TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES 02-502

________________________________________________________________________

DEFENSE

Agreement Between the

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

and FRANCE

Effected by Exchange of Notes

Dated at Paris April 15 and May 2, 2002
 NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE

 Pursuant to Public Law 89—497, approved July 8, 1966

(80 Stat. 271; 1 U.S.C. 113)—

“. . .the Treaties and Other International Acts Series issued

under the authority of the Secretary of State shall be competent

evidence . . . of the treaties, international agreements other than

treaties, and proclamations by the President of such treaties and

international agreements other than treaties, as the case may be, 

therein contained, in all the courts of law and equity and of maritime

jurisdiction, and in all the tribunals and public offices of the

United States, and of the several States, without any further proof

or authentication thereof.”
FRANCE

Defense

Agreement effected by exchange of notes 

 Dated at Paris April 15 and May 2, 2002; 

 Entered into force May 2, 2002.
No. 178

The Embassy of the United States of America presents its

compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the French

Republic and has the honor to refer to recent discussions

between the representatives of our two governments concerning

activities of French Armed Forces in the United States and

U.S. Armed Forces in France. In the framework of our common

defense efforts and in application of Article VIII of the

Agreement Between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty

Regarding the Status of Forces signed in London on June 19,

1951 (NATO SOFA), the Embassy proposes on behalf of the

Government of the United States of America, the following:

1 The NATO SOFA applies to members of the United States

force and its civilian component, as defined therein,

when they are in the territory of metropolitan France

in connection with their official duties.

2 The NATO SOFA applies to members of the French force

and its civilian component, as defined therein, when

they are in the territory of the United States in

connection with their official duties.

3 Claims arising from the activities related to the

Official duties of either Party's visiting force or

civilian component when in the territory of the other

Party as referred to above, including claims arising

from activities supported by a contract or agreement for

the provision of goods and services, shall be settled in

accordance with Article VIII of the NATO SOFA.

DIPLOMATIC NOTE
4. Without prejudice to the aforesaid paragraph 3, claims

arising from the provision of goods and services pursuant

to a contract or agreement shall be settled in accordance

with the terms of such contract or agreement.

If the aforementioned proposals are acceptable to the

government of France, the Embassy proposes that this note and

the Ministry's reply shall constitute an agreement between the

two governments, which shall enter into force on the date of

the Ministry's reply.

The Embassy of the United States avails itself of this

opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the

French Republic the assurances of its highest consideration.

(IV

JOANNA G. MELVit ILE

Consular Associate

Embassy of the United States of America,

Paris, April 15, 2002.
U.S. Department of State

Office of Language Services

Translating Division

LS No. 05-2002-0037

HKE

French

Ministry of Foreign Affairs French Republic

Bureau of Political and Security Affairs

No. ASP/850 May 2, 2002

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United

States of America and has the honor to refer to its note verbale of April 15, 2002, which reads as

follows:

[The French translation of the Embassy's note has been examined by a responsible

language officer of this division and found to agree in all substantive respects with the

original English text. See U.S. Note for Text.]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the honor to inform the Embassy of the United States

of America that the Government of the French Republic concurs with the foregoing provisions

and avails itself of this opportunity to renew to it the assurances of its high consideration.

[Initialed]

[Ministry stamp]
MINISTERE REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE

DES

AFFA IRF,S ETRANGERES

Direction Generale des Affaires politiques

et de Securite

N° ASP / 850

Le Ministêre des Affaires Etrangêres presente ses compliments a

l'Ambassade des Etats-Unis d'Amerique et a l'honneur de se referer a sa note

verbale du 15 avril 2002, dont la teneur est la suivante :

«Dans le cadre de nos efforts communs de defense et en application de

l'article VIII de la Convention entre les Etats parties au Traite de l'Atlantique Nord

sur le statut de leurs forces, sign& a Londres le 19 juin 1951 (SOFA OTAN),

l'Ambassade propose les dispositions suivantes, au nom du gouvernement des EtatsUnis d'Amerique :

1. Le SOFA OTAN s'applique aux membres de la force des Etats-Unis et a son

element civil, tels que &finis dans cette convention, lorsqu'ils se trouvent

sur le territoire metropolitain de la France pour l'execution du service.

2. Le SOFA OTAN s'applique aux membres de la force francaise et a son

element civil, tels que &finis dans cette convention, lorsqu'ils se trouvent

sur le territoire des Etats-Unis pour l'execution du service.

3. Les demandes d'indemnites pour les dommages resultant des activites

officielles de la force ou de Pelement civil de l'Etat d'origine lorsqu'ils sont

sur le territoire de l'autre partie tel que mentionne ci-dessus, y compris les

demandes d'indemnites pour les dommages resultant d'activites qui font

l'objet d'un contrat ou d'un accord de fourniture de biens et de services, sont

reglees conformement a Particle VIII du SOFA OTAN.
■1')

-2-

4. Sans prejudice de ce qui precede au paragraphe 3. ci-dessus, les reclamations

portant sur la fourniture de biens et de services dans le cadre d'un contrat ou

d'un accord sont reglees conformement aux termes de ce contrat ou accord.

Si les propositions mentionnees ci-dessus sont acceptables pour le

gouvemement de la France, l'Ambassade propose que cette note et la reponse du

Ministere constituent un accord entre les deux gouvemements, qui entre en vigueur

a la date de la reponse du Ministêre».

Le Ministêre des Affaires Etrangêres a l'honneur de faire savoir

l'Ambassade des Etats-Unis d'Amerique que les dispositions qui precedent

rencontrent l'agrement du Gouvemement de la Republique francaise et saisit -cette

occasion pour lui renouveler les assurances de sa haute consideration".