I. PURPOSE:

This protocol regulates the essentials and procedures relating to the mountaineering activities of the foreign national citizens for tourism and sportive activity purposes at the mountains located within the military restricted areas and security zones in our country.

II. SCOPE:

This protocol covers the foreign nationals whom will ascend to mountains located within the military restricted areas and security zones with the tourism and sportive activity purposes and relevant transactions and activities relating herewith.

III. THE PARTIES:

The Parties to this protocol is as set forth below;
-Prime Ministry
-General Staff
-Ministry of Interior
-Ministry of Foreign Affairs
-Ministry of Culture and Tourism
-Ministry of Environment and Forestry
-Undersecretariat of National Intelligence Agency
-Mountaineering Federation of Turkey

IV. STATUTORY BASIS:

- 5442 numbered Law on Provincial Administration,
- 3289 numbered Law on Organization and Functions of General Directorate of Youth and
  Sports,
- 2565 numbered Law on Military Restricted Areas and Security Zones,
- Regulation on Military Restricted Areas and Security Zones passed on the basis of 2565
  numbered Law and relevant Circulars,
- 5682 numbered Passport Law,
- 5683 numbered Law on Habitation and Travels of Foreign Nationals in Turkey.
- Regulation on Mountain Hosting entered into force upon publication in 20.10.2004 dated and
  25619 numbered Official Journal,
- 4915 numbered Regulation on Conservation of Games and Wild Animals and their Habitat
  and Essentials and Procedures for Contention with Pestilent.

V. PROVISIONS CONCERNING IMPLEMENTATION:

1. Mountaineering activities of foreign national citizens in our country at the mountains under the scope of 2565 numbered Law on Military Restricted Areas and Security Zones are subject to authorization within the frame of Essentials and procedures set forth in the 9th article of Regulation on Military Restricted Areas and Security Zones.

a) As regards the applications of foreign national citizens filed to foreign representative offices or filed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through their own representative offices within our country, the body receiving the request communicates the filed application to the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Undersecretariat of National Intelligence Agency and Governorships of Ağrı and Iğdır, as accompanied with their opinion on this matter.

b) In case the travel agencies wishes to accompany foreign nationals to the areas under this protocol within the context of a tour with tourism and sports purposes, their relevant requests are communicated to the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Undersecretariat of National Intelligence Agency and Governorships of Ağrı and Iğdır through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

c) As regards the international organizations to be organized by Mountaineering federation of Turkey, the said Federation files and notifies the foregoing organizational request to Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Undersecretariat of National Intelligence Agency and Governorships of Ağrı and Iğdır.
In order to conclude the applications of any individual and organizations as set forth in the foregoing paragraphs in a swift manner, the said individuals and organizations must file their authorization requests at least two months prior to the organization, if application is filed abroad; and at least one month prior to the organization, if the application is filed domestically, and must obtain suitable visa. The foreign nationals holding a residence permit in Turkey, valid for at least 6 months are not subject to the suitable visa stipulation.

The Ministry of Interior, Undersecretariat of National Intelligence Agency and Governorships of Ağrı and Iğdır examines and evaluates the applications filed (the Governorships of Ağrı and Iğdır takes advice from the Garrison Command prior to notification of its opinion) and communicates their opinion relating to the foreign nationals, whose mountaineering requests are considered not appropriate, to the requesting body and Ministry of Foreign Affairs within 15 workdays for further action, moreover the other relevant bodies are also informed of the opinion.

2. The foreign national citizens to ascend to mountains located within military restricted areas and security zones under this protocol are obliged to strictly observe the particularities communicated themselves in accordance with the statutory arrangements set forth in the statutory basis section of this protocol.

a) The particularities that the foreign national must observe shall be contained in the context of permission and conformity with such particularities shall be followed by civil authorities established in the region where the mountains under the scope of this protocol are located.

b) In case the foreign nationals in question fail to observe the particularities specified in the protocol, despite all notifications, the requests of such foreign nationals relating to similar activities in our country shall not be taken into consideration.

c) The foreign national citizens are entitled to maintain the following technical equipment and materials other than the mountaineering, climbing, main camp, health care, alimentation and personal materials, should the foreign nationals declare that they shall not conduct any scientific researches and shall not make use of the same  for gathering information and materials for commercial, political and strategic intelligence purposes in the course of ascent to mountain and be subject to control by civil authorities upon their return, as the case may be.
- Photograph, amateur film and video shooting cameras, 
- Radio apparatus of standard wavelengths and of commercial type, 
- Voice recording band (tape) 
- The radio permitted by Ministry of Communications General Directorate of Radio, 
- Binoculars with maximum 6x30 magnification rate, not able to perform distance
  measurement,
- Mountaineering equipment such as altimeter, compass, GPS used for navigation.

d) In case one or more of the foreign nationals engaged with the mountaineering activity fails to observe the essentials set forth in the 2nd article, although subject to prior notification regarding the same, the mountain host shall undertake necessary initiatives for cancellation of the mountaineering activity and ensure the foreign nationals to descend from the mountain.

e) As it is extremely difficult to distinguish the devices equipped with day/night sighting systems able to spy extreme distances currently used for civilian and military purposes from normal photograph cameras, the persons to perform mountaineering activities for tourism and sportive purposes are not allowed to possess and maintain all devices operating with electronic, electromagnetic, optical, seismic and infrared systems other than the devices set forth in subparagraph (c) of 2nd article.

f) The persons with desire to ascend to the mountains located within military restricted areas and security zones in order to conduct scientific research and study and shoot films shall be subject to the 04.04.1988/12839 numbered Resolution of the Council of Ministers concerning "the Essentials that the Foreign Nationals Wishing to Conduct Scientific Research and Studies and Shoot Films in Turkey or the Applicants Filing Application On Behalf of the Foreign Nationals and the Foreign members of the Press shall be subject to”, 2863 numbered Law on “Conservation of Culture and Natural Assets” and its regulations and the "Collaboration Protocol for Research Projects on Noah’s Ark in Mount Ararat” (currently in draft form.) (Determination of the cultural aspects of Mount Ararat shall be conducted by Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums.)

