AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST
REPUBLICS ON THE PREVENTION OF INCIDENTS ON AND OVER THE HIGH
SEAS
Signed at Moscow May 25, 1972
Entered into force May 25, 1972
The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics,
Desiring to assure the safety of navigation of the ships of their respective armed forces on the
high seas and flight of their military aircraft over the high seas, and
Guided by the principles and rules of international law,
Have decided to conclude this Agreement and have agreed as follows:
Article I
For the purpose of this Agreement, the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Ship" means:
(a) A warship belonging to the naval forces of the Parties bearing the external marks
distinguishing warships of its nationality, under the command of an officer duly commissioned
by the government and whose name appears in the Navy list, and manned by a crew who are
under regular naval discipline;
(b) Naval auxiliaries of the Parties, which include all naval ships authorized to fly the naval
auxiliary flag where such a flag has been established by either Party.
2. "Aircraft" means all military manned heavier-than-air and lighter-than-air craft, excluding
space craft.
3. "Formation" means an ordered arrangement of two or more ships proceeding together and
normally maneuvered together.
Article II
The Parties shall take measures to instruct the commanding officers of their respective ships to
observe strictly the letter and spirit of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at
Sea, hereinafter referred to as the Rules of the Road. The Parties recognize that their freedom to
conduct operations on the high seas is based on the principles established under recognized
international law and codified in the 1958 Geneva Convention on the High Seas.
Article III
1. In all cases ships operating in proximity to each other, except when required to maintain
course and speed under the Rules of the Road, shall remain well clear to avoid risk of collision.
2. Ships meeting or operating in the vicinity of a formation of the other Party shall, while
conforming to the Rules of the Road, avoid maneuvering in a manner which would hinder the
evolutions of the formation.
3. Formations shall not conduct maneuvers through areas of heavy traffic where internationally
recognized traffic separation schemes are in effect.
4. Ships engaged in surveillance of other ships shall stay at a distance which avoids the risk of
collision and also shall avoid executing maneuvers embarrassing or endangering the ships under
surveillance. Except when required to maintain course and speed under the Rules of the Road, a
surveillant shall take positive early action so as, in the exercise of good seamanship, not to
embarrass or endanger ships under surveillance.
5. When ships of both Parties maneuver in sight of one another, such signals (flag, sound, and
light) as are prescribed by the Rules of the Road, the International Code of Signals, or other
mutually agreed signals, shall be adhered to for signalling operations and intentions.
6. Ships of the Parties shall not simulate attacks by aiming guns, missile launchers, torpedo
tubes, and other weapons in the direction of a passing ship of the other Party, not launch any
object in the direction of passing ships of the other Party, and not use searchlights or other
powerful illumination devices to illuminate the navigation bridges of passing ships of the other
Party.
7. When conducting exercises with submerged submarines, exercising ships shall show the
appropriate signals prescribed by the International Code of Signals to warn ships of the presence
of submarines in the area.
8. Ships of one Party when approaching ships of the other Party conducting operations as set
forth in Rule 4 (c) of the Rules of the Road, and particularly ships engaged in launching or
landing aircraft as well as ships engaged in replenishment underway, shall take appropriate
measures not to hinder maneuvers of such ships and shall remain well clear.
Article IV
Commanders of aircraft of the Parties shall use the greatest caution and prudence in approaching
aircraft and ships of the other Party operating on and over the high seas, in particular, ships
engaged in launching or landing aircraft, and in the interest of mutual safety shall not permit:
simulated attacks by the simulated use of weapons against aircraft and ships, or performance of
various aerobatics over ships, or dropping various objects near them in such a manner as to be
hazardous to ships or to constitute a hazard to navigation.
Article V
1. Ships of the Parties operating in sight of one another shall raise proper signals concerning their
intent to begin launching or landing aircraft.
2. Aircraft of the Parties flying over the high seas in darkness or under instrument conditions
shall, whenever feasible, display navigation lights.
Article VI
Both Parties shall:
1. Provide through the established system of radio broadcasts of information and warning to
mariners, not less than 3 to 5 days in advance as a rule, notification of actions on the high seas
which represent a danger to navigation or to aircraft in flight.
2. Make increased use of the informative signals contained in the International Code of Signals to
signify the intentions of their respective ships when maneuvering in proximity to one another. At
night, or in conditions of reduced visibility, or under conditions of lighting and such distances
when signal flags are not distinct, flashing light should be used to inform ships of maneuvers
which may hinder the movements of others or involve a risk of collision.
3. Utilize on a trial basis signals additional to those in the International Code of Signals,
submitting such signals to the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization for its
consideration and for the information of other States.
Article VII
The Parties shall exchange appropriate information concerning instances of collision, incidents
which result in damage, or other incidents at sea between ships and aircraft of the Parties. The
United States Navy shall provide such information through the Soviet Naval Attache in
Washington and the Soviet Navy shall provide such information through the United States Naval
Attache in Moscow.
Article VIII
This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of its signature and shall remain in force for a
period of three years. It will thereafter be renewed without further action by the Parties for
successive periods of three years each.
This Agreement may be terminated by either Party upon six months written notice to the other
Party.
Article IX
The Parties shall meet within one year after the date of the signing of this Agreement to review
the implementation of its terms. Similar consultations shall be held thereafter annually, or more
frequently as the Parties may decide.
Article X
The Parties shall designate members to form a Committee which will consider specific measures
in conformity with this Agreement. The Committee will, as a particular part of its work, consider
the practical workability of concrete fixed distances to be observed in encounters between ships,
aircraft, and ships and aircraft. The Committee will meet within six months of the date of
signature of this Agreement and submit its recommendations for decision by the Parties during
the consultations prescribed in Article IX.
DONE in duplicate on the 25th day of May 1972 in Moscow in the English and Russian
languages each being equally authentic.
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
John W. Warner
Secretary of the Navy
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS:
Sergei G. Gorshkov
Commander-in-Chief of the Navy
PROTOCOL TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF
SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS ON THE PREVENTION OF INCIDENTS ON AND
OVER THE HIGH SEAS SIGNED MAY 25, 1972
Signed at Washington May 22, 1973
Entered into force May 22, 1973
The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics, herein referred to as the Parties,
Having agreed on measures directed to improve the safety of navigation of the ships of their
respective armed forces on the high seas and flight of their military aircraft over the high seas,
Recognizing that the objectives of the Agreement may be furthered by additional understandings,
in particular concerning actions of naval ships and military aircraft with respect to the
non-military ships of each Party,
Further agree as follows:
Article I
The Parties shall take measures to notify the non-military ships of each Party on the provisions of
the Agreement directed at securing mutual safety.
Article II
Ships and aircraft of the Parties shall not make simulated attacks by aiming guns, missile
launchers, torpedo tubes and other weapons at non-military ships of the other Party, nor launch
nor drop any objects near non-military ships of the other Party in such a manner as to be
hazardous to these ships or to constitute a hazard to Navigation.
Article III
This Protocol will enter into force on the day of its signing and will be considered as an integral
part of the Argument between the Government of the United States of America and the
Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Prevention of Incidents On and
Over the High Seas which was signed in Moscow on May 25, 1972.
DONE on the 22nd of May, 1973 in Washington, in two copies, each in the English and the
Russian language, both texts having the same force.
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
J.P. Weinel
Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS:
Alekseyev, Admiral