1959_BLRPG_Admin_Arrangements_Regarding_Sites_in_Ascension_Island.pdf

TREATIES A.ND OTHER IN'TERNATIO~A.I, A.(;TS SERIES 4296

BAHAMAS LONG RANGE PHC>Vl.'.\G GROUND

Administrative Arrangements R~garding

Sites in Ascension Island

Agreement Bet\veen the l - -~ ' \ lNITED :-;TATES OF! !HEIUCA and the UNITED K1"iGDOlU OF

GREAT BRITAIN A.ND l\oRTHEitl\' IRELAND

Effected hy Exchange of Notes Signed at Washington Augu:-;t 24 and 25. 1959

UNITED KINGDOM

Bahamar; Long Hange Proving Ground: Administrative Arrangements llegarding Sites in Ascension Island

Agreement <Jjecied by exchange of notes Signed at Washington August 24 and 25, 1959;

Entered iTUO force Au~ust 25, 1959.

The SeC'retary of Btate to the British Oha1·ge d'Affaires ad interim

Sm:

D8PAR1'1\1ENT OF STATE

·w ASlilNG'I'ON

August 1t4, 1959

I refer to the Agreement signed at "Washington on June 25, 1956 between the Governme-nt of the tJnited Sta.tes of America aud the Gov ernment of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the extension of the Bahamas l.JOng Range Proving Ground by the establislunent of additional sites in Ascension Island[1 for the use of the United States Government. The preamble to that Agreement expresses the desire that details of the practical application of its provisions should be arranged by friendly cooperation and I accordingly give the following undertakings of the United States Government in this JTu'ltter:

Having regard to the limited resources and the geographical posi tion of Ascension Island, t.he Government of the United States and its contractors shaH :

(a) import all material, equipment, supplies or goods .fGr ·use in the establishment~ mtdntenanee or USt~ of the ~inge lt~~ unless otherwise agreed by the Commancling Officer of t11e USAF Missile Test Center and the Government of St. Helena; but rook, sa.nd and other na;turnl building materials on Asce11eion Island may be used as agreed by the Commanding Officer of the United States Air Force Missile Test Center and the Government of St. Helena;

(b) import all consumable stores and food stuffs including :fod der and grain for <lrdt or other animals requi?'ed by the Unitetl States Forces, members of the United States Forces, eivili.a.n

1 TIAS 3603; 7 UST 1999.

46473-59 (1) TIAS 4296

employees of the United StaJns~ contractors of the United Stn.tes and 1~mployee8 of C(mtradm~ uf th~ Fi1ited Sfftt~, uules,; oilwr \\·i:-;l\ ap;l't>l'd by tlw Co111nrnnding Offiee.r of th~ URAF)ITC and the GoYernmcnt of St. Hele.nu ..

The United St ates authorities shaH take steps to ensure that 110• pro :fession shttll be. exercised aud no busin~).ss sh.nH be established by· ..iny member of the Fnited Htates Force.s, u.ny eivilian einployee. of the United States, any <:ontractor of the United States, or any employee of a contractor of 1 he United 8t:ites, with' i.he e."tcuptton o:f institutions tmtlt~r the aeneml (~outrol of the United">:;tates ttuthorities such as Post I•:xclu'mg-e~: X in-y ·Exehnng(>s, (1ommiss~try Stores, C,,ontrRctors' }lesses and Hecreation iJl.cil ities;. Service C1tilis. .cg .. l\.iotion. Pictu.re Services.

All minerals ~mcfai1fiqtHI;-and all rights f'e11t:fii1g thereto and to treasure trove, UJ)Ol1, under, or connected with Ascension Islancl or the waters adjacent tht'reto are reserved to the Government of St. Helena.

The United States nuthoritles shall afford protection to the :fauna nnd flora. of Ascension Island and the waters adjacent thereto and take steps to prohibit the introduction by members of the United States Forces, civilian employees o-f the United States, contractors of t.he United States 01· employeei; of United States contra.ctors, of animal or vegetnble organism::; which nre in th.0 opinion. of the Governo1· of St.

HelmHJ. inim.ieul to the growth nnd existence ofliving animals or plants or which are likely to hec~m1e pests.

