Treaty on Good-neighbourly Relations and Friendly Co-operation between the Republic of Hungary and the Slovak Republic
The Republic of Hungary and the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referred to as "the Contracting Parties"),
Being convinced that the historical change that took place
in Europe and in their respective countries offer unprecedented opportunities for
resolving the common tasks that derive from the development of their bilateral relations
in a spirit of good neighbourliness and friendly co-operation,
Making efforts to contribute to building Europe, in the
framework of current integration processes, as a continent of peace, security and
prosperity,
Confirming that respect for, and implementation of human
rights and fundamental freedoms and the principles of democracy, the rule of law and
humanism constitute the basis of freedom, justice and peace,
Recognising that persons belonging to national minorities
constitute an integral part of the society and of the State of the Contracting Party on
whose territory they live and they concurrently contribute to the enrichment of the life
of their societies and to building confidence, friendship and co-operation between their
countries, and declaring that the feel responsibility for granting protection to, and
promoting preservation and deepening of, national or ethnic, cultural, religious and
linguistic identity of the minorities living within their respective territories,
Confirming they are guided by the principles laid down in
the Charter of the United Nations, the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference on Security
and Co-operation on Europe, the Paris Charter for a New Europe of the Conference on
Security an Co-operation on Europe and other documents adopted by the Organisation for
Security and Co-operation in Europe,
Being convinced that the further development of friendly
relations and co-operation based on new foundations meet the vital interests of their
countries and peoples,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1
The Contracting Parties shall develop their relations in the
spirit of good neighbourliness, confidence and friendly co-operation and shall maintain a
dialogue in all the areas of mutual interest.
Article 2
The Contracting Parties, in their mutual relations as well
as in their relations with other States, shall respect the generally accepted principles
and norms of international law, in particular the principles laid down in the Charter of
the United Nations, the Helsinki Final Act, the Paris Charter for a New Europe and other
documents adopt within the framework of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe.
Article 3
(1) The Contracting Parties, in accordance with the
principles and norms of international law, confirm, that they shall respect the
inviolability of their common state border and each other's territorial integrity. They
confirm that they have no territorial claims on each other and will not raise any such
claims in the future.
(2) The Contracting Parties declare that, in their mutual
relations, they shall refrain from the use of force or the threat of use of force against
the territorial integrity or political independence, or from other acts or support for any
such actions against the other Party that would be contrary to the Charter of the United
Nations or to the international law, and that they shall not allow a third Party to use
their territory for conducting similar actions against the other Party. They shall settle
any disputes arising between them exclusively by peaceful means.
Article 4
(1) If, in the opinion of either of the Contracting Parties,
a situation has emerged in the international relations that may present a threat to
international peace and security or to its own security interests, this Party may request
a consultation with the other Party in order to examine what they might do towards easing
or eliminating the tension, in conformity with the principles of the Charter of the United
Nations and the principles of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
(2) The Contracting Parties shall conduct regular
consultations at various levels on questions of mutual interest concerning security and
defense. Upon the request of either Party, they shall provide information on the
fulfilment of their international undertakings concerning security and disarmament. Their
bilateral relations in the defense area shall be governed by a separate agreement.
Article 5
(1) The Contracting Parties shall, with a view to implement
this Treaty, establish an appropriate frame for co-operation in every field of mutual
interest.
(2) The Contracting Parties attach special significance to
co-operation and the development of relations between their legislative and executive
bodies.
(3) The Contracting Parties shall hold regular consultations
at various levels with the view to further development and deepening of their bilateral
relations and of mutual acquaintance with their positions on international issues. The
Prime Ministers shall, within this framework, have at least once a year a meeting and the
ministers for foreign affairs shall also meet or least once a year to access the
implementation of this Treaty.
(4) Co-operation among other sectors of administration,
including regular meeting of their leaders, shall be governed by agreements concluded
between the sectors concerned.
Article 6
The Contracting Parties confirm that their interests and
endeavours are identical in relation to their integration into the European Union, the
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Western European Union and in relation to the
Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and they
declare they resolve to extend each other support in this respect.
