GENERAL CLEARANCE INFORMATION:

• All clearance requests submitted to the U.S. Department of State must use U.N. Draft Standard Form A (available on website listed above), unless otherwise indicated on the website.
• Requests must be submitted to the clearance country by the U.S. Department of State six months in advance of the start date of the cruise.
• All requests must be forwarded to the U.S. Department of State by the ship operator. Subsequent information regarding a request must always reference the U.S. Department of State File #.
• All communications to the clearance country regarding the clearance request must be made through the U.S. Department of State.
• It is highly recommended that P.I.s/Chief Scientists make every effort to collaborate with scientists and research institutions of the clearance country prior to the submittal of the clearance request. These collaborations should be highlighted in your request documentation.

RUSSIAN CLEARANCES:

The table below lists all recorded vessel clearance requests to date. Higlighted items indicate approval.

File #	Name	State	Request Date	Cruise Start Date	Approval Document	Approval Date	Denial Date
2001-127	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	12/18/2001	06/20/2002	Pending
2001-115	MILLER FREEMAN	Russia	11/8/2001	06/07/2002	Pending
2001-014	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	2/3/2001	09/04/2001	NO RESPONSE		11/14/2001
2001-031	POLAR SEA	Russia	3/22/2001	08/06/2001	Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note (MOSCOW 7938)		07/05/2001
2000-098	JOIDES RESOLUTION	Russia	10/12/2000	07/01/2001	Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note		05/21/2001
1999-125	MILLER FREEMAN	Russia	12/27/1999	06/07/2000	REQUEST DENIED		06/02/2000
1998-120	MILLER FREEMAN	Russia	12/7/1998	06/15/1999	NO RESPONSE		06/22/1999
1998-114	ROGER REVELLE	Russia	11/13/1998	05/01/1999	Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Diplomatic Note No. 2042/DSA	05/19/1999
1997-004	MILLER FREEMAN	Russia	1/10/1997	07/15/1997	REQUEST DENIED		07/29/1997
1996-005	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	2/1/1996	08/26/1996	REQUEST DENIED - Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note No. 2407/DSA		06/10/1996
1996-031	MILLER FREEMAN	Russia	4/6/1996	07/17/1996	REQUEST DENIED - Amembassy Moscow Telegram No. 23094		08/16/1996
1995-144	ALPHA HELIX	Russia		07/01/1996	REQUEST CANCELLED	02/07/1996
1996-017	SILAS BENT	Russia	2/28/1996	05/31/1996	REQUEST CANCELLED	04/25/1996
1995-009	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	1/18/1995	09/05/1995	Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note No. 2556	06/07/1995
1994-125	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	12/14/1994	08/20/1995	Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note No. 2556	06/07/1995
1993-111	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	11/20/1993	10/14/1994	REQUEST CANCELLED	05/18/1994
1994-024	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	3/14/1994	10/14/1994	REQUEST CANCELLED	05/18/1994
1993-120	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	12/17/1993	09/10/1994	Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note No. 2589/DSA	07/15/1994
1993-125	MAURICE EWING	Russia	1/6/1994	08/06/1994	Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note No. 2589/DSA	07/15/1994
1993-110	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	11/20/1993	08/01/1994	REQUEST CANCELLED	05/18/1994
1994-003	SURVEYOR	Russia	1/13/1994	07/12/1994	REQUEST DENIED		06/27/1994
1993-109	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	11/20/1993	07/09/1994	REQUEST CANCELLED	05/18/1994
1993-119	MILLER FREEMAN	Russia	12/17/1993	07/04/1994	Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note No. 2386/DSA	07/01/1994
1994-046	AIRCRAFT (NOAA)	Russia	5/19/1994	06/23/1994	REQUEST DENIED Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note No. 2287/DSA		06/28/1994
1993-108	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	11/20/1993	05/03/1994	REQUEST DENIED		04/29/1994
1993-019	ALPHA HELIX	Russia		10/12/1993	?
1993-018	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	2/11/1993	09/09/1993	Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note No. 2691/DSA	08/05/1993
1993-017	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	2/11/1993	06/09/1993	REQUEST DENIED - Amembassy Moscow Telegram No. 14977		05/20/1993
1992-080	MILLER FREEMAN	Russia	6/25/1992	01/15/1993	Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Diplomatic Note No. 3338/DSA	09/18/1992
1992-024	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	3/5/1992	09/16/1992	Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Diplomatic Note No. 2963/DSA	08/20/1992
1992-001	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	1/8/1992	08/17/1992	Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Diplomatic Note No. 2302/DSA	06/26/1992
1992-006	JOHN V. VICKERS	Russia	1/23/1992	08/03/1992	Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Diplomatic Note No. 2302/DSA	06/26/1992
1992-002	ALPHA HELIX	Russia	1/8/1992	07/15/1992	?

