FSM Permanent Mission to UN, New York
The Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, had on 4 August 2017, registered with the United Nations a Treaty between the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) concerning maritime boundaries and cooperation on related matters. The Treaty signed in Majuro, the Capital of the RMI on 5 July 2006, came into force in accordance with its article 7 on 24 July 2015.
Two other treaties which the FSM Government had also entered into were also registered with the UN on 8 November 2017. These include the Treaty with the Republic of Palau concerning maritime boundaries and cooperation on related matters, signed on 6 July 2005, also concluded in Majuro, and the Amended Treaty between the Federated States of Micronesia and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea concerning maritime boundaries and cooperation on related matters. The amended treaty was signed in Port Moresby on 7 September 2015.
The treaties were registered by the FSM Government with the United Nations pursuant to Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations which requires every treaty and every international agreement entered into by a Member of the United Nations to be registered with, and published by the Secretariat. Article 102 further gives publicity to all treaties and international agreements subject to registration.
An additional treaty yet to be registered is that with the United States of America (US) for the maritime boundary between the FSM and Guam. The registration is awaiting domestic ratification by the US.
The registration of the treaties is another significant achievement by the FSM in defining the extent of its maritime space. This followed FSM’s achievement in extending its normal continental shelf (seabed) beyond the limits of its Exclusive Economic Zone through the joint extended continental shelf submission to the United Nations by the FSM, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with respect to the Ontong Java Plateau. The Ontong Java Plateau is a massive mountain range that lies beneath the high seas between the FSM, Nauru, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.