Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 100 Part 5.djvu/223

 y^i^:^t-

PUBLIC LAW 99-658—NOV. 14, 1986

100 STAT. 3697

(b) The membership of the joint committee shall comprise selected senior officials of each of the participating Governments. The senior United States military commander in the Pacific area shall be the senior United States member of the joint committee. For the meetings of the joint committee, each of the Governments may designate additional or alternate representatives as appropriate for the subject matter under consideration. (c) Unless otherwise mutually agreed, the joint committee shall meet semi-annually at a time and place to be designated, after appropriate consultation, by the Government of the United States. The joint committee also shall meet promptly upon request of either of its members. Upon notification by the Government of the United States, the joint committee shall meet promptly in combined session with other such joint committees so notified. The 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 the joint committee shall be referred to the Government of the United States and the Government of Palau for resolution, and the Government of Palau 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 Defense and national In the exercise of its authority and responsibility under this security. Compact, the Government of the United States shall accord due respect to the authority and responsibility of the Government of Palau under this Compact and to the responsibility of the Government of Palau to assure the well-being of Palau and its people. The Government of the United States and the Government of Palau agree that the authority and responsibility of the United States set forth in this Title are exercised for the mutual security and benefit of Palau and the United States, and that any attack on Palau 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, or threat thereof, the Government of the United States would take action to meet the danger to the United States and Palau in accordance with its constitutional processes. Section 353 (a) The Government of the United States shall not include the Government of Palau as a named party to a formal declaration of war, without the consent of the Government of Palau. (b) Absent such consent, this Compact is without prejudice, on the Claims. 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 Palau 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.

