MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

 

BETWEEN

 

INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON MISSING PERSONS

 

AND

 

THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF

THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

 

 

          In view of the importance of resolving the destiny of missing persons and of providing assistance to their families for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as the fact that it would be necessary to step up the efforts in the future exhumation and identification process by using the state of the art scientific methods, including the methods of DNA analysis,

 

          Appreciating the readiness of the International Commission on Missing Persons to provide the necessary expertise and technical assistance in the identification of the missing Yugoslav citizens, using DNK analysis for the remains exhumed in the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and blood samples gathered from the families of missing persons,

 

          In order to establish the necessary cooperation between the International Commission on Missing Persons and the competent Yugoslav authorities, and to facilitate its activities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,

 

          The International Commission on Missing Persons and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have agreed as follows:

 

          -   To enable the establishment of the International Commission on Missing Persons Representative Office in Belgrade, with sufficient number of national and international staff members engaged in the implementation of agreed projects in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia;

 

          -   To accelerate and facilitate the process of issuing visas and resident permits to the international staff, as provided for by the national legislation, employed in the International Commission on Missing Persons Representative Office in Belgrade and to their family members;

 

          -   The Chairman and members of the International Commission on Missing Persons, Chief of Staff of the International Commission on Missing Persons and the Deputy Chief of Staff shall enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, provided that they are not citizens of residents of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia;

 

          -   Other international staff members employed in the International Commission on Missing Persons Representative Office in Belgrade, shall enjoy juridical immunity for all acts whilst undertaking official activities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, provided that they are not citizens or residents of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia;

 

          -   The provisions form the labor legislation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia shall apply to national staff members employed in the International Commission on Missing Persons Representative Office in Belgrade;

 

          -   Free flow of funds and duty free import of material and equipment required for the activities of the International Commission on Missing Persons in the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia shall be approved.

 

          This Memorandum shall enter in force on the date of its signature and shall be valid for the duration of the activities of the International Commission on Missing Persons in the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

 

 

          Signed at Belgrade, on November 8, 2001, drawn up in two original copies, in English and Serbian each, both of which are equally authentic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                            

 

For the International Commission on Missing Persons      

 

 

Gordon Bacon                                           

 

 

For the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

 

Vuk Žugić