Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698933769048.pdf (Micronesia, Federated States of)
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA SECOND REGULAR SESSION, 2017 C.R.

NO.

20-29 A RESOLUTION Ratifying the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.
1 WHEREAS, the Convention on the Protection of the Underwater 2 Cultural Heritage (UNESCO) was adopted on November 02, 2001, by 3 the member states of UNESCO to better protect their submerged 4 cultural heritage; and 5 WHEREAS, the purpose of the Convention is to preserve sites 6 in situ, to stop commercial exploitation and illicit trafficking 7 or unethical recovery of underwater cultural heritage of sites and 8 artifacts, and to ensure that where excavation is permitted, it is 9 carried out in accordance with international best practice; and 10 WHEREAS, the purpose of the Convention is consistent with how 11 sites in the Federated States of Micronesia and particularly the 12 World War II sites or shipwrecks in Chuuk should be managed, given 13 dive tourism is an important industry in the economy of the 14 region; and 15 WHEREAS, the World War II sites or shipwrecks in Chuuk Lagoon 16 need assistance in managing these internationally significant 17 sites as the current management is ineffective and the sites 18 continue to suffer and threaten the livelihood of the people of 19 Chuuk with serious and hazardous environmental impacts of imminent 20 oil leakage; and CRL 20-37 C.R.
NO.
20-29 1 WHEREAS, ratification of the Convention is beneficial to the 2 Federated States of Micronesia because of the assurance it accords 3 that technical and funding assistance will be accessible and 4 enabled from UNESCO and the international community to address the 5 urgent and serious risks related to environmental hazards 6 emanating from the shipwrecks in Chuuk Lagoon; now, tnerefore, 7 BE IT RESOLVED by the Twentieth Congress of the Federated 8 States of Micronesia, Second Regular Session, 2017, that Congress 9 hereby ratifies of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of 10 the Underwater Cultural Heritage; and 11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this 12 resolution be transmitted to the President of the Federated States 13 of Micronesia, and the Secretary of the FSM Department of Foreign 14 Affairs, for the earliest deposit of the required instrument of 15 ratification with the Director-General of UNESCO.
16 17 Date: 9/15/17 Introduced by: /s/ for Joseph J. Urusemal Florencio S. Harper (by request) 2 of 2