VI. Constitutional, financial and administrative matters

Amendment of the preamble of the constitution
Amendment of article V of the constitution - committee on fisheries
Increase in the number of council seats
Committees, working parties and panels of experts
Procedures which could be applied in the event of urgent issues arising between council sessions
Independent chairman of the council
Increase in membership of the committee on commodity problems (CCP)
Statutory report on the status of conventions and agreements, and on amendments thereto (article XIV of the constitution)
Relationship agreements with international organization
Statutes and rules of procedure of article VI bodies
Relations with international organizations other than the United Nations and specialized agencies, and granting of consultative status to international nongovernmental organizations
Technical committees of the conference
Convention on the privileges and immunities of tee specialized agencies amendment to annex

Amendment of the preamble of the constitution

398. The Forty-Fourth Session of the Council noted that the draft Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which was before the Twentieth Session on the General Assembly of the United Nations formally recognized the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger.

399. While the FAO Constitution, which set out the purposes, functions and responsibilities of the Organization, clearly Indicated that this was the ultimate aim of all the work of the Organization, the Council considered that the Preamble of the FAO Constitution should not on such a problem be any less specific than the proposed Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

400. The Council, therefore, felt that a statement regarding humanity's right to freedom from hunger should be Inserted in the Preamble of the FAO Constitution.

401. Consequently, the Council, acting in accordance with the provisions of Article XX of the Constitution, proposed that the Conference at its Thirteenth Session make an appropriate amendment to the Preamble of the Constitution. Due notice of the amendment proposed by the Council was given to all Member Nations and Associate Members.

402. The Conference accordingly adopted the following resolution:

Resolution No. 12/65

Amendment of the Preamble of the Constitution

THE CONFERENCE

Considering that the ultimate aim of all the work of the Organization as reflected in its purposes, functions and responsibilities, embodied in the Constitution of the Organization is to ensure the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger,

Decides to amend the Preamble of the Constitution of the Organization by the addition of the words underlined below:

"The Nations accepting this Constitution, being determined to promote the common welfare by furthering separate and collective action on their part for the purpose of:

raising levels of nutrition and standards of living of the peoples under their respective jurisdictions;

securing improvements in the efficiency of the production and distribution of all food and agricultural products;

bettering the condition of rural populations; and thus contributing toward an expanding world economy and ensuring humanity's freedom from hunger;

hereby establish the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, hereinafter referred to as the "Organization," through which the Members will report to one another on the measures taken and the progress achieved in the field of action set forth above.

(Adopted 1. 12. 65)

Amendment of article V of the constitution - committee on fisheries

403. The Conference, at Its Twelfth Session (November 1963), by Resolution No. 8/63 requested the Director-General to prepare, for consideration by the Council and the Thirteenth Session of the Conference, proposals to ensure that FAO would have, in future years, the status of being the leading intergovernmental body in encouraging the rational harvesting of food from the oceans and Inland waters.

404. One of the two main proposals made by the Director-General was the establishment of a permanent Committee on Fisheries made up of selected Member Nations. This. proposal was endorsed by the Forty-Third Session of the Council (October 1964) which also established an Ad Hoc Committee to report and make recommendations to the Forty-Fourth Session of the Council (June-July 1965) with a view to assisting that Session in taking action on Conference Resolution No. 8/63.

405. The Forty-Fourth Session of the Council discussed the alternative constitutional means by which a permanent Committee could be established (under Articles V, VI or XIV of the Constitution). While several Members favored the establishment of the permanent Committee under Article XIV of the Constitution, they agreed that the necessary procedures were too time consuming but that if the Committee could be established under Article VI or by amendment of Article V the permanent Committee itself could, of desired, take steps toward the establishment of a committee under Article XIV. Having considered the respective merits of Articles V or VI the majority of the Council preferred Article V and the Council therefore adopted a draft resolution to this effect for submission to the Conference.

406. This draft resolution, containing an amendment to Article V of the Constitution and a new Rule to be added to the General Rules of the Organization, was submitted to and amended by the Fifteenth Session of the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters (CCLM), which in turn reported to the Forty-Fifth Session of the Council (November 1965).

407. The Forty-Fifth Session of the Council adopted the amendments proposed by the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters, with exception of para. 7 of the new Rule which the Council decided to modify. The draft resolution thus amended was submitted to the Conference by the Council in document C 65/LIM/11.