AU.fishing within Ascension Isla.nd waters is reservedtotheGove1Tu me11t of St. Helena with the proviso that the Governme1it of St.

Helena. "ill grant permission to the United States Forces to carry out such fishing operations for recreation or :for the purpose, ~f maintain ing the :foo(l supplies of t.lle Unit.ed States Fo:raes\as may be agreed.

The United States authorities will not obstruct the exercise of fish ing privileges within .Ascension Island watet'S insofar a.s may be found compatible with the requirements of the missile test program, and in the oxen·isP of the rights nuder the Agreement referred to in the first lHll~i1brraph of t hjs note will use their best endeavors to avoid damage to fisherit•s in A&:em;ion Island wn.ters.

AH agrii'i11tura} and gn.nlening operations are reserved to the Gov Pr.rn11•nt of ~t. Hele.nu wirh ihe proviso that the Government. of St .

. Helena will ~rm1t. permission to tlte United States Force.'! to cultivate Htwh <U"Pn. ns rnny bt• tigreed for t.he purpose of food production .

.As r<>gm·ds the use of local labor and the <le.termintttion of w~1ge rat~R, persons ordinnrfly resident in Ascension Island or St. Helena ~ha l1 be employt~d on work performed under the Agreement whenever it appears that. they are airaifo.hle and qualified, ancl the ra:te of wages to be paid such persons shall be determined :from t.ime to time by agreeme.nt between the Commanding Officer of usAn:r'l:'c. or his representative, and the appropria.t.e authorities on .Asc.ension -Isfand or St. Helena.

TIAS 4296

.As regards the use of water by t.lw United States Forces or other United States nationals sm·ving on or employed in connection with the Long Range Proving Ground on Ascension Island, water shall only be drawn in such quantities a11d on such conditions as may be agreed between the Government of St. Helena and the Commanding Office:r of the us.\F:M.T<J, or his representative.

If the above undertakings are acceptable to the Government of the United Kingdom, I propose that this note, together with your reply in that sense, shoul<l be regarded as constituting an agreement between the two Governments, which shaH enter into force on the date of your reply and remain in force for the same period as the Agreement referred to above.

Accept, Sir, the renewed assurances of my high consideration.

For the Secretary of State :

IVAN B. WHITE

The Right Honorable THE V1scouNT HooD, C.M.G., B1itish Charge d'Affair& ad interim.

The British Oharg6 d'Affahes ad intmim to the Secretary of State

BRITISH EMBASSY,

w ASBINGTON, D.C.

AugUBt ~5, 1959.

SIR,

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Note of the 24th of August, 1959, which reads as follows:-

"I refer to the Agreement signed at lN ashington on June 25, 1956 between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Unit.ed Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the extension of the Bahamas Long Range Prov~ ing Ground by the establishment of additional sites in Ascension Is~ land for the use of the United States Government. The preamble to that Agre.ement expresses the desire that details of the practical· application of its provisions should be arranged by friendly eoopera~ tion n11d I accordingly give the following undertakings of the United States Government in this matter:

Ifaving regard to the limited resources and the geographical posi tion of Ascension Island, the Goverument of the United States and its contractors shall :

(a) import a1l materiu1, t'qnipment, suppliP.s or goods for use in the estnb1islrn1ent. 11mi11ienance or use of the Han~e area, nn lesl; otherwise agreed hy the Commanding Officer of the l!SJ\.F Misf1ifo Test Center and thC' (fovermnent of St. Hel ena: but ror.k. sand anc1 other naturn1 huilcling nrnt(>rials on .Asc·t•nsion Island may be nse<l n~ ap:reed by tlu~ Comnmndin;t Ofii<·er of the United State~ Air Fon;e Missile Test Cent('r an<l the GoYermnent of St. Helmm;

(h) import all consmnahle st ores and food stuffs including fodder a.nd grnin for draft or other animals required by the United States Forces, members of the United Stat.es Forces, civilian t~mployees of the United StateH, conn·n<:tors of the l!nite<l States nnd employePs of contract.ors of the Un lied States~ un less otherwise agreed by the Comnrn.nding Officer of tlw usAFM'l'C nnd the Government of St. Helena.

