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Source: Treaties and Other International Acts Series (TIAS) 11455
Bering Straits Region
Agreement Between the
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
and the
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
Signed at Jackson Hole
September 23, 1989
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS CONCERNING MUTUAL VISITS BY INHABITANTS OF THE BERING STRAITS REGION
The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ("the Parties");
Recognizing that native inhabitants live on both sides of the U.S.-Soviet border;
Noting that these inhabitants have relatives on both sides of the U.S.-Soviet border; and
Striving to promote contacts between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. inhabitants of the Bering Straits Region;
Have agreed as follows:
For the purposes of this Agreement:
1. "U.S. inhabitants" shall mean U.S. citizens who are permanent residents of the designated U.S. area.
2. "U.S.S.R. inhabitants" shall mean U.S.S.R. citizens who are permanent residents of the designated U.S.S.R. area.
3. "Designated U.S. area" shall mean the Nome and Kobuk census areas of Alaska.
4. "Designated U.S.S.R. area" shall mean the lultinskiy Rayon, Providenskiy Rayon, and Chukotsky Rayon, as well as the eastern part of the Anadyrskiy Rayon, bounded on the south by the Anadyr River and on the west by the Tanyurer River, including the city of Anadyr (Chukotsky Autonomous Okrug) .
5. "Relatives" shall mean blood relatives, fellow clan or tribe members, or native inhabitants who share a linguistic or cultural heritage with native inhabitants of the other territory.
6. "Designated U.S. authorities" shall mean designated representatives of the U.S. Secretary of State.
7. "Designated U.S.S.R. authorities" shall mean the internal affairs authorities of the Magadan Oblispolkom and the departments of internal affairs of city and rayon Ispolkoms of the Magadan Oblast.
8. "Chief Commissioner" is as defined in the 1989 Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Concerning the Bering Straits Regional Commission.1
1. Upon invitation of relatives, U.S. and U.S.S.R. inhabitants may travel to the designated areas in accordance with the procedures established by this Agreement.
2. U.S. inhabitants desiring to visit relatives residing in the designated U.S.S.R. area shall notify the U.S.S.R. Chief Commissioner, through the U.S. Chief Commissioner or through a Soviet relative who has extended them a written invitation to visit, a minimum of ten days in advance of the visit. They shall provide their names and passport numbers, their dates and places of birth, the names and addresses of the relatives who have extended them an invitation to visit, the date of their intended visit, their method of travel, and the intended checkpoint of entry.
3. Upon notification of the U.S.S.R. Chief Commissioner. U.S. inhabitants may enter and exit the designated U.S.S.R. area, including passage through U.S.S.R. territorial waters, using a U.S. passport and an insert to the passport stating that they are inhabitants of the designated U.S. area.
4. U.S.S.R. inhabitants desiring to visit relatives residing in the designated U.S. area shall notify the U.S. Chief Commissioner, through the U.S.S.R. Chief Commissioner or through a U.S. relative who has extended them a written invitation to visit, a minimum of ten days in advance of the visit. They shall provide their names and passport numbers, their dates and places of birth, the name and address of the relatives who have extended them an invitation to visit, the date of their intended visit, their method of travel, and the intended checkpoint of entry.
5. Upon notification of the U.S. Chief Commissioner, U.S.S.R. inhabitants may enter and exit the designated U.S. areas, including passage through U.S. territorial waters, using a Soviet passport and an insert to the passport stating that they arc inhabitants of the designated U.S.S.R. area.
6. Unmarried children under the age of sixteen may travel only when accompanying their parents or other adults. An insert stating that such children are inhabitants of the designated U.S. or U.S.S.R. areas shall be placed in the passport of the parent or accompanying adult.
7. The Chief Commissioners shall determine the air and sea routes permitted for travel.
1. The insert referred to in article 2 of this Agreement shall be issued by the designated authorities of the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in their respective territories.
2. The Chief Commissioners shall exchange sample inserts, and shall notify each other of any modifications to the insert thirty days in advance of the issuance of such modified inserts. The insert text shall be in English and Russian and a photograph shall be attached.
Duration of stay for U.S. and U.S.S.R. inhabitants in the designated area of the other Party shall not exceed ninety days.
1. Border crossings by the U.S.S.R. and U.S. inhabitants into the designated areas shall be made through the following checkpoints:
In the designated U.S. area, the checkpoints for crossing the border shall be Nome and Gambell, Alaska.
In the designated U.S.S.R. area, the checkpoints for crossing the border shall be Provideniya, Anadyr, Lavrentiya, and Uelen (Chukotsky Autonomous Okrug).
2. U.S. and U.S.S.R. inhabitants may enter only at the checkpoint provided in the prior notification to the Chief Commissioners.
3. Procedures for operation of each checkpoint will be established by agreement in writing signed by the Chief Commissioners.
1. U.S. and U.S.S.R. inhabitants crossing into the designated areas pursuant to this Agreement shall be subject to border and customs control.
2. Customs control at the checkpoints shall be carried out in accordance with the laws of the Parties and bilateral agreements in force.
3. U.S. and U.S.S.R. inhabitants may bring in with them items for personal use or for gifts. These items cannot be sold in the country of visit.
4. Procedures for taking items, including currency and financial documents, in and out of the country shall be subject to the laws of the Parties and bilateral agreements in force.
1. In the event that the passport or the inserts to the passport of a U.S. or U.S.S.R. inhabitant is lost or becomes unusable during a visit in the territory of the other Party, such person shall notify the designated authorities of the country of visit.
2. After consultation with the designated authorities of the other country, the designated authorities of the country of visit shall issue a document to facilitate return travel.
1. U.S. and U.S.S.R. inhabitants while visiting in the territory of the other Party pursuant to this Agreement are subject to the laws of the latter.
2. Persons acting contrary to the provisions of this Agreement or laws of the country of visit may be denied permission to enter the country or to stay further in its territory.
3. In those cases referred to in paragraph 2, the designated authorities of the country of the visit shall notify such person of the grounds for such decision.
In exceptional circumstances, such as epidemics and natural disasters, a Party may temporarily restrict or suspend entry into its territory, by notifying the other Party through diplomatic channels. Such Party shall give notice of the lifting of the restrictions as soon as possible.
Questions relating to application or interpretation of this Agreement shall be resolved through diplomatic channels.
1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date the Parties exchange diplomatic notes notifying each other that the necessary internal procedures have been completed.
2. This Agreement shall remain in force unless terminated by either Party upon six months' advance written notice to the other Party of its intention to terminate this Agreement.
3. This Agreement may be amended by written agreement between the Parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned being duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.
Done at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in duplicate, in the English and Russian languages, both texts being equally authentic, this 23rd day of September 1989.
| FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: James A. Baker III |
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS: Eduard Shevardnadze |
1 TIAS 11448
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