Signing of an agreement of cooperation in archives between the Ministry of Justice of Belarus and the National Archival Administration of Azerbaijan, 12 November 2009

On 12 November 2009, during an official visit by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev to Minsk, Belarus, an Agreement was signed for cooperation in archives between the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus and the National Archival Administration of Azerbaijan. On the Belarusian side the Agreement was signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Martynov.

The Agreement promotes further cooperation between the state archives in Belarus and Azerbaijan and other institutions engaged in documents preservation, use, and management. This creates a legal basis for the evolution of cooperation in archives between the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus and the National Archival Administration of Azerbaijan.

The Agreement defines the main areas of cooperation: the protection, storage and preservation of archival holdings; the implementation of international projects in records management and the development of finding aids; the submission of information about the contents of archival holdings; the exchange of copies of documents on the history and culture of Belarus and Azerbaijan.

The Parties agreed to provide mutual assistance in the use of records needed for performing social and legal inquiries received from citizens and institutions in both countries.

The Agreement ensures the exchange of normative and legal acts, procedural documents and other information concerning archives and records management, as well as the exchange of archival publications of mutual interest. The programs and agreements concluded between the state archival services in these countries will promote the exchange of best practices in archives, particularly through demonstration visits, training workshops, and consultations.