408. The Conference decided to endorse the draft resolution, and accordingly adopted the following resolution:

Resolution No. 13/65

Committee on Fisheries

THE CONFERENCE

Noting that one of the major proposals prepared by the Director-General in response to Resolution 8/63 adopted at the Twelfth Session of the Conference is for the establishment of a permanent Committee on Fisheries within the framework of FAO,

Agreeing with the view expressed by the Council at its Forty-Third Session that the desired ends in international collaboration in fisheries might best be achieved through the establishment of a permanent Committee on Fisheries, consisting of selected Member Nations to deal with these matters and to advise the Conference and Council as well as the Director-General on the formulation, implementation and coordination of policy and on the Organization's programs and activities in this field,

Agreeing further with the recommendation made by the Council at Its Forty-Fourth Session that? in view of the considerations set out in the Director-General's proposals and the comments made at the Ad Hoc Committee on Conference Resolution No. 8/63 established by the Council at its Forty-Third Session, a Committee on Fisheries should be established by amending Article V of the Constitution, and that the composition and terms of reference of such a Committee should be governed by a Rule to be added to the General Rules of the Organization,

Also agreeing with the further recommendation by the Forty-Fourth Session of the Council that non-Member Nations should be eligible for membership in the subsidiary bodies of the Committee on Fisheries in the same way as they are for membership in Commodity Study Groups,

Adopts the following amendment to Article V.6 of the Constitution (words underlined to be added);

"6. To assist the Council in performing Its functions, the Council shall appoint a Program Committee, a Finance Committee, a Committee on Commodity Problems, a Committee on Fisheries and a Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters. These committees shall report to the Council and their composition and terms of reference shall be governed by rules adopted by the Conference."

Amends the General Rules of the Organization by adding after Rule XXIX a new Rule XXX [the present Rules XXX to XXXVIII being renumbered XXXI to XXXIX], the text of which shall read as follows:

"RULE XXX

Committee on Fisheries

1. The Committee on Fisheries provided for in paragraph 6 of Article V of the Constitution shall be composed of not more than thirty Member Nations elected by the Council for a period of two years at the session of the Council immediately following the regular - session of the Conference. In selecting the members of the Committee the Council shall give due consideration to the desirability of ensuring adequate representation both of nations with special Interests in fisheries and of nations having Interests in different parts of the oceans and inland waters. The Council shall, as well, give due consideration to continuity of experience in matters dealt with by the Committee. The members of the Committee shall be eligible for reelection. The Committee shall elect its own Chairman from among its members.

2. Nomination of any Member Nation for election to the Committee shall be submitted in writing by one or more Member Nations to the Secretary-General of the Conference or Council by a deadline to be determined by the Chairman of the Council in time to be circulated on the morning of the day set for the election. A Member Nation may nominate Itself. Member Nations nominated shall signify their willingness to serve on the Committee if elected. Members of the Committee should, as far as possible, be represented by their most senior officers responsible for fisheries.

3. The provisions on voting arrangements of Rule XII of these Rules shall apply mutatis mutandis to the election of members of the Committee.

4. The Committee shall determine the date and place of its sessions. Normally the Committee shall hold two sessions during each biennium, to be convened by the Director-General in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee. One of these sessions shall be convened sufficiently in advance of the sessions of the Council held approximately midway between the regular sessions of the Conference, in order that the report of the Committee may be circulated to the Members of the Council, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXV. 7 (a) of these Rules.

5. If required, the Committee may hold additional sessions on the call of Its Chairman or the Director-General or on request submitted in writing to the Director-General by a majority of the members of the Committee.

6. The Committee shall:

(a) review the programs of work of the Organization in the field of fisheries and their implementation;

(b) conduct periodic general reviews of fishery problems of an international character and appraise such problems and their possible solutions with a view to concerted action by nations, by FAO and by other intergovernmental bodies;

(c) similarly review specific matters relating to fisheries referred to the Committee by the Council or the Director-General, or placed by the Committee on its agenda at the request of a Member Nation in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Committee, and make recommendations as may be appropriate;

(d) consider the desirability of preparing and submitting to Member Nations an international convention under Article XIV of the Constitution to ensure effective international co-operation and consultation in fisheries on a world scale;

(e) report to the Council or tender advice to the Director-General, as appropriate, on matters considered by the Committee.

