C 2003/10-Rev.1

Conference

1. Rule XIX-2 of the General Rules of the Organization (GRO) provides that any application for membership or associate membership "shall be transmitted immediately by the Director-General to Member Nations and shall be placed on the agenda of the next Conference session which opens not less than 30 days from the receipt of the application".

2. Article II-2 of the Constitution provides that any nation applying for membership shall submit a "declaration made in a formal instrument that it will accept the obligations of the Constitution as in force at the time of admission".

3. Rule XIX-1 GRO provides that this formal instrument may accompany or follow the application, and in the latter case "shall reach the Director-General not later than the opening day of the Conference session at which the admission of the applicant is to be considered".

4. To date the Director-General has received formal applications for membership from the following countries:

The Federated States of Micronesia

An application for membership was received on 19 November 2001, in the form of a letter and a formal instrument of acceptance of the relevant obligations of the Constitution of FAO, both signed by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Federated States of Micronesia dated 19 November 2001 (Appendix A). This application was communicated by Circular Letter G/CA 11/1 of 24 March 2003 to FAO Member Nations by the Director-General in pursuance of his responsibilities under Rule XIX-2 of the General Rules of the Organization.

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

An application for membership was received on 25 October 2002, in the form of a letter and a formal instrument of acceptance of the relevant obligations of the Constitution of FAO, both signed by the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and dated 13 September 2002 (Appendix B). This application was communicated by Circular Letter G/CA 11/1 of 24 March 2003 to FAO Member Nations by the Director-General in pursuance of his responsibilities under Rule XIX-2 of the General Rules of the Organization.

Tuvalu

An application for membership was received on 27 November 2002, in the form of a letter and a formal instrument of acceptance of the relevant obligations of the Constitution of FAO, both signed by the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labour of Tuvalu and dated 27 November 2002 (Appendix C). This application was communicated by Circular State Letter G/CA 11/1 of 13 May 2003 to FAO Member Nations by the Director-General in pursuance of his responsibilites under Rule XIX-2 of the General Rules of the Organization.

Ukraine

An application for membership was received on 28 October 2003, in the form of a letter containing a formal instrument of acceptance accepting the relevant obligations of the Constitution of FAO, signed by the Prime Minister of Ukraine and dated 23 October 2003 (Appendix D). This application is being communicated by Circular State Letter G/CA 11/1 to FAO Member Nations by the Director-General in pursuance of his responsibilites under Rule XIX-2 of the General Rules of the Organization.

Relevant Texts

5. The following texts are relevant to the procedure for the admission of additional Member Nations to the Organization:

(a)     Article II, paragraph 2 of the Constitution: the Conference may, by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, provided that a majority of the Member Nations of the Organization is present, decide to admit as additional Members to the Organization.

(b)     Rule XII-3 (c) GRO: when a two-thirds majority of the votes cast is required, the total number of affirmative and negative votes cast shall be more than one-half of the Member Nations of the Organization.

(c)     Rule XII-9 (a) GRO: admission of additional Member Nations shall be decided by secret ballot.

6. The following provisions are also relevant:

(a)     Article XVIII-2 of the Constitution: each Member Nation undertakes to contribute annually to the Organization its share of the Budget, as apportioned by the Conference.

(b)     Article XVIII-3 of the Constitution: each Member Nation shall, upon approval of its application, pay as its first contribution a proportion, to be determined by the Conference, of the budget for the current financial period.

(c)     Regulation 5.8 of the Financial Regulations: any nation admitted to membership shall pay a contribution to the budget for the financial period in which its membership becomes effective. Such contributions begin with the quarter in which the application was approved. In addition, all new Member Nations shall be required to make advances to the Working Capital Funds in an amount determined by the Conference.

APPENDIX A

Department of Foreign Affairs
Federated States of Micronesia

November 19, 2001

Sir,

        I have the honour to inform you that the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia has decided to apply for membership in the Food an Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. I therefore, request that, in conformity with Rule XIX, Paragraph 2 of the General Rules of the Organization, this application be laid before the Conference of the Organization which, I understand, will hold its next session in Rome in November 2003.

