ARTICLE 1SCOPE, PURPOSE, AND IMPLEMENTATION
1. This Agreement, promotes and strengthens, inter alia:
(a)Cooperation between the Parties in defense related matters, including bilaterally and in the framework of NATO;
(b) Defense capability development, defense planning, and military training of the Parties to enhance common defense efforts;
(c)Regular consultation on threats and challenges to international peace and security; and
(d)Exchange of information and experiences on strategic defense and security issues.
2. This Agreement sets forth the framework for enhanced partnership and defense and security cooperation between Slovakia and the United States and supplements the terms and conditions set forth in the NATO SOFA that govern the presence of U.S. forces and their dependents in the territory of Slovakia and, in specific situations indicated herein, the presence and activities of U.S. contractors in the territory of Slovakia.
3. The Parties or their Executive Agents shall consult as necessary, but no less than annually, to ensure the proper implementation of this Agreement, including with regard to the details of the activities of U.S. forces in the territory of Slovakia. The Executive Agents shall develop procedures for consultation between their respective representatives on all matters concerning the effective implementation of this Agreement. As appropriate, the Parties or their Executive Agents may enter into implementing agreements or arrangements to carry out the provisions of this Agreement.
ARTICLE 2
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms are hereunder defined:
1. “U.S. forces” means the entity comprising the force and the civilian component, and all property, official U.S. information, equipment, and materiel (including vehicles, vessels, and aircraft operated by or for the United States) of the U.S. Armed Forces present in the territory of Slovakia.
2. “Force” has the meaning set forth in Article I, Paragraph 1(a), of the NATO SOFA.
3. Except as otherwise provided in Article 15 of this Agreement, “civilian component” has the meaning set forth in Article I, Paragraph 1(b), of the NATO SOFA, and also includes: a) employees of non-Slovak, non-commercial organizations who are nationals of the United States of America or ordinarily resident in the territory of the United States and who are not ordinarily resident in the territory of the Slovakia, and who, solely for the purpose of contributing to the welfare, morale, or education of U.S. forces, are accompanying those forces in the territory of Slovakia; and b)