Recent activities in fisheries negotiations with the Russian government have provided further bargaining potential for our two most recent Russian clearance requests. Despite our having given them $1million several years ago to retrofit a Russian research vessel to do joint research with a NOAA vessel, they have consistently denied/ignored our request to do research in their waters. Their most recent request to fish in the U.S. EEZ will spawn further discussion on reciprocity, especially in the area of vessels clearances.

In December, individuals within Russian government expressed a desire to renew a U.S.-Russian Oceans agreement (under the Science & Technology umbrella agreement). This agreement was originally established in 1990 and lapsed in 1995. Dr. Norman Neureiter, Science Advisor to the Secretary of State, has met with Russia Ministry of Science and Technology Deputy Minister Kirpichnikov to discuss the potential for a renewed U.S.-Russian S&T cooperation. However, the Department of State is seeking further Russian commitment to this Oceans agreement initiative, which may address marine scientific vessel access to the Arctic Ocean.

In addition, we have also been working with our Embassy in Moscow to determine whether or not Russian practice is as their policy indicates. Government of the Russian Federation Document 246, Paragraph 16 states:

In case if in the course of 4 months from the date of getting the Letter of Inquiry by the federal body of executive power on science and technology the declarant has not got at least one document subscribed by item ≥b≤ of point 11 of the present Rules [a refusal, a request for additional information, or an approval], declarant has the right to start marine research in 6 months period from the date of application of the Letter of Inquiry in accordance with the laws and international agreements of the Russian Federation, generally recognized principles and standards of the international law.

This paragraph follows from (1) the implied consent regime (Article 252) of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which Russia is a party, (2) article 24 of the Russian Federal Law on the Continental Shelf of the Russian Federation, 25 October 1995, and (3) article 20 of the Russian Federation Act on the Exclusive Economic Zone, 2 December 1998.

NORWAY CLEARANCES:

I am currently working with our Embassy in Oslo to assess the port of Spitsbergen /Svalbard Is. for future HEALY (WACB-20) science missions. 100% success rate. No clearances are pending

File #	Name	State	Request Date	Cruise Start Date	Approval Document	Approval Date	Denial Date
2001-112	KNORR	Norway	11/8/2001	05/08/2002	Directorate of Fisheries Fax Note 4317/01	01/10/2002
1994-121	SEDCO/BP 471	Norway	12/13/1994	07/08/1995	Norwegian Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Note	05/10/1995
1994-047	HEALEY	Norway	5/26/1994	06/27/1994	Norwegian Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs Note	06/22/1994
1994-067	KANE	Norway	6/13/1994	06/02/1994	CANCELLED	07/25/1994
1990-052	BARTLETT	Norway	5/31/1990	09/06/1990	?
2001-029	HEALY (WACB-20)	Svalbard	3/19/2001	10/07/2001	Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs	09/18/2001
1993-001	SEDCO/BP 471	Svalbard	1/16/1993	07/30/1993	Amembassy Oslo Telegram No. 3286	06/16/1993

GREENLAND (DENMARK) CLEARANCES:

Special form required (contact Liz Tirpak). 100% success rate. Below clearances are pending:

File #	Name	State	Request Date	Cruise Start Date	Approval Document	Approval Date	Denial Date
2002-003	OCEANUS	Greenland	1/15/2002	08/03/2002
2002-002	KNORR	Greenland	1/10/2002	07/29/2002
2001-112	KNORR	Greenland	11/8/2001	05/08/2002

ICELAND CLEARANCES:

100% success rate. Below clearances are pending:

File #	Name	State	Request Date	Cruise Start Date	Approval Document	Approval Date	Denial Date
2002-003	OCEANUS	Iceland	1/15/2002	08/03/2002
2002-002	KNORR	Iceland	1/10/2002	07/29/2002
2001-112	KNORR	Iceland	11/8/2001	05/08/2002

Drafted:           OES/OA: LTirpak

Cleared:          OES/OA: RArnaudo              L/OES: ARoach

                     OES/OA: HCohen                OES/PCI: BMcCreight