7. Any recommendation adopted by the Committee which affects the program or finances of the Organization shall be reported to the Council with the comments of the appropriate subsidiary committees of the Council. The reports of the Committee should, as in the case of certain other Committees established under Article V of the Constitution, also be placed before the Conference.

8. The Director-General or his representative shall participate in all meetings of the Committee and may be accompanied by such officers of the staff of the Organization as he may designate.

9. The Committee may adopt and amend its own rules of procedure, which shall be consistent with the Constitution and the General Rules of the Organization.

10. The Committee may, when necessary, establish subcommittees, subsidiary working parties or study groups subject to the necessary funds being available in the relevant chapter of the approved budget of the Organization, and may include in the membership of such subcommittees, subsidiary working parties or study groups Member Nations that are not members of the Committee and Associate Members. The Council may admit to membership of subcommittees, subsidiary working parties and study groups established by the Committee nations which, while not Member Nations or Associate Members of the Organization, are members of the United Nations. Former Member Nations of the Organization that have withdrawn leaving arrears of contributions shall not be admitted to membership until such time as they have paid up all such arrears, or the Conference has approved an arrangement for the settlement thereof, or unless the Council in special circumstances decides otherwise with respect to such admission.

11. The subsidiary bodies referred to in the preceding paragraph may adopt or amend their own rules of procedure, which shall be approved by the Committee on Fisheries and shall be consistent with the rules of the Committee!'

(Adopted 1. 12. 65)

409. In the course of the discussion of the above resolution by the Conference, a number of Member Nations referring to para. I of the proposed new Rule which provided that the Committee on Fisheries should be composed of "not more than thirty Member Nations," expressed the view that on account of the great importance of fisheries to the majority of Member Nations of the Organization, the Committee should be composed of at least thirty members.

410. The Conference also recalled that during discussions in the Council of the Article of the Constitution under which the Committee should be established, some Member Nations had favored Article XIV of the Constitution. In this connection one Member Nation noting that according to para. 6 (d) of the new Rule, the Committee on Fisheries should consider the desirability of submitting to Member Nations an international convention under Article 311V to ensure effective International co-operation and consultation in fisheries on a world scale, felt that the Committee on Fisheries, when considering this matter, should take Into account all the statements in favour of establishing the Committee under Article XIV which had been put forward on previous occasions.

Increase in the number of council seats

411. At Its Twelfth Session the Conference decided to increase the number of Council seats to a total of thirty or thirty-one, and requested that before its Thirteenth Session the Council, in the light of considerations set out in the Report of the Twelfth Session of the Conference, take measures to:

(a) draft the necessary amendment to the Constitution and to instruct the Director-General to circulate it to Member Governments at least 120 days before the opening of the Conference Session, and also to draft the consequential amendments to the General Rules of the Organization so that the Increase in the number of Council seats could be effected at that Session;

(b) recommend to the Conference whether the increase in the number of seats should be three or four;

(c) study and recommend to the Conference the allocation of the additional seats to the various regions of the Organization;

(d) study and recommend to the Conference the means by which in each region stricter application of the principle of rotation of Council membership laid down in Rule XXII.-3(c) could be ensured in the future.

412. The Council at its Forty-Third Session considered this question, and recommended that the Conference at its Thirteenth Session increase the number of Council seats by four to a total of thirty-one, and proposed the text of amendments to the Constitution and General Rules of the Organization to Implement the change.

413. The Conference concurred with the Council's recommendation that the number of Council seats be increased from twenty-seven to thirty-one, and accordingly adopted the following amendments to the Constitution and General Rules of the Organization:

(underlined words to be added, [bracketed] words to be omitted)

Article V.1 of the FAO Constitution:

" A Council of the Organization consisting of [twenty-seven] thirty-one Member Nations shall be elected by the Conference ..."

Rule XXIII.1 (b) of the General Rules of the Organization:

"The Conference shall make such provisions as will ensure that the terms of office of [nine] ten Members of the Council shall expire in each of two successive calendar years and eleven in the third calendar year."

(Adopted .1. 12. 65)

414. The Conference also decided that three of the four additional seats be allocated to the African region and one to the Latin-American region. Some delegations were in favor of allocating one seat to the region of Asia and the Far East, and other delegations favored allocating one seat to the European region.