The United States authorities slmll take steps to ensure that no profession shall be t'Xercised am1 no busine::.;i:; shn11 be established by any memhf\r of i11H Cnited States Force:;;, auy civilian emp1oyee of the United St.afos, trny contractor of tho United Sttttcs, or any em plo_p'P of :t contractor of the linitecl Statt>8, with the exct>ption <>f institutious m11ler the g<mera1 control of the Unife<l 8tates authori ties :;nch as Post Exchanges, N~n·y Exdurnges, Commissary Stores, ContriF·tor~· MessPs and Heere.at.ion Fnciliti('s, SerYice Clubs or :Mo tion Pi1·turc SPnices.

All minerals and ant.iqnitielS :rnd all rights relating then•to aml to treasure trove, upon, nn<lP1-. or co11neded wit.h J\!'lcension falnrnl or the wat.E>rs adjaceut therPto nre ricserve1.l to the Govm11111ent of 8t.

Helena.

The United StateH anthorities shall afford protection to the fauna.

and flora of Ascension Island and the wat(!rs adjacent thereto and tnke steps to prohibit tlw introduction by members of the United States Forces, civilian employees o:f i.he United Stntes, contractors tif the United 8tatt .; or employees of United States contractors, of animal or vegetable organisms which are in fhe opinion of the Gov e1·n01· of St.. Helena inimical to the growth and existence o:f living animals or p1at1ts or whirh nre likely to become pests .

.A11 fishina within Asceusion Island waters is reserved to the Government ~of St. Hefona with the pl'oviHo that the Government of St. HelE>nn ·will g-r:rnt permission to the United StatE>s Forcx~s to cnrry out such fi:;;hing operntions for recreation or for the purpose of maintaini11g tht' food 81.tpplies of t11P. United States Forces as mny be n.greed.

The United States authorities ·wiH not obstruct the exercise of fishing pi'frih>~ps wiihin As<:'ension falftnd waters insofar as may be fonnrl mmpat ihfo with the reqnirPment.s of the missile test prog;a,111, <rnd in the exercise of the rights under the Agreeme11t referred to in the iirst paragraph of this uotn 'viH use their best en<leavors to avoid dmna.ge to fo,heries in Ascension Island waters.

All agricult.nral and gardening operations are reserved to the Government of St Helena ·with t.he proviso tluit the Government of St. HeJe11a. will grant permission to the United States Forces to cultivate such a.reu, as may be agreed for the purpose of food production.

As regards the use of local labor and the <letermination of wage r11tes, persons ordinarily resident, in Asce11sion Isla.nil or St Helenu.

shall be employed on work performed under t.he AgrE>ement \Vhen ever it appears that. they nre a.rnilabh• and qnalifiE>d, and the rate.

of wages to be paid such persons shalI be determined from time to time hy agreement bebveen the. Commanding Officer of USAFMTG, or his representative, and the appropriate imthorities on Ascension Island or St. Helenu.

As regards the use of water by the United States Forces or other United States nationals servi11g on or employed in connection with t.he Long Hange Proving Ground on Asce11sio11 Island, water shall only bt~ drawn in suth quautit.ies and on such conditions as may be aJ.rreecl bet.ween the Government of St. IIelenit itnd the Commanding Officer of the n8AFMTc, or his reprP.sentative.

If the nhove umlertnkin~,,::; nre fl.cccptahle to the Government of the United l\jngdom, I propose that this note, together with your reply in that. sense. should be regarded as constituting an agreement between the two Governments, which shall enter into force on the date of your reply and remain in force for the same period as the Agreement referre.d to above."

I have the honour to inform you that the above-mentioned under takings are uceeptabfo to the Government of fhe United Kingdom, who Rgree to r<'ga.rd your X ote a11d t.hiH reply as constituting an agree· ment betwC'C'n the two noYernments, which shall have the same dura tion as t.he Ap·eement referred to above.

I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you, Sir, the assur ances of my highest consideration.

Hoon Iler Maje~ty's OJu,,rge d'Affaires

The Honourable

CHRISTIAN A. HERTER,

8e.c'retary of State of the United States, Wa,shington., D.O.