties shall encourage:

(a) Co-operation in various fields of science, including:

– The exchange of scientists and experts,

– The implementation of joint research and development projects,

– The organization of joint scientific seminars, workshops, conferences and other scientific meetings,

– Direct co-operation between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia and the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Turkey, scientific and academic institutions, and between research centres of both countries,

– The exchange of scientific publications and information,

– Any other form of co-operation, which may be mutually agreed upon between the Contracting Parties or relevant institutions in both countries;

(b) Co-operation between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia and the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Turkey, and between the institutions of higher education, especially in:

– Interchanging members of the faculty of institutions of higher education,

– Granting scholarships, and in facilitating the exchange of undergraduate and postgraduate students,

– Promoting the Latvian language and literature, and the Turkish language and literature,

– Providing prompt and correct information for school books, concerning respective histories;

(c) Co-operation in the field of sports in the following forms:

– Participation of sports teams and individual sportsmen in international competitions and training camps that take place on the territory of the other Contracting Party,

– Interchange of trainers, specialists of physical education and other experts to share information and experiences,

– Participation in congresses, conferences, symposia, seminars and courses, organized by the other Contracting Party,

– Direct contacts between sports federations, unions, clubs and other sports organizations and State institutions,

– Other forms of co-operation in sports upon mutual agreement.

Article 3

The Contracting Parties shall exchange information on their basic, secondary and higher education systems to enable the reciprocal recognition of diplomas and academic degrees, granted in accordance with their respective national legislation.

Article 4

In the implementation of the provisions of this Agreement, due regard shall be paid to the autonomy of different academic and scientific institutions.

The freedom of these institutions to enter and maintain mutual relations through direct co-operation shall be respected.

Article 5

The Contracting Parties shall promote and facilitate the participation of the other Contracting Party in scientific co-operation activities conducted under the auspices of international organizations (such as the European Union, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and various other trans-national organizations, etc.).

Article 6

Scientists and institutions of other countries or international organizations may be invited, at their own expense and upon the consent of the other Contracting Party, to participate in the activities being carried out pursuant to this Agreement, unless agreed otherwise by the Contracting Parties.

Article 7

The Contracting Parties shall exchange views on questions concerning their work in international sports organizations, and co-operate in issues of mutual interest.

Article 8

The Contracting Parties shall encourage the exchange of information and publications on cultural life prevailing, and international events organized, in their respective countries, and encourage the participation of the other Contracting Party in these events.

Article 9

The Contracting Parties shall encourage and facilitate direct contacts in the fields of literature, libraries, archives, museums, visual arts, performing arts, films, and in other cultural areas.

Within this framework, the Contracting Parties shall also support direct co-operation between the National Archives of Latvia and the General Directorate of State Archives of Turkey, in conformity with their respective national legislation, and with established international practice, in order to encourage these institutions to collaborate and exchange knowledge in spheres of mutual interest.

Article 10

The Contracting Parties shall encourage co-operation and research activities between the national libraries, archives and museums of both countries, and the exchange of publications and experts in spheres of mutual interest.

Article 11

The Contracting Parties shall encourage the development of co-operation in the fields of opera, ballet, music and theatre, and support the interchange of artists, troupes of artists, and of performances.

Article 12

The Contracting Parties shall consider the possibilities of exchanging exhibitions in the fields of fine arts, applied arts and folk arts, and those concerning the history of their bilateral relations.

Article 13

The Contracting Parties shall ensure that measures are adopted to prohibit and punish illegal trafficking in works of art, documents and other objects of historical or archaeological value.

Article 14

The Contracting Parties shall encourage, in the fields of cinema as well as audio-visual and multimedia producing, direct co-operation between the corresponding institutions of the two countries.

The Parties shall also encourage co-operation between newspaper companies, press agencies and other information services of the two countries with a view to promoting the exchange of information and materials to be published.

This co-operation shall include mutual invitations to the film festivals and film weeks to be held in both countries, the exchange of experts and researchers, training of and collaboration between multimedia producers, and support for the interchange of two media representatives from each country for a period of up to one week each.

Article 15

The Contracting Parties shall encourage direct co-operation between their competent institutions in the areas of radio and television.

Article 16

The Contracting Parties shall protect copyright and neighbouring rights in accordance with their national laws and international obligations.

Article 17

The Contracting Parties shall encourage, within the framework of the international conventions binding upon the two countries and the international organizations to which they are members, co-operation in the fields mentioned in the present Agreement, without affecting the rights and duties of both Parties deriving from other international agreements.

Article 18

In accordance with the intention of the Contracting Parties, activities and exchanges arising from this Agreement shall be carried out on the basis of the principle of reciprocity, including financial reciprocity, unless agreed otherwise by the Contracting Parties.

Article 19

A Cultural Exchange Program shall jointly be prepared, in collaboration with the institutions concerned, and signed by the Contracting Parties, in order to facilitate the implementation of this Agreement.

A Joint Latvian–Turkish Commission shall be established to discuss the implementation of, and to review the developments relating to, this Agreement. The Joint Latvian–Turkish Commission shall meet, whenever necessary, alternately in Riga and Ankara. The meeting dates shall be fixed through diplomatic channels.

Article 20

This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the last notification of the accomplishment of constitutional requirements for the entry into force of the present Agreement.

This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of five years. It shall, thereafter, be automatically renewed for successive periods of five years, unless denounced by either Party in writing through diplomatic channels six months prior to the expiry of any one period.

In the case of the denunciation of this Agreement, each programmed exchange, understanding or project, initiated on the basis of this Agreement and still in progress, shall remain valid until its completion.

Done in duplicate, in Ankara, on April 19, 2005, in Latvian, Turkish and English, all texts being equally authentic. In case of difference in interpretation, the English text shall prevail.