415. In order to meet or conciliate the differing points of view, certain delegations proposed the allocation of one of the four seats alternately to the region of Asia and the Far East and the African region,. and another alternately to the European region and the Latin American region; other delegations proposed the allocation of one of the four seats alternately to the region of Asia and the Far East and the Latin-American region.

416. In the light of the foregoing considerations, some delegations suggested a further increase in the. number of Council seats to provide for fair and equitable representation on the Council of all regions, in accordance with Rule XXII.3 (a), (b) and (c) of the General Rules of the Organization. The Conference appreciated the need, and requested that before its Fourteenth Session, the Council take measures to:

(a) prepare for the Conference proposals to increase by three the number of Council Members, one of these seats being allocated to the region of Asia and the Far East, the second to the European region, and the third to the Near East region;

(b) draft the necessary amendment to the Constitution and Instruct the Director-General to circulate it to Member Governments at least 120 days before the opening of the Conference Session, and also draft the consequential amendments to the General Rules of the Organization so that the increase in the number of Council seats could be effected at the Fourteenth Session.

417. The Conference recalled the principles enunciated in Rule XXII 3 of the General Rules of the Organization, and in particular the principle of rotation of Council seats, and noted the Council's proposal that advantage should be taken of the FAO regional conferences at future sessions to consider measures to achieve more effective Implementation of the principle of rotation of Council membership within the respective regions.

Committees, working parties and panels of experts

418. In 1961 the Conference requested the Council to undertake a study of FAO's expert committees and panels, pointing out that "while-this was a useful method of working, care should be taken to ensure that such groups or panels should only be set up for specific purposes and only for the length of time required to accomplish their main purpose, so that they may not develop into permanent bodies."

419. In accordance with the recommendations of the Program Committee which had studied the matter on behalf of the Council, the Council submitted its recommendations to the Conference (C 65/32).

420. The Conference welcomed the Council's report, which it considered would assist considerably in achieving greater co-ordination, and confirmed these recommendations, namely:

(a) adherence to the nomenclature used in Article VI of the Constitution;

(b) amendment of Rule XXXI as set out below;

(d) application of the internal supervisory machinery proposed by the Director-General.

421. With regard to the nomenclature to be used, the Conference reiterated its earlier request that only the nomenclature used in Article VI of the Constitution be used in regard to bodies set up by FAO. In particular, the Conference Weed that for bodies set up under paras. 2 and 4 of Article VI, the following should apply:

(a) "Committee" applies to committees of selected Member Nations or Associate Members set up to study and report on matters pertaining to the purpose of the Organization;

(b) "Working Party" applies to working parties of selected Member Nations or Associate Members set up to study and report on matters pertaining to the purposes of the Organization;

(c) "Panel of Experts" is a list of experts selected in their individual capacity, on the basis of their expert knowledge, to give advice on specific subjects by correspondence and/or by participation in meetings of some or all of them;

(d) "Committee of Expert" and

(e) "Working Party of Expert," these terms apply to groups of experts selected in their personal capacity. Whether or not their members are drawn from a panel of experts, they can only be established on the authority of the Conference or the Council. They are governed by Rule XXXI.3 of the General Rules of the Organization, which limits the duration of the term of office of their members.

422. While recognizing that special problems arise when bodies are set up or sessions convened jointly with other United Nations Agencies or intergovernmental organizations, the Conference urged that every effort should be made to avoid confusion and adhere as far as possible, even in such cases, to the nomenclature established by FAO.

423. Attention was also drawn to departures from the established nomenclature in the case of bodies established under certain programs, such as Codex Alimentarius and requested the, Director-General to ensure that bodies established under such programs adhere to FAO practices.

424. With regard to the establishment of panels of experts or committees and working parties of experts, attention was drawn to the terms of Article VI-4 of the Constitution, whereby the Director-General consults with Member Nations, Associate Members and National FAO Committees on the establishment of panels of experts. Similarly, attention was drawn to Article XIII.4, and Rule XXXIV of the General Rules regarding the procedures to be followed to secure proper consultation with Governments in regard to relations between the Organization and national institutions or private persons.

425. With regard to conferences or sessions to which both Governments and Individuals or national institutions were invited, the Conference requested the Director-General to ensure that the requirements of the above provisions were also applied.