Article 7
(1) The Contracting Parties shall, in the framework of
developing their bilateral relations and in the process of their integration into the
European Union, promote a mutually advantageous co-operation in the field of economy,
particularly in industry, agriculture, trade, transport and expedition, telecommunications
and services.
(2) The Contracting Parties shall create conditions for
developing various forms of economic co-operation in the border region at regional and
local levels, including co-operation between legal entities and natural persons.
(3) The Contracting Parties shall attach importance to
co-operation between higher-level self-governing units, towns and villages, in conformity
with their competence and with the principle of subsidiarity.
Article 8
The Contracting Parties shall support co-operation in the
field of science and technology. They shall promote the creation of conditions for
effective co-operation in basic and applied researches with special emphasis on modern
technology and support direct contacts between, and common initiatives of the scientists
and fellows of scientific and research institutes of the two countries.
Article 9
(1) The Contracting Parties, motivated by their interest
concerning care for the natural environment and preservation of acceptable living
conditions for future generations, shall co-operate in environmental and nature protection
aiming at preventing and reducing environmental pollution, especially as regards
trans-frontier pollution.
(2) The Contracting Parties, in accordance with relevant
agreements and, above all, by co-operating with the European Union and its member States,
shall develop their co-operation in the field of environmental protection and take part in
the development and implementation of the Union's co-ordinated international strategy
concept.
(3) The Contracting Parties, in furthering the adoption of
specific measures aimed at enhancing the protection of the environment, shall conclude a
separate intergovernmental agreement regulating co-operation in accident risk reduction,
the system of early warning on accidents occurred and that of the elimination of their
consequences.
Article 10
(1) The Contracting Parties shall by using the latest
technology, expand their co-operation in the development of the infrastructure of air,
railway, road, waterway, maritime, pipeline and combined transport and in postal and
telecommunication services.
(2) The Contracting Parties confirm that land-locked States
have the right of access to the sea and to the freedom of transit related to this right
and that they are ready to co-operate with other States in this respect.
Article 11
The Contracting Parties, in accordance with the manifold
development of their co-operation, are ready to increase the permeability of their
borders, including the opening of new border crossing points, in accordance with the
possibilities and needs of the two Contracting Parties.
Article 12
(1) The Contracting Parties shall promote their co-operation
in the field of culture, science and education.
(2) The Contracting Parties consider as the basic form of
cultural, scientific an educational co-operation between their countries such co-operation
as is based upon the mutual demands and interests of groups founded on the initiative of
institutions, organisations, associations, federations, communities, local-government
authorities or citizens, or, upon those of the individuals themselves. They shall support,
on the basis of respective agreements and programmes, initiatives designed to promote
mutual acquaintance and closer ties between state, social and private institutions,
organisations, associations and natural persons.
(3) The Contracting Parties shall promote co-operation
between schools and other educational establishments and scientific research institutes,
and exchange of pupils of elementary and secondary schools, students of higher education
institutions, teachers and scientists.
(4) The Contracting Parties shall facilitate scientific
research activities in the archives, libraries, museums and other institutions of similar
nature on their territories, including the granting of access to materials kept by those
institutions.
(5) The Contracting Parties shall, on the basis of the
respective agreements, recognize certificates on school and professional education as well
as on academic and research degrees of the other Contracting Party, issued in accordance
with the respective domestic legislation.
(6) The Contracting Parties shall support the teaching of
the language of the other Contracting Party in schools and other educational institutes
alike. To this effect they shall assist one another in linguistic training and further
education of teachers.
(7) The Contracting Parties shall endeavour to expand the
opportunities in their institutions of higher education for gaining acquaintance with the
culture, literature and language of the other Contracting Party and for promoting the
Hungarian and Slovak language studies in such institutions.
(8) Each Contracting Party shall ensure within its country,
on the basis of mutual agreement, conditions necessary for functioning of cultural centres
of the other Contracting Party.
Article 13
(1) Each Contracting Party shall endeavour to preserve the
historical and cultural monuments and the memorial sites of the other Contracting Party
located within its territory.
