#Syria/#Turkey: A circulated draft proposal for a telecommunications project in northern rural Latakia along the Turkish border, extending to the city of Latakia, reportedly issued by a ministry within the Turkish government. We were unable to verify the authenticity of the draft proposal through independent sources, so we are sharing the translation with you: T.C. ULAŞTIRMA VE ALTYAPI BAKANLIĞI (Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure) SURİYE ARAP CUMHURİYETİ HÜKÜMETİ (Government of the Syrian Arab Republic) INTERGOVERNMENTAL IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT Regarding the Development and Operation of Telecommunication Services in the Northern Latakia Region PREAMBLE The Government of the Republic of Turkey and the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, In line with their will to strengthen economic and technical cooperation, Acknowledging the strategic importance of developing digital infrastructure for economic development, Considering the necessity of applying the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in strategic projects, Have agreed on the following: ARTICLE 1 – SCOPE This Agreement regulates the establishment, operation, and development of telecommunication services in the Northern Latakia region, and covers the development of Türk Telekom's intranet/interior network in the area. Services within scope: Mobile communication networks (2G/3G/4G/5G) Fixed and mobile internet services Fiber optic infrastructure Data transmission services and data centers This Agreement shall be applied without prejudice to the sovereignty and constitutional authorities of the parties. ARTICLE 7 – INFRASTRUCTURE AND OWNERSHIP The establishment and operation of infrastructure belongs to the operating companies. During the contract period, operational ownership belongs to the investors. The final ownership model shall be determined under the Additional Financial Protocol (Annex F). ARTICLE 8 – TECHNICAL STANDARDS International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standards shall be applied. The following targets are mandatory: 4G coverage within 24 months 5G readiness within 36 months Service Level Agreement (SLA): 99.9% availability ARTICLE 9 – DATA SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY A joint cybersecurity center shall be established. Data storage shall only take place within the region. Data transfer is only possible with joint judicial/authority approval. Internationally recognized principles for the protection of personal data (OECD Privacy Guidelines) shall serve as the basis.