426. The Conference noted that the Council had emphasized the need for continuing and careful scrutiny of the complex of bodies and panels of experts appointed in their personal capacity on the one hand, and of ad hoc committees and working parties of government representatives on the other, to ensure the best use of the Organization's resources. The Conference requested the Council to undertake a review of all such bodies and panels of experts over a four-year cycle, to ensure that these bodies are maintained only for the length of time required to accomplish their main purpose and do not develop Into permanent bodies.

427. The Conference also requested the Director-General to avoid proliferation of such committees, working parties or panels of experts and to avoid duplication of functions with existing bodies, either within the Organization or established by other agencies.

428. The Conference welcomed the Director-General's initiative regarding the internal supervisory machinery established by him to ensure the implementation of the foregoing proposals, as set out in document C 65/32, para. 17 (a), (b), (c), (d).

429. The Conference agreed that for convenient reference the foregoing paragraphs dealing with committees, working parties and panels of experts should be incorporated in the next edition of the Basic Texts, Volume II.

430. Finally, in the light of the foregoing, the Conference adopted the following amendment to Rule XXXI of the General Rules of the Organization in order to clarify the constitutional position of such committees, working parties and panels of experts:

"Rule XXXI
Commissions, Committees and Working Parties

1. Commissions, committees and working parties, set up in pursuance of Article VI of the Constitution may establish subcommissions, subcommittees or subsidiary working parties either to perform a substantive part of their functions or to carry out a specific task. Associate Members may participate in the deliberations of such subcommissions, subcommittees or subsidiary working parties but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.

2. The first paragraph of this Rule shall be interpreted in conformity with the provisions of Rule XXIV paragraph I (e) (v) of these Rules.

3. A panel of experts as referred to in Article VI, paragraph 4 of _the Constitution, is a list of experts selected in their Individual capacity on the basis of their expert knowledge to give advice on specific subjects by correspondence, or by participation in conferences or consultations when it is so decided by the Director-General.

4. The terms of office of members of committees of expert or working parties of experts appointed in their personal capacity in conformity with [the provisions of] paragraph 2 of Article VI of the Constitution shall not exceed [three] four years but shall be renewable. The terms of office of members of panels of experts shall likewise be for a maximum of four years but shall be renewable. Appointments to fill vacancies [in membership] in committees of experts, working parties of experts and panels of experts [due to the expiration of terms of office or to the death or retirement of a member] shall be effected in the same manner as the original appointments. When a vacancy occurs due in resignation, death disability or any other reasons, the terms of office of the new appointee shall be for the remainder of the term of office of the member that is being

5. Unless other specific arrangements are made, the expenses incurred by individuals invited in personal capacity to attend sessions of commitees of experts of working parties of experts, or conferences or consultations of experts, shall be defrayed by the Organization in accordance with its travel regulations."

Procedures which could be applied in the event of urgent issues arising between council sessions

431. When considering the Memorandum of Understanding between FAO and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which had been Biped by the Director-General of FAO an interim and conditional basis with a proviso that the continuation thereof would be subject to the approval of -the FAO Council, the Forty Third Session of the Council noted that there was a. lacuna in the FAO Statutes with respect to urgent matters arising between sessions of the Council and requiring Council approval. The Council therefore requested the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters (CCLM) to examine the possibility of introducing procedures which could be applied in the event of urgent Issues arising between Council sessions.

432. The Council, after having considered the Report of CCLM (CL 44/4, paras. 1-9), endorsed the suggestion of CCLM that a procedure might be Introduced to deal with cases of exceptional urgency arising between Council Sessions, and that this could be effected by the adoption of an appropriate amendment to Rule XXV of the General Rules of the Organization,

433. The Conference, having given careful consideration to the various aspects of the amendment recommended by the Council, adopted the following Resolution:

Resolution No. 14/65

Procedures which could he Applied in the Event of Urgent Issues arising between Council Sessions

THE CONFERENCE

Having considered the recommendations of the Council, as contained in the Report of the Forty-Fourth Session of the Council, designed to introduce a procedure which could be applied in the event of urgent Issues arising between Council Sessions;

Decides to amend Rule XXV of the General Rules of the Organization by the addition thereto of the following paragraph 14:

"Should matters of exceptional urgency arise between two sessions of the Council, on which Council action to required, the Director-General, after having consulted the Chairman of the Council, or after notifying him, should such consultation not prove feasible, may seek the opinion of the Members of the Council by any rapid means of communication, informing at the same time all other Member Nations as well as Associate Members and the Chairman of the Council. Subject to the provisions of paragraph I of this Rule, the Director-General may proceed with the action contemplated, as soon as he has received concurrence by cable or letter either from the majority of the Members of the Council in cases where decisions of the Council normally have to be taken by a majority of the votes cast, or from two-thirds of the Members of the Council where a qualified majority is required. Any such action shall be Immediately reported by the Director-General to all Member Nations and Associate Members of the Organization and to the Chairman of the Council."