(2) The Contracting Parties shall proceed to exchange of
cultural values and archive materials on the basis of agreements between the ministries
concerned.
Article 14
The Contracting Parties shall strengthen the climate of
tolerance and understanding among their citizens of different ethnic, religious, cultural
and linguistic origin. The Contracting Parties, in accordance with their obligations under
international law, shall ensure equal and effective protection of rights of every person
on their territories irrespective of race, skin colour, sex, language and religious,
political or other conviction or national or social origin.
Article 15
(1) The Contracting Parties confirm that protection of
national minorities and of the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to those
minorities forms an integral part of the international protection of human rights and as
such falls within the scope of international co-operation and, in this sense, it is
therefore not an exclusively domestic affair of the States concerned but constitute a
legitimate concern of the international community. The Contracting Parties recognize tat
their co-operation in this field contributes to the strengthening of good-neighbourly
relations, mutual understanding, friendship and confidence between their countries and, at
the same time, to the consolidation of international security, stability and European
integration.
(2) The Contracting Parties, in protecting the national
minorities and the rights of persons belonging to those minorities, are guided by the
following principles:
- (a) membership of a national minority shall be a matter of
free personal choice and no disadvantage shall result from the choice of such membership,
-
- (b) all persons belonging to a national minority shall be
equal before the law and have equal protection of the law. In this respect, any
discrimination based on belonging to a national minority shall be prohibited,
-
- (c) persons belonging to national minorities shall have the
right, individually or in community with other members of their group, to freely express,
maintain and develop their ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious identity and to
maintain and develop their culture in all its aspects,
-
- (d) reaffirming the aims of their general integration
policy, the Contracting Parties shall refrain from policies and practices aimed at
assimilation of persons belonging to minorities against their will, and shall protect
these persons from any actions aimed at such assimilation. The Contracting Parties shall
refrain from measures that would alter the proportions of the population in areas
inhabited by persons belonging to national minorities and which aim at restricting the
rights and freedoms of those persons that would be to the detriment of the national
minorities,
-
- (e) persons belonging to national minorities shall have the
right to establish and operate, in conformity with their respective legislation and with
the objective of maintaining, development and transfer of their identity, their own
organisations and associations, including political parties and educational, cultural and
religious organisations. Both Governments shall create legal conditions to this effect,
-
- (f) persons belonging to national minorities shall have the
right to take part effectively at the national, and where appropriate, at the regional
level, in the decisions affecting the minorities or the regions inhabited by the
minorities, in the manner which is not incompatible with domestic legislation,
-
- (g) persons belonging to the Hungarian minority in the
Slovak Republic and those belonging to the Slovak minority in the Republic of Hungary
shall have the right to use freely, individually or in community with other members of
their group, orally or in writing, their mother tongue in public or private life. They
shall also have the right, in conformity with the domestic law and with the international
commitments undertaken by the two Contracting Parties, to use their mother tongue in
contacts with official authorities, including public administration, and in judicial
proceedings, to display in their mother tongue the names of municipalities in which they
live, street names and names of other public areas, topographical indications,
inscriptions and information in public areas, to register and use their first names and
surnames in this language, to have - without prejudice to the learning of the official
language or the teaching in this language - adequate opportunities in the framework of the
State educational system for being taught their mother tongue or for receiving instruction
in their mother tongue and the right of access to public mass media without discrimination
and the right to their own media. The Contracting Parties, in accordance with their
international commitments, shall take all the necessary legal, administrative and other
measures for the implementation of the aforementioned rights unless their respective
domestic law already contains such provisions,
-
- (h) in accordance with point (c) of this paragraph they
shall create the necessary conditions enabling the persons belonging to national
minorities to preserve their material and architectural memorials and memorial sites
constituting their cultural heritage, history and traditions.
-
- (3) The Contracting Parties agree that the same rights and
duties flowing from their citizenship shall be applied to the persons belonging to
national minorities shall as to any other citizens of the State concerned.
