I
They will notify their
major military manoeuvres to all
other
participating States through usual
diplomatic channels in
accordance with the following
provisions:
Notification will be given of
major military manoeuvres
exceeding a total of 25,000
troops,
independently or combined
with any possible
air or
naval components (in this
context the
word "
troops" includes amphibious and airborne
troops). In the
case of
independent manoeuvres of amphibious or airborne
troops,
or of combined manoeuvres involving them, these
troops will be
included in this total. Furthermore, in the
case of combined
manoeuvres which do not reach the above total but which involve
land forces together with
significant numbers of either
amphibious or airborne
troops, or both,
notification can also be
given.
Notification will be given of
major military manoeuvres
which take
place on the
territory, in
Europe, of any
participating State as well as, if applicable, in the adjoining
sea area and
air space.
In the
case of a
participating State whose
territory extends
beyond
Europe,
prior notification need be given only of
manoeuvres which take
place in an
area within 250 kilometres from
its
frontier facing or
shared with any other
European
participating State, the
participating State need not, however,
give
notification in
cases in which that
area is also contiguous
to the
participating State's
frontier facing or
shared with a
non-
European non-
participating State.
Notification will be given 21
days or more in
advance of the
start of the manoeuvre or in the
case of a manoeuvre arranged at
shorter
notice at the earliest possible
opportunity prior to its
starting
date.
Notification will contain
information of the designation, if
any, the
general purpose of and the
States involved in the
manoeuvre, the type or types and numerical strength of the forces
engaged, the
area and
estimated time-frame of its
conduct. The
participating States will also, if possible, provide additional
relevant information, particularly that related to the
components
of the forces engaged and the
period of involvement of these
forces.
The
participating States recognize that they can
contribute
further to strengthening
confidence and
increasing security and
stability, and to this end may also notify smaller-scale
military
manoeuvres to other
participating States, with
special regard for
those near the
area of such manoeuvres.
To the same end, the
participating States also recognize
that they may notify other
military manoeuvres
conducted by them.
The
participating States will invite other
participating
States, voluntarily and on a
bilateral basis, in a
spirit of
reciprocity and goodwill towards all
participating States, to
send
observers to attend
military manoeuvres.
The inviting
State will determine in each
case the
number of
observers, the
procedures and
conditions of their
participation,
and give other
information which it may consider
useful. It will
provide appropriate
facilities and hospitality.
The
invitation will be given as far ahead as is conveniently
possible through usual
diplomatic channels.
Accordingly, the
participating States recognize that they
may, at their own
discretion and with a
view to contributing to
confidence-building, notify their
major military movements.
In the same
spirit, further
consideration will be given by
the
States participating in the
Conference on
Security and
Co-operation in
Europe to the
question of
prior notification of
major military movements, bearing in
mind, in particular, the
experience gained by the
implementation of the
measures which are
set forth in this
document.
The
participating States recognize that there are other
means by which their
common objectives can be
promoted.
They also recognize that the
experience gained by the
implementation of the
provisions set forth above, together with
further efforts, could
lead to developing and enlarging
measures
aimed at strengthening
confidence.