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May 04, 2009

The Government of the Republic of the Philippines, and Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, Hereinafter referred to singularly as the "Contracting Party" collectively as the "Contracting Parties",

CONSIDERING the interest of both countries to strengthen their friendly relations, and

DESIRING to facilitate the entry of the citizens of the Republic of the Philippines and the citizens of the Syrian Arab Republic who are holders of diplomatic or official passports into country of the other contracting party,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

ARTICLE 1

The terms applying in this Agreement have the following meanings:

"Diplomatic passports": the diplomatic passports Republic of the Philippines and the diplomatic passports Syrian Arab Republic;

"Official passports": the official passports of the Republic of the Philippines and the service and special passports Syrian Arab Republic.

ARTICLE 2

1- A citizen of the state of either Contracting Party, who Is in possession of a valid diplomatic or official passport, shall be permitted to enter into, exit form and transit through the territory of the other Contracting Party, through the international points of entry / exit, without visas.

2- A citizen of the state of either Contracting Party, holding valid diplomatic or official passport, shall be allowed to stay in the territory of the other Contracting Party for the maximum period of sixty (60) days without a visa.

ARTICLE 3

1- A citizen of the state of one Contracting Party, holder of a valid diplomatic or official passport, assigned to a diplomatic or consular mission located in the other Contracting Party or accredited to the ministry of foreign affairs of that Party may stay in the territory of that Party without a visa during the entire period of his / her accreditation and shall be granted, upon the request of the diplomatic mission / consular post concerned within (60) days of the arrival of diplomatic / official passports of holder, a residence visa for the period of his/ her official stay.

2- A citizen of the state of one Contracting Party being the representative of his / her country in an international organization located in the territory of the other Contracting Party holding one of the said passports shall enjoy the same privileges mentioned in paragraph 1 of this Article.

3- The holders of diplomatic or official passports of the state of either contracting party, who are employed by an international organization, body, agency or any similar entity, would be required to obtain a visa prior to their entry into the territory of the state of other Contracting Party for official or private visits.

4- The privileges enumerated in paragraph 1 and 2 of this Article apply to spouses of the members of the diplomatic or consulate mission or the representatives to an international organization, their children and their dependent parents provided that they hold diplomatic or official passports, or when children's names are included in their father's or mother's passports.

ARTICLE 4

1- A citizen of the state of either Contracting Party, who is in possession of a valid a diplomatic or an official passport and wishes to attend a meeting or a conference convened by an international organization or a Government in the territory of the other Contracting Party shall not be required to obtain a visa to enter and stay in the territory of the other Contracting Party.

2- Each Contracting Party will notify the other through diplomatic channels prior to the date of entrance and the assignment of the persons mentioned in paragraph 1 of this Article.

ARTICLE 5

A Citizen of the state of a Contracting Party being holder of a diplomatic, or an official passport shall abide by the laws and regulations of the other contracting party while crossing its borders and throughout the duration of stay in its territory.

ARTICLE 6

1- Each contracting party reserves the right to refuse the entry into or shorten the duration of sra in its territory, of any citizen of the other contracting party, whom it may consider undesirable.

2- If a citizen of the state of one Contracting Party loses his / her passport in the territory of the other Contracting Party, he / she shall inform the concerned authorities of the host country to take the appropriate action. The diplomatic mission or the concerned consulate will issue a new passport or travel document to its citizen and inform the concerned authorities of the host country.

ARTICLE 7

Each contracting party reserves the right for reasons of security, public order, or public health, to suspend temporarily, either in whole or in part, the implementation of this agreement, which shall take effect 48 hours after a notification has been given to the other contracting party through diplomatic channels.

ARTICLE 8

1- The present Agreement can be supplemented or amended by mutual consent of the parties through diplomatic means which include negotiation, consultations and official notes. Any revision or amendment, which has been agreed to by the contracting parties shall come into effect on a date to be mutually agreed upon and shall accordingly form part of this Agreement.

2- Any Dispute between the contracting parties related to the application or interpretation of the present Agreement shall be resolved by consultations or negotiations between the contracting parties without reference to any third party or an international judiciary or arbitration body.

ARTICLE 9

1- For The purposes of this Agreement, each contracting party shall transmit to the other contracting party, through diplomatic channels, specimens of diplomatic and special passports, with the regulations of the use of these passports, at least thirty (30) days before the entry into force of this Agreement.

2- Each contracting party shall notify the other contracting party of any modifications of the mentioned passports and also transmit to the other contracting party, through diplomatic channels, specimens of its new or modified passports, including a detailed description of such documents currently used, at least thirty (30) days before they are brought into force. The new passports shall be accepted from the date of receiving of the modified passport.

ARTICLE 10

1. This Agreement shall enter into force after lapse of 30 (thirty) days from the date of the reception of the last written notification on the fulfillment by the Parties of internal procedures that are necessary for its entry into force.

2. This Agreement is of unlimited duration and shall remain valid unless one of the Parties notifies the other Party in. a written form through diplomatic channels of its decision to terminate it. In this case the present Agreement shall become invalid 30 days after the other, Party has received the said notification.

Done in Damascus on the 4 of May 2009 in two original copies in Arabic and English, both texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence in interpretation, the English text shall prevail.