TITLE THREE:  SECURITY AND DEFENSE RELATIONS

Article V:  General Provisions

Section 351
          (a)  The Government of the United States and the Government of the Marshall Islands or the Federated States of Micronesia shall establish two joint Committees empowered to consider disputes under the implementation of this Title and its related agreements.

          (b)  The membership of each Joint Committee shall comprise selected senior officials of each of the two participating Governments.  The senior United States military commander in the Pacific area shall be the senior United States member of each Joint Committee.  For the meetings of each Joint Committee, each of the two participating Governments may designate additional or alternate representatives as appropriate for the subject matter under consideration.

          (c)  Unless otherwise mutually agreed, each Joint Committee shall meet semi-annually at a time and place to be designated, after appropriate consultation, by the Government of the United States.  A Joint Committee also shall meet promptly upon request of either of its members.  Upon notification by the Government of the United States, the Joint Committees so notified shall meet pro- mptly in a combined session to consider matters within the jurisdiction of more than one Joint Committee.  Each Joint Committee shall follow such procedures, including the establishment of functional subcommittees, as the members may from time to time agree.

          (d)  Unresolved issues in each Joint Committee shall be referred to the Governments concerned for resolution, and the Government of the Marshall Islands or the Federated States of Micronesia shall be afforded, on an expeditious basis, an opportunity to raise its concerns with the United States Secretary of Defense personally regarding any unresolved issue which threatens its continued association with the Government of the United States.

Section 352
          In the exercise of its authority and responsibility under Title Three, the Government of the United States shall accord due respect to the authority and responsibility of the Governments of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia under Titles One, Two and Four and to their responsibility to assure the well-being of their peoples.

Section 353
          (a)  The Government of the United States shall not include any of the Governments of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia as named parties to a formal declaration of war, without their respective consent.

          (b)  Absent such consent, this Compact is without prejudice, on the ground of belligerence or the existence of a state of war, to any claims for damages which are advanced by the citizens, nationals or Government of the Marshall Islands or the Federated States of Micronesia, which arise out of armed conflict subsequent to the effective date of this Compact and which are:

               (1)  petitions to the Government of the United States for redress; or

               (2)  claims in any manner against the government, citizens, nationals or entities of any third country.

          (c)  Petitions under Section 353(b)(1) shall be treated as if they were made by citizens of the United States.

Section 354
          (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Compact, the provisions of this Title are binding from the effective date of this Compact for a period of fifteen years between the Government of the United States and the Governments of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia and thereafter as mutually agreed or in accordance with Section 231, unless earlier terminated by mutual agreement pursuant to Section 441, or amended pursuant to Article III of Title Four.

          (b)  The Government of the United States recognizes, in view of the special relationship between the Government of the United States and the Governments of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, and in view of the existence of separate agreements with each of them pursuant to Sections 321 and 323, that, even if this Title should terminate, any attack on the Marshall Islands or the Federated States of Micronesia during the period in which such separate agreements are in effect, would constitute a threat to the peace and security of the entire region and a danger to the United States.  In the event of such an attack, the Government of the United States would take action to meet the danger to the United States and to the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia in accordance with its constitutional processes.