These rules have been prepared in accordance with Articles 27 and 40 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 18 April 1961, Article 35 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 24 April 1963, Articles 4.4.2-4.4.7 of the Security Manual for Safeguarding Civil Aviation against Acts of Unlawful Interference (ICAO Doc. 8973) and provisions of Appendix 35 to that document, Article 43.3 of the Law on Aviation of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 944-IIQ of 24 June 2005, Decision 228 of 21 July 1992 on “The Accession to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations” and Decision 224 of 21 July 1992 on “The Accession to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations” of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

a) General provisions

The Aviation Security Department, a structural unit of the “Azerbaijan Airways” Closed Joint-Stock Company, is responsible for the control over the procedures of ensuring security while sending and receiving the diplomatic or consular pouches (hereinafter referred to as diplomatic pouch) at the civil aviation airports of the Republic of Azerbaijan. 

Receiving or sending diplomatic pouch by the diplomatic missions, consulates and the representations of international organizations (hereinafter referred to as diplomatic missions) in the Azerbaijan Republic is conducted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Diplomatic missions in the Republic of Azerbaijan shall send an official note to the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to receive or send a diplomatic pouch.

The note shall include a detailed information (name, surname, copy of accreditation card issued by the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, contact telephone number) about the representative of the part receiving or sending a diplomatic pouch, the flight number, arrival and departure time, weight of the pouch, number of bags in the pouch, the airline invoice number (registration number or the number of the seal of the diplomatic pouch).

The original of the note shall be submitted to the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 3 (three) business days in advance. In its turn, the State Protocol Department shall send the official information on sending or receiving of the diplomatic pouch to the “Azerbaijan Airways” Closed Joint-Stock Company and respective customs agencies no later than 24 hours after the receipt of the note.

Diplomatic missions sending or receiving the diplomatic pouch should submit the copy of the note on sending/receiving of the diplomatic pouch to the Aviation Security Department of the “Azerbaijan Airways” Closed Joint-Stock Company at least 3 (three) hours before the departure (arrival) of the aircraft carrying diplomatic pouch.

The Security Department representatives provides protection for the diplomatic pouch from the unlawful interference from the moment the control measures are applied for the purpose of security until the departure of the aircraft, or after the arrival of the aircraft until the diplomatic courier receives it.

Every item of the diplomatic pouch must bear visible external marks of its character.

The packages constituting the diplomatic pouch may contain only official documents or articles provided for official use.

If the weight and size of the diplomatic pouch meet the requirements determined by the carrier for the hand luggage and baggage transportation, then the diplomatic pouch, bearing visible external marks of their character and sent (received) by the diplomatic missions in the Azerbaijan Republic, is sent (received) through the lounge for official delegations of the International Airports. If the weight and size of the diplomatic pouch do not meet the requirements determined by the carrier, it is sent (received) only through the cargo terminal.  

The diplomatic pouch is not examined by hand and may not be seized. X-ray scanning in order to ensure the aviation security is made on the basis of mutual agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If the diplomatic pouch contains the articles that can be damaged as a result of X-ray scanning or dangerous objects, additional information thereabout should be included in the note to the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the diplomatic mission, ensuring the compensation for the possible material damage to the air company.

In this case the diplomatic pouch may respectively be exempted from the of X-ray scanning procedures.

The compensation for the damage caused to the air company due to the transportation of the diplomatic pouch that had not undergone the security check, is paid through civic procedures by the respective diplomatic mission sending diplomatic pouch.

In case of sufficient reasons that the pouches contain items, products or equipment, which are prohibited, regulated by the quarantine norms and prohibited for transportation by aircraft according to the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the personnel of the Aviation Security Department of the “Azerbaijan Airways” Closed Joint-Stock Company and the Customs Authorities may offer to open the diplomatic pouch in presence of the official of a diplomatic mission. If this offer is refused, the diplomatic pouch is not allowed to be transported without being opened.

b) Sending and receiving the diplomatic pouch accompanied by the representatives of the diplomatic courier service

The diplomatic courier carrying diplomatic pouch shall enjoy personal immunity and shall not be liable to any form of arrest or detention. The diplomatic courier accompanying a diplomatic pouch and his hand luggage shall be subject to standard examination procedures of aviation security before boarding in a determined way.

In case the representatives of the diplomatic courier service are met or seen off by the diplomatic mission in the lounge for official delegations, the diplomatic note with a request should be sent to the State Protocol Department in advance. The note should indicate the name, surname of the responsible employee of the diplomatic mission, the number of the accreditation card issued by the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the state registration plates of the vehicle. 

The employee of the diplomatic mission should present the accreditation card issued to him by the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while entering the lounge for official delegations.