        The Government of the Federated States of Micronesia hereby formally accepts the obligations of membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as laid down in the Constitution of that Organization, and solemnly undertakes fully and faithfully to carry out these obligations as in force at the time of admission.

        Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Sincerely,

Ieske K. Iehsi
Secretary

The Honorable Jacques Diouf
Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
Rome, Italy

Department of Foreign Affairs
Federated States of Micronesia

INSTRUMENT OF ACCEPTANCE

        The Government of the Federated Sates of Micronesia hereby formally accepts the obligations of membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as laid down in the Constitution of the Organization, and solemnly undertakes fully and faithfully to carry out these obligations as in force at the time of admission.

Ieske K. Iehsi
Secretary

The Honorable Jacques Diouf
Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
Rome, Italy

APPENDIX B

REPÚBLICA DEMOCRÁTICA DE TIMOR-LESTE
GABINETE DO PRIMEIRO-MINISTRO

Date, 13 September 2002

Dear Sir,

        I have the honour to inform you that the Government of República Democrática de Timor-Leste had decided to apply for membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. I, therefore, request that, in conformity with Rule XIX, Paragraph 2 of the General Rules of the Organization, this application be laid before the Conference of the Organization which, I understand, will hold its next Session in Rome in November and December 2003.

        The Government of República Democrática de Timor-Leste hereby formally accepts the obligations of membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as laid down in the constitution of that Organization, and solemnly undertakes fully and faithfully to carry out these obligations as in force at the time of the admission.

        Accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.

Dr. Mari Alkatiri
Prime Minister

Jacques Diouf
The Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization
Of the United Nation
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
Rome
Italy

REPÚBLICA DEMOCRÁTICA DE TIMOR-LESTE
GABINETE DO PRIMEIRO-MINISTRO

Date, 13 September 2002

INSTRUMENT OF ACCEPTANCE

        The Government of República Democrática de Timor-Leste hereby formally accepts the obligations of membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as laid down in the Constitution of that Organization and solemnly undertakes fully and faithfully to carry out these obligations as in force at the time of the admission.

Dr. Mari Alkatiri
Prime Minister

Jacques Diouf
Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
Rome
Italy

APPENDIX C

GOVERNMENT OF TUVALU

PRIME MINISTER

November 27, 2002

Sir,

        I have the honour to inform you that the Government of Tuvalu has decided to apply for membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. I therefore, request that, in conformity with Rule XIX, Paragraph 2 of the General Rules of the Organization, this application be laid before the Conference of the Organization which, I understand, will hold its next Session in Rome in November 2003.

        The Government of Tuvalu hereby formally accepts the obligations of membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as laid down in the Constitution of that Organization, and solemnly undertakes fully and faithfully to carry out these obligations as in force at the time of admission.

        Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Hon. Saufatu Sopoanga. OBE,
Prime-Minister and Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Labour

The Honourable Jacques Diouf
Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations
Vialle delle Terme di Caracalla
Rome
ITALY

GOVERNMENT OF TUVALU

INSTRUMENTS OF ACCEPTANCE

        The Government of Tuvalu hereby formally accepts the obligations of membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as laid down in the Constitution of that Organization, and solemnly undertakes fully and faithfully to carry out these obligations as in force at the time of admission.

Hon. Saufatu Sopoanga. OBE,
Prime-Minister and Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Labour

The Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations
Vialle delle Terme di Caracalla
Rome
ITALY

APPENDIX D

PRIME-MINISTER
OF UKRAINE

23 October 2003

Your Excellency,

        I have the honour to inform you that the Government of Ukraine has decided to apply for membership in the Food an Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. I, therefore, request that, in conformity with Rule XIX, Paragraph 2, of the General Rules of the Organization, this application be laid before the Conference of the Organization which, I understand, will hold its next Session in Rome in November and December 2003.

        The Government of Ukraine hereby formally accepts the obligations of membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as laid down in the Constitution, and solemnly undertakes fully and faithfully to carry out these obligations as in force at the time of admission.

        Accept, Excellency, the assurance of my highest consideration.

Victor Yanukovych

His Excellency
Jacques Diouf
The Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
Rome
Italy