| In accordance
with Article XVI of the Convention, the
Regional Organization for the Protection
of the Marine Environment(ROPME) consist
of three organs i.e. the Council, the
Secretariat and the Judicial Commission
(see Organizational Chart).
Council
Council is consisted of the Contracting
States' Respresentatives at Ministerial
level (Bahrain, I.R.Iran, Iraq, Kuwait,
Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab
Emirates).
ROPME is governed by the Council decisions
concerning the administrative affairs
and implementation of programmes of the
organization.
The Council holds ordinary meetings biennially
and is assisted by an Executive Committee
responsible for carrying out the function
of the Council during the period between
the Council meetings. Extraordinary meetings
of the Council shall be held upon the
request of at least one Contracting State,
or upon the request of the Executive Secretary
endorsed by at least two Contracting States.
The Chairmanship of the Council shall
be given to each Contracting State in
turn in alphabetical order of the names
of the States in the English language.
In addition, by decisions of the First
and Second Meetings of the Council (April
1981/November 1982) the Council established
an Executive Committee consisting of the
Council Members of Bahrain, I.R. Iran,
Iraq and Saudi Arabia as Members and the
Executive Secretary of ROPME, as the Chairman,
with the objective of carrying out the
functions of the Council during the period
between the Council Meetings.
SECRETARIAT
ROPME Secretariat is comprised of an
Executive Secretary, Co-ordinator, Officers
and other necessary personnel to perform,
inter alia, the following functions:
- carry out the assignments under the
Convention and its Protocols
- convene meetings of the Council and
its subsidiary bodies, legal/technical
expert meetings and ad hoc working groups
- transmit to Contracting States, notifications,
reports and other information
- consult with the Contracting States
on questions relating to the Convention
and its Protocols
- prepare reports on matters relating
to the Convention and to the administration
of the Organization
JUDICIAL COMMISSION
As per the decision of the Executive
Committee (March 1989), the Judicial Commission
was established composed of six nationals
of ROPME Member States (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates), who are highly qualified and
experienced in international law and juridical
matters. The Members are appointed on
ad hoc basis for a period of five years.
The Statutes of the Judicial Commission
stated clearly the functions of the Judicial
Commission as follows:
- jurisdiction to settle disputes between
the Contracting States, inter alia,
concerning:
- the interpretation or application
of the Convention or any of its
Protocol;
- the general obligations provided
for under Article III of the Convention;
- the fulfillment of the obligations
provided for under the Action Plan;
- the measures provided for protection
of marine environment and combating
pollution in the Convention and
its Protocols.
- jurisdiction in disputes relating
to the determination of civil liability
and compensation for damage resulting
from pollution of the marine environment.
- jurisdiction to give an advisory
opinion in all legal questions at the
request of the Council concerning:
- the interpretation of a treaty
on the protection of the marine
environment from pollution;
- application of rules of international
Law relating to prevention, abatement
and combating of marine pollution;
- the existence and extent of liability
of any fact which, if established,
would constitute a breach of an
international obligation concerning
the protection of marine environment;
- the interpretation of rules and
procedures of the Organization;
- and any other matter referred
to it by the Council.
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