(Adopted 1. 12.65)

Independent chairman of the council

434. The representative of Finland at the Forty-Third Session of the Council had drawn the attention of the Council to a problem which had arisen as the result of the untimely decease of theIndependent Chairman of the Council; namely that there was no provision for a successor to exercise his functions prior to the election of a new Independent Chairman of the Council by the following Session of the Conference. The Forty-Third Session of the Council referred this matter to the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters (CCLM), which reported thereon to the Forty-Fourth Session of the
Council.

435. The Forty-Fourth Session of the Council considered the various possible solutions suggested by CCLM and adopted Resolution No. 4/44, recommending that the Conference add new paragraphs 3 and 4 to Rule XXIII of the General Rules of the Organization.

436. The Conference endorsed the Council's recommendation, and adapted the following resolution:

Resolution No. 15/6

Independent Chairman of the Council

THE CONFERENCE

Decided to amend Rule XXIIII of the General Rules of the Organization by the addition of new paragraphs 3 and 4 to read as follows:

"3. If the Independent Chairman of the Council is prevented from exercising his functions for the remainder of his term of office due to resignation, disability, death or for any other reasons, his functions shall ipso facto be assumed by the Chairman of the Program Committee for the remainder of the term of office. The Director-General shall forthwith notify all Member Nations and Associate Members and the Chairman of the Program Committee thereof.

4. The Chairman of the Program Committee shall receive on a pro rat basis for such period as he may be called upon to act as Chairman of the Council, such emoluments as were approved by the Conference when determining the conditions of appointment of the Chairman of the Council whom he succeeds."

(Adopted 1. 12-65)

Increase in membership of the committee on commodity problems (CCP)

437. The Conference considered the Report of the Forty-Fourth Session of the Council, and agreed with the Council that the present membership of the Committee on Commodity Problems did not allow for participation by African Member Nations on a scale commensurate with their representation in the Organization and the role they played in the world production of, and trade in, agricultural commodities. The matters discussed in the Committee on Commodity Problems were of great interest to those countries since in most of them, agricultural production and exports formed the largest sector of economic activity.

438. The Conference therefore decided to increase the membership of the Committee from the present number of 24 to 30, and adopted the following resolution:

Resolution No. 16/65

Membership of the Committee on Commodity Problems

THE CONFERENCE

Noting para. 145 of the Report of the Forty-Fourth Session of the Council,

Acting in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXXVIII of the General Rules of the Organization,

Decides to increase the membership of the Committee on Commodity Problems to 30 members; and

Amends accordingly the first sentence of para. I of the Rule I= of the General Rules of the Organization, to read as follows:

"The Committee.... shall be composed of 30 Member Nations...";

Recommends that the Council, in electing the Committee, should take into account the increase in number of Member Nations from the African region and their interest in world agricultural production and trade.

(Adopted 1. 12. 6 5)

439. The Conference noted that under the General Rules of the Organization, membership of the Committee on Commodity Problems was based not on regional representation, but on balanced representation of exporting and importing countries, and continuity of experience in matters dealt with by the Committee.

440. While many delegations felt that the resolution adopted did not establish precise means for ensuring the implementation of the objective of increased membership of African countries on the Committee, the Conference felt that this question could be reviewed by the Council in the light of developments as regards the actual future membership of the Committee.

Statutory report on the status of conventions and agreements, and on amendments thereto (article XIV of the constitution)

441. Para. 5 of Rule XXI of the General Rules of the Organization provides that "the Director General shall report to the Conference whenever a convention, agreement, supplementary convention or agreement has, in accordance with its terms, come into force or ceased to be in force, or has been amended and the amendments come into force.

