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The law ratifies the 1995 Agreement among the States Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and the Other States participating in the Partnership for Peace regarding the Status of their Forces, signed by the Russian Federation in Vilnius on April 21, 2005, and the Additional Protocol to the Agreement, signed in Sofia on April 28, 2006.

The Agreement regulates the legal status of military forces, its civilian component, and their dependents from one Party stationed on the territory of another Party by applying the provisions of the Agreement among the States Party to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Status of their Forces of June 19, 1951.

The 1951 Agreement defines the status of military forces stationed on the territory of another Party but also allows for the respective Parties to conclude separate agreements on the destination and use of forces and provides for a number of exemptions, including the right to import and export weapons, military equipment, transport and other necessary items and goods free of customs duties and taxes, for the force of one Party stationed on the territory of another Party. The 1951 and 1995 Agreements also regulate matters of jurisdiction and liability for damages.

Under the Additional Protocol to the 1995 Agreement, Parties undertake not to carry out a death sentence with regard to any member of a force and its civilian component or their dependents.

Steps to harmonise a number of provisions in the 1951 Agreement with Russian Federation legislation have to be taken for Russia to accede to the 1995 Agreement and the Additional Protocol. The law that has been adopted contains a declaration setting out the Russian Federation’s understanding of these provisions.