XXXV Dec. I 2012 (Treaties)

The Purpose of this Act is to codify the way in which international treaties shall be officially ratified by the Empire, to ensure that the Empire finds itself legally bound only by those treaties which it has ratified in such a way, and to clarify the status of the Empire in regards to treaties ratified by Acts of Parliament which have since been repealed.

Act 120, more commonly known as the Treaty of Ruskin Road, is to be considered still in force and to have been continuously and uninterruptedly in force since its signing on 24 May 2010, as although all Acts of Parliament as passed under the Austenasian Constitution of 2008 were repealed by Article II, Paragraph C of the Austenasian Constitution of 2011, the Treaty of Ruskin Road only had its status as an Act of Parliament repealed, and remains a legally binding treaty between its signatories.

The Treaty of Wilton, as signed on 7 August 2010 by the now HIM Emperor Declan I and HIH Crown Prince Jonathan, is to be considered still in force and to have been continuously and uninterruptedly in force since its signing, as although ratification of the Treaty of Wilton was confirmed by Act 130, Law 1, and all Acts of Parliament as passed under the Austenasian Constitution of 2008 were repealed by Article II, Paragraph C of the Austenasian Constitution of 2011, the language used in Act 130, Law 1 makes it clear that the Treaty of Wilton was considered to have been legally binding from the moment it was signed, and the confirmation and reaffirmation given by Act 130, Law 1 was nothing more than a diplomatic formality. The Empire of Austenasia hereby reaffirms its ratification of and commitment to the Treaty of Wilton. [This paragraph has been repealed – see X Jon. I 2013, Paragraph 5]

The Empire of Austenasia hereby confirms and reaffirms ratification of the following international treaties, and clarifies that they are to be considered to have been continuously and uninterruptedly in force since their signing:

1. The Treaty of Mutual Recognition between the Principality of Vikesland and the Empire of Austenasia, signed on 24 October 2009.

2. The Contract of General Friendship and Diplomatic Relations (between the Empire of Austenasia and the Federal Republic of St.Charlie), signed on 10 December 2009.

3. The Contract of Mutual Recognition and National Friendship (between the Empire of Austenasia and the Kingdom of Radnoria), signed on 23 January 2010.

4. The Treaty of Mutual Recognition and Cooperation between the Empire of Austenasia and the Kingdom of Calsahara, signed on 21 September 2010.

5. The Hampshire Accord (between the Empire of Austenasia and NottaLotta Acres), signed on 8 October 2010.

6. The Treaty of Alliance and Recognition between Juclandia and Austenasia, signed on 2 January 2012. [This subsection has been superseded – see IX Jon. I 2013, Paragraph 7]

7. The Pact of Recognition and Treaty of Non-Aggression between the peoples of the Reylan Imperial Triumvirate and the Empire of Austenasia, signed on 15 January 2012.

8. The Treaty of Mutual Recognition between the Kingdom of Überstadt and the Empire of Austenasia, signed on 28 May 2012. [This subsection has been superseded – see IX Jon. I 2013, Paragraph 6]

9. The Treaty of Mutual Recognition and Cooperation between the Empire of Austenasia and the Community of Landashir, signed on 14 August 2012.

The Empire of Austenasia hereby gives notice of its renunciation of its ratifications of and withdrawal from any and all international treaties that are not listed in Paragraph 7 of this same Act of which ratification was announced by Law 1 of Act 73, Law 5 of Act 77, or Law 6 of Act 104 – this shall be effective as of 31 March 2013, after which the Empire shall no longer consider itself bound by the terms of said treaties.

The Empire of Austenasia shall be obliged to adhere to the terms of only those treaties which it has ratified. A treaty can be ratified by an Act of Parliament or Imperial Decree stating that the Empire ratifies it, or by an accredited representative of Austenasia affixing their signature and/or seal to the treaty. Accredited representatives are the Monarch, Prime Minister, Chief Ambassador, and (in the case of bilateral treaties) any person appointed an ambassador by Parliament, the Monarch or the Chief Ambassador to the nation, organisation or entity with which the treaty is signed. In all cases of treaties being ratified by accredited representatives which are not the Monarch, an Act of Parliament or Imperial Decree shall be issued as soon as is reasonably possible confirming ratification of the respective treaty, although said treaty shall be regarded as being in force from the moment of its signing.

The Empire of Austenasia hereby ratifies the following treaties:

1. The Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States (signed on 26 December 1933), with the reservation that:

   1. In regards to Article 11, the Empire of Austenasia shall continue to recognise in principle the right of conquest to territorial acquisitions made by force so long as said acquisitions have been formally ceded by a peace treaty or sanctioned by the consent of the people of the conquered land through a plebiscite or similar method, although exceptions may occur.

   2. The Empire of Austenasia shall not ratify this treaty in accordance with Articles 13 – 16, but instead ratifies it in accordance with Paragraph 6 of this same Act.

2. The Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations (passed on 13 February 1946), with the reservation that the Empire of Austenasia shall not ratify this treaty in accordance with Sections 32 to 35, but instead ratifies it in accordance with Paragraph 6 of this same Act.

3. The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (signed on 9 December 1948), with the reservation that:

   1. In regards to Article 1, the crime of genocide shall be domestically classified as a first-degree felony.

   2. In regards to Article 12, the application of this treaty shall be automatically applied to any and all territories for which the conduct of whose foreign relations the Empire of Austenasia holds responsibility.

   3. The Empire of Austenasia shall not ratify this treaty in accordance with Articles 11, 13, 17 and 18, but instead ratifies it in accordance with Paragraph 6 of this same Act.

4. The Convention on Transit Trade of Land-locked States (signed on 8 July 1965), with the reservation that:

   1. In regards to Articles 11 – 13, the Empire of Austenasia retains sovereign control over its borders, reserves the right to forbid entry should it see fit, and reserves the right to maintain bans or regulations on the presence of various objects, substances and/or organisms in the Empire and/or the entry of the same into the Empire.

   2. The Empire of Austenasia shall not ratify this treaty in accordance with Articles 17 – 20 and 22, but instead ratifies it in accordance with Paragraph 6 of this same Act.

5. The Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel (signed on 9 December 1994), with the reservation that:

   1. In regards to Article 9, any action which fulfils one or more of the definitions listed in said Article will be charged as the first-class felony of a crime against the United Nations.

   2. The Empire of Austenasia shall not ratify this treaty in accordance with Articles 24 – 27, but instead ratifies it in accordance with Paragraph 6 of this same Act.

6. The First Geneva Convention: the Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field (signed on 22 August 1864), with the reservation that the Empire of Austenasia shall not ratify this treaty in accordance with Article 10, but instead ratifies it in accordance with Paragraph 6 of this same Act.

7. Declaration III of the Hague Conference of 1899: Declaration on the Use of Bullets Which Expand or Flatten Easily in the Human Body (signed on 29 July 1899), with the reservation that the Empire of Austenasia shall not ratify this treaty in accordance with the terms laid out in it, but instead ratifies it in accordance with Paragraph 6 of this same Act.

8. The Third Hague Convention of 1907: Convention Relative to the Opening of Hostilities (signed on 18 October 1907), with the reservation that the Empire of Austenasia shall not ratify this treaty in accordance with Articles 4-7, but instead ratifies it in accordance with Paragraph 6 of this same Act.