442. The Conference had before it document C 65/39 entitled Statutory Report on the Status of Conventions and Agreements and on Amendments thereto which was submitted to it in accordance with the above requirement, as well as Appendix A thereto, setting forth the Spanish version of the Agreement for the Establishment of a General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean (GFCM), which had been formally adopted by GFCM at its Eighth Session (Rome, 20-25 May 1965)

443. The Conference approved the Report, and adopted the following resolution:

Resolution No, 17/65

Agreement for the Establishment of a General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean (GFCM)

THE CONFERENCE

Recalling Resolution No. 39/63 whereby, at its Twelfth Session, it approved the amendments to the Agreement for the Establishment of a General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean which were adopted by that Council at its First Special Session (Rome, 22 May 1963),

Noting that heretofore French and English had been the authentic languages of the Agreement as registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations, but that when amending the Agreement the General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean, at its First Special Session, had provided in Article XV of that Agreement for authentic versions in three languages, namely
English, French and Spanish,

Having taken cognizance of the Spanish text of the Agreement as subsequently adopted by the General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean at its Eighth Session (Rome, 20-25 May 1965), and appearing in Appendix A to document C 65/39,

Hereby approves the aforementioned Spanish text as the authentic Spanish version of the Agreement for the Establishment of a General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean, and which is reproduced in Appendix E hereto; and

Request that this authentic Spanish text of the Agreement be duly registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations.

(Adopted 1. 12. 65)

Relationship agreements with international organization

a) Agreement with the intergovernmental maritime consultative organization (IMCO)
b) Agreement for the co-ordination of FAO and Inter-American development bank (IDB) activities
c) Agreement between FAO and the international bank for reconstruction and development (IBRD)/ international development association (IDA)

a) Agreement with the intergovernmental maritime consultative organization (IMCO)

444. The Conference noted that a draft Relationship Agreement with the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization had been submitted to the Council at its Forty-Third Session. The Council, acting in conformity with the provisions of Rule XXIV,.4(c) of the General Rules of the Organization, had approved the aforementioned Agreement and transmitted it to the Thirteenth Session of the Conference for confirmation, in accordance with Article XIII,1 of the Constitution.

445. The Conference adopted the following resolution:

Resolution No. 18/65

Agreement with the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative

THE CONFERENCE

Considering the desirability of concluding an Agreement with the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization for the purpose of ensuring co-operation between FAO and that Organization,

Noting that the Forty-Third Session of the Council, acting in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXIV. 4(c) of the General Rules of the Organization, had entered Into such an Agreement subject to confirmation by the Conference,

Noting further with satisfaction that the Assembly of the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization at its Fourth Session, held in Paris from 15 to 29 September 1965, approved the proposed Agreement,

Confirms, in conformity with the provisions of Article XIII,1 of the Constitution of the Organization, the decision of the Forty-Third Sessions of the Council approving the Agreement between FAO and the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization, the text of which is appended as Appendix F hereto.

(Adopted 1. 12. 6 5)

b) Agreement for the co-ordination of FAO and Inter-American development bank (IDB) activities

446. The Conference noted that the Council at Us Forty-Fourth Session; by Resolution No. 8/44, had approved in accordance with Rule XXIV. 4(c) of the General Rules of the Organization, an Agreement between FAO and the Inter-American Development Bank for the co-ordination of their activities, which Agreement was submitted to the Conference for confirmation.

447. The Conference also noted that this Agreement had been negotiated on the basis of the Spanish text, and that there were some discrepancies between the English translation made by FAO, and approved by the Council (document C 65/40) and a translation made by IDB. As consultations had been held to reconcile these two translations, the Conference derided that the English translation, reproduced in document C 65/40 Sup. 1, which resulted from these consultations, should henceforth be considered the official English version of the Agreement.

448. Considering that co-ordination of the activities of FAO and IDB would be to the advantage of Member Nations in the Latin -American region, the Conference decided to confirm the Agreement approved by the Forty-Fourth Session of the Council, and adopted the following resolution.

Resolution No. 19/6

Agreement for the Co-ordination of FAO and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Activities

THE CONFERENCE

Confirms, in conformity with Article XIII. 1 of the Constitution of the Organization the decision of the Forty-Fourth Session of the Council approving the Agreement between the Organization and the Inter-American Development Bank, the text of which Is attached as Appendix G hereto.

(Adopted 1. 12.65)

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