If the sent diplomatic pouch is accompanied by the diplomatic courier service representatives, the person carrying the diplomatic pouch approaches the lounge for official delegations of international airports. The person carrying the diplomatic pouch presents the passport, air ticket, the cover document to the diplomatic pouch showing the sealed stamp number and the quantity of bags to the personnel of the Aviation Security Department of “Azerbaijan Airways” Closed Joint-Stock Company in the lounge for official delegations. He boards aircraft after the personal security check in accordance with aviation security procedures.

If the sent diplomatic pouch is accompanied by the diplomatic mission personnel as a diplomatic courier, the accreditation card issued to that employee by the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be presented to the personnel of the Aviation Security Department of “Azerbaijan Airways” Closed Joint-Stock Company together with the documents enumerated above. 

If the received diplomatic pouch accompanied by the diplomatic courier service representatives, they are invited to the lounge for official delegations of international airports. The person carrying the diplomatic pouch presents the passport, air ticket, the cover document to the diplomatic pouch showing the sealed stamp number and the quantity of bags to the personnel of the Aviation Security Department of “Azerbaijan Airways” Closed Joint-Stock Company in the lounge for official delegations. He boards aircraft after the personal security check in accordance with aviation security procedures.

If the received diplomatic pouch is accompanied by the diplomatic mission personnel as a diplomatic courier, the accreditation card issued to that employee by the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be presented to the personnel of the Aviation Security Department of “Azerbaijan Airways” Closed Joint-Stock Company together with the documents enumerated above. 

c) Sending or receiving the unaccompanied diplomatic pouch

The transportation of the diplomatic pouch unaccompanied by the representatives of the diplomatic courier service may be carried out with the written consent of the air carrier and in accordance with its regulations by means of being submitted to the captain of the aircraft. An official document with the number of bags comprising the diplomatic pouch is given to the captain of the aircraft, who is not, however, considered to be a courier.

If the diplomatic pouch is sent or received unaccompanied it is necessary to send another note verbale to the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs containing information about the state registration plates of the vehicle of the diplomatic mission so that the vehicle may approach the lounge for official delegations.

If diplomatic pouch is sent or received unaccompanied, an authorized representative of a diplomatic mission, sending the pouch, should present his/her passport, the accreditation card issued by the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the document, authorizing him/her to send the diplomatic pouch, to the personnel of the Aviation Security Department of the Closed Joint-Stock Company “Azerbaijan Airways” at the lounge for official delegations. Then in exchange of his/her identification document that person receives the entrance card with the word “visitor” on it, and accompanied by the Aviation Security Department official he/she approaches the aircraft in order to submit the diplomatic pouch, and after having submitted the diplomatic pouch leaves the premises through the lounge for official delegations.

When the diplomatic pouch, which was sent unaccompanied, is received, an authorized representative of a diplomatic mission, receiving the pouch, should present his/her passport, accreditation card issued by the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the document, authorizing him/her to receive the diplomatic pouch, to the personnel of the Aviation Security Department of the Closed Joint-Stock Company “Azerbaijan Airways” in the lounge for official delegations. After he/she receives the entrance card with the word “visitor” on it in exchange of his/her identification document, he/she, accompanied by the Aviation Security Department official, approaches the aircraft in order to receive the diplomatic pouch. Having received the diplomatic pouch he/she leaves the premises through the lounge for official delegations.

d) Sending and receiving diplomatic pouch through cargo terminal

Independent of its weight and size the diplomatic pouch may be sent or received as cargo. In this case the diplomatic pouch is sent or received through cargo terminal.

When the diplomatic pouch is sent as cargo, the person, sending it, should present his/her passport, accreditation card issued by the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the document authorizing him/her to send the diplomatic pouch to the personnel of the Closed Joint-Stock Company “Azerbaijan Airways” at the cargo terminal in agreement with the air carrier and in accordance with its rules of transportation. After receiving the entrance card with the word “visitor” in exchange of his/her identification document that person accompanied by the Aviation Security Department official submits the diplomatic pouch to the cargo terminal for shipment. After having submitted the pouch that person leaves the cargo terminal.

When the diplomatic pouch is received as cargo, the person who receives the diplomatic pouch should present his/her passport, accreditation card issued by the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the document authorizing him/her to receive the diplomatic pouch to the official of the Closed Joint-Stock Company “Azerbaijan Airways” at the cargo terminal. After having received the entrance card with the word “visitor” in exchange of his/her identification document that person accompanied by the Aviation Security Department official enters the cargo terminal in order to receive the diplomatic pouch. After having received the pouch the person leaves the cargo terminal.

The provisions not reflected in these Rules are noted in Annex 17 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation Organisation.