-
- (4) The Contracting States declare
-
- (a) that as regards the regulation of the rights and
obligations of persons belonging to national minorities living within their respective
territories they shall apply the Framework Convention for the Protection of National
Minorities adopted and signed by the Contracting Parties on 1 February, 1995, as from the
date of ratification of the present Treaty and of the above Framework Convention by both
Contracting Parties, unless their respective domestic legal systems provide a broader
protection of rights of persons belonging to national minorities than the Framework
Convention,
-
- (b) that without prejudice to the content of the previous
paragraph (a), they shall apply, in defending the rights of persons belonging to the
Hungarian minority in the Slovak Republic and the Slovak minority in the Republic of
Hungary, the norms and political commitments laid down in the following documents as legal
obligations:
-
- - Document of June 29, 1990 of the Copenhagen Meeting of the
Conference of Human Dimension of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe;
-
- - Declaration 47/135 of the General Assembly of the United
Nations on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic
Minorities;
-
- - Recommendation 1201 (1993) of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe, respecting individual human and civil rights, including the
rights of persons belonging to national minorities.
-
- (5) Nothing in this Article shall be interpreted as implying
any right to engage in any activity or perform any act contrary to the fundamental
principles of international law and in particular of the sovereign equality, territorial
integrity and political independence of States.
-
- (6) The Contracting Parties shall co-operate to assist one
another in following the implementation of the content of this Article. They shall
therefore consider the manner by which they can, in the framework of their mutual
co-operation, and on the basis paragraph (1) of Article 5 of the present Treaty and in the
spirit of mutual understanding and confidence, exchange information about, and experience
with, questions relating to the application of the present Article. To this end, they
shall set up an intergovernmental joint commission, entitled to make recommendations,
consisting of section whose composition will be determined as they deem necessary. In
monitoring the implementation of their commitments in the field of protection of national
minorities, the Contracting Parties shall apply the rules of the Council of Europe and the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe that are binding upon both
Contracting Parties.
-
Article 16
-
- (1) The Contracting Parties shall support manifold
co-operation on the field of health care, sanitary hygiene and pharmaceutical research, in
particular in preventing and combating civilisation and infectious diseases.
-
- (2) The Contracting Parties shall develop their co-operation
in the area of social security and social welfare and their competent bodies will conclude
appropriate agreements for this purpose.
-
Article 17
-
- (1) The Contracting Parties shall, on the basis of
appropriate agreements, co-operate in the field of legal and consular relations and in
police activities.
-
- (2) The Contracting Parties shall develop their co-operation
in combating organised crime, with special focus on terrorism, drug abuse, air piracy and
illegal export of cultural, historical and museum objects and articles of value.
-
Article 18
-
- Recognizing the importance of co-operation between the means
of mass media, the Contracting Parties shall support free exchange of information and all
effort aimed at providing objective information that promote better knowledge and
understanding of each other.
-
Article 19
-
- The Contracting Parties shall support the expansion of
relations between the political and social organisations, trade unions, churches,
religious and other organisations and between the youth , sports and other federations.
-
Article 20
-
- The present Treaty is not aimed against any third country.
It does not affect the rights and obligations of the Contracting Parties flowing from
their bilateral and multilateral treaties.
-
Article 21
-
- (1) The Contracting Parties, in the event of a difference of
view in connection with the interpretation or application of the present Treaty, shall
consult with each other pursuant to the provisions of Article 5 of this Treaty.
-
- (2) If such consultations fail to eliminate, within
reasonable time, the difference of view, the Contracting Parties shall consider by what
other methods in accordance with the principles and norms of international law this can be
achieved.
-
Article 22
-
- (1) The present Treaty is concluded for a period of ten
years. Its validity shall be extended, always for another five-year period, unless one of
the Contracting Parties denounces it in writing at least one year before the given
validity period expires.
-
- (2) The present Treaty is subject to ratification and shall
enter into force on the date of the exchange of the instruments of ratification.
-
- (3) The Contracting Parties shall register the present
Treaty accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.
-
- Done at Paris, this 19th day of March, 1995, in duplicate
each in Hungarian and Slovak languages, both texts being equally authentic.
-
-
- Gyula Horn Vladimir Meciar
- for the Republic of Hungary for the Slovak Republic