3. Regardless of the purpose of the mountaineering activities by the foreign nationals at the mountains under this protocol, the foreign nationals must be accompanied by a mountain host commissioned and authorized by Mountaineering Federation of Turkey. The Mountaineering Federation of Turkey shall designate the index of names of the mountain hosts to be commissioned and submits the same to relevant authorities. In case of any amendments at the said index, the Federation informs such authorities as soon as possible.

a) Commissioning of Mountain Host:
Commissioning of a mountain host is performed on the following basis; for services offered at mountains with altitude exceeding 3500 meters, one mountain host per group comprising of maximum 12 persons and for services offered at mountains with altitude exceeding 4000 meters, one mountain host per group comprising of maximum 8 persons.

b) Commissioning of a mountain host by the Mountaineering Federation of Turkey is concluded by the Ministry of Interior as soon as possible, pursuant to communication of such any application.

c) Functions and responsibilities of the mountain host;
The mountain hosts liabilities are as follows;
- Maintain control over the activities of the foreign nationals within the essentials set forth in           the 2nd article,
- Notify local security forces with respect to the dates of departure for and arrival from the
  mountaineering activities and the ID particulars of the persons to attend the activity and to act
  accordingly after notification of the conclusion,
- Draft the situation report concerning the activity in four copies after every descend and
  present one copy to local security forces and the remaining copies to the Mountaineering
  Federation of Turkey, in order to be communicated to relevant authorities,
- Ascend the hosted individuals to the mountain in a safe manner with respect to
 mountaineering technique and return the same within the mountaineering discipline.

d) The foreign national citizens ascending to mountains as accompanied by mountain hosts commissioned by the Mountaineering Federation of Turkey are charged with 50.-USD or equivalent YTL ascension fee per capita. The fee is deposited to the following accounts opened on behalf of Mountaineering Federation of Turkey; 2000723 numbered YTL account or 4000722 numbered USD account opened at Türkiye Vakıflar Bankası T.A.O. GSGM Office. The deposited cash is used for expenditures concerning materials, communication and safety relating to ascension to mountains under this protocol, for office services and other long term services such as construction of search and rescue stations at the mountains, etc. within the frame of the law.

The foreign nationals attending to the activities present on the official program of the Mountaineering Federation of Turkey and the international activities organized on furlough, and the foreign nationals invited to activities within the frame of mutual contacts of official authorities of Turkish Republic with other States are not subject to mountain ascension fee. 

4. Wage of the Mountain Host:

a) Per Diem of a mountain host is 150.-USD or corresponding YTL equivalent. The per diem might be subject to rearrangement by Mountaineering Federation of Turkey, should the conditions change and provided not to be less than once per year. As regards the ascension of groups to be organized by tourism agencies, the wage of the host shall be paid by the tourism agency. If personal ascensions are in question, the wage shall be paid by the concerned person.

b) The wage of the host is calculated on the basis of days spent on the mountain. The normal ascension period is minimum four days and can cover longer periods.

5. The mountain host applies to the local Police Authority or the Gendarmerie Headquarters together with the passports of the foreign nationals, as designated by the Governorship and following a final coordination with the Garrison Command regarding the payment of ascension fee and any extraordinary situations such as shooting practices, drills, fire, etc. that could occur in the region and final checks on other transactions, the team is taken over by the mountain host.

6. Ascensions to Big and Little Ararat Mountain;

a) Ascensions to Big Ararat;
Ascensions to Big Mt. Ararat are performed by following the routes given below
(1) Doğubeyazıt / Topçatan Village - Eli ranch, or
(2) Iğdır / Korhan Upland Meadow - Küp Lake.

b) Solely the North – West route is used for ascensions to Little Ararat Mountain. Ascension from Eastern facade is not permitted.

c) The foregoing restrictions are not applicable to the Turkish Citizens, except for the extraordinary situations, that is to say that, the citizens of Turkish Republic might climb to the mountain from the facade located within the borders of Kars and Iğdır provinces.
However, only the aforementioned route can be used for Little Ararat Mountain.

7. The local authorities such as Police Authority and Gendarmerie Headquarters liable from conclusion of the mountain ascension transactions execute mountain ascension transactions also during weekends and holidays.

8. Communication:
The local Gendarmerie Headquarters or the Police Authority and the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports maintain radios permitted by 2813 numbered Law on Radios and licensed by the Ministry of Communications in order to ensure provision of necessary aid and assistance, should any undesirable situations occur.

9. Ascension period:
The ascension period covers 12 months of a year.

10. This protocol is implemented and executed by the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Environment and Forestry and the Minister of the State responsible from Youth and Sports. 

Application Form For Mountaineering