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:

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

An application for membership was received on 21 November 2000, 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 Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and dated 20 November 2000 (Appendix A). This application was communicated by Circular Letter G/CA 11/1 of 26 March 2001 to FAO Member Nations by the Director-General in pursuance of his responsibilities under Rule XIX-2 of the General Rules of the Organization.

Republic of Nauru

An application for membership was received on 15 May 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 President and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nauru and dated 27 April 2001 (Appendix B). This application was communicated by Circular Letter G/CA 11/1 of 2 October 2001 to FAO Member Nations by the Director-General in pursuance of his responsibilities under Rule XIX-2 of the General Rules of the Organization.

Republic of Uzbekistan

An application for membership was received on 21 August 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 Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan and dated 6 August 2001 (Appendix C). This application was communicated by Circular State Letter G/CA 11/1 of 26 September 2001 to FAO Member Nations by the Director-General in pursuance of his responsibilites under Rule XIX-2 of the General Rules of the Organization.

Principality of Monaco

An application for membership was received on 26 September 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 Minister of State and Director for External Relations of the Principality of Monaco and dated 26 September 2001 (Appendix D). This application was communicated by Circular State Letter G/CA 11/1 of 17 October 2001 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

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs

Belgrade, 20 November 2000

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you that the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 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 2001.

The Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 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.

Goran Svilanovic

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

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs

Belgrade, 20 November 2000

INSTRUMENT OF ACCEPTANCE

The Government of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 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.

Goran Svilanovic

The Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
R o m e

APPENDIX B

REPUBLIC OF NAURU

Office of the President

27 April, 2001

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

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you that the Government of the Republic of Nauru 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 2001.

The Government of the Republic of Nauru 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.

Yours sincerely,

Rene R. Harris
President and
Minister for Foreign Affairs

REPUBLIC OF NAURU

INSTRUMENT OF ACCEPTANCE

The Government of the Republic of Nauru 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.

Rene R. Harris
President and
Minister for Foreign Affairs

27 April 2001

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

APPENDIX C

The Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations
Mr. Jacques Diouf
Rome, Italy

Dear Mr. Diouf,

Taking into account that the Republic of Uzbekistan is located in the zone of the risk agriculture, I have the honour to inform you that the Government of Uzbekistan 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 it's next Session in Rome in November 2001.

The Government of Uzbekistan 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.

Sincerely yours,

Utkir Sultanov
Prime-Minister
of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The Director General
Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Mr. Jacques Diouf
Rome, Italy

INSTRUMENTS OF ACCEPTANCE

The Government of Uzbekistan 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.

Utkir Sultanov
Prime-Minister
of the Republic of Uzbekistan

APPENDIX D

Principality of Monaco

Minister of State
Director of Foreign Relations

62 Nº 2000-6690

Monaco, 26 September 2001

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you at the Government of the Principality of Monaco has decided to apply for membership of 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 next Session of the Conference of the Organization that will take place in Rome from 2 to 13 November 2001.

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

Accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.

 

Patrick LECLERQ

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

Principality of Monaco

Minister of State
Director of Foreign Relations

62 Nº 2000-6690

INSTRUMENT OF ACCEPTANCE

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

Done on 26 September 2001 in Monaco

Patrick LECLERQ

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