ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s lower house of Parliament (Mazhilis) recently ratified an intergovernmental agreement with Russia to cooperate in aviation searches and rescues, according to Sputnik Kazakhstan.
“Today, through the Mazhilis we passed a bill that provides a joint rescue work. It explains how the rescuers of Kazakhstan will work together with the rescuers of Russia, with which state bodies are working. It also specifies what technical means there are on the border, from our side and theirs, how we transfer information to each other, how we conduct the exercises. All of this is regulated by this agreement,” said Minister for Investments and Development of Kazakhstan Zhenis Kassymbek on May 12, according to MIR24 TV channel.
According to the Mazhilis’ Committee on International Affairs, Defence and Security, the initial agreement was signed in October 2015 in Astana.
The agreement regulates the organisation and execution of search and rescue operations. In their area, both countries provide aviation search and rescue services, which they carry out round-the-clock.
If the search and rescue service of one of the states receives a report of an accident or incident in its search area, this service shall respond.
In cases when the search and rescue service of one of the states receives a report on an aviation accident in the search and rescue area of the other state, the service immediately informs the search and rescue service of the partner state about such an incident or incident. In cases when the search and rescue service of one country needs assistance from a similar service of the state of the other party, it may request such assistance and take all measures to allow the search and rescue forces to enter its territory as soon as possible.
When providing assistance to aircraft that are going through a dangerous situation, the parties shall use international signals of distress, urgency, warnings and signals used in search and rescue operations.
Each party alone incurs costs arising from the implementation of search and rescue operations in its area of responsibility under the agreement, according to the statement.
