509 



Assembly 



Article 17 



Tlic Assembly shall consist of all Contracting States to this Con- 

 vention. 



Article 18 



Tlio functions of the Assembly shall, subject to the provisions of 

 Article 2G, be: 



1. to elect at each regular session its Cluiinnan and two Vice- 

 Chairman A\ho shall hold office until the next regular session; 



2. to determine its own rules of procedure, subject to the i)rovisions 

 of this Convention; 



3. to adoj)t Internal Regulations necessary for the proper func- 

 tioning of the Fund; 



4. to ai)point the Director and make jH-ovisions for the appointnient 

 of such other jjei'sonnel as may be necessary and determine the terms 

 and conditions of service of the Director and other personiiel; 



5. to adoi)t the annual budget and fix the amuinl contributions; 

 G. to ai)i)oint auditors and a])])rove the accounts of the Fund; 



7. to approve settlements of claims against the Fund, to make 

 decisions in respect of the distribution among clainuuits of the availa- 

 ble amount of compensation in accordance with Article 4, j)aragraph 

 5, and to determine the terms and conditions according to which 

 ])rovisional ])ayments in res])ect of claims shall be made with a view 

 to ensuring that victims of pollution damage are compensated as 

 promi)tly as possible; 



8. to elect the members of the Assembly to be re])resented on the 

 Executive Committee, as provided in Articles 21, 22 and 23; 



9. to establish any temporary or peimanent subsidiary body it 

 may consider to be necessary ; 



10. to determine which non-ContracUng vStates and which inter- 

 governmental and international non-governmental organizations shall 

 be admitted to take ])art, without voting rights, in meetings of the 

 Assembly, the Executive Committee, and subsidiary bodies; 



11. to give instructions concerning the administration of the Fund 

 to the Director, the Executive Committee and subsidiary bodies; 



12. to review and apj)rove the reports and activities of the Executive 

 Committee; 



13. to supervise the proper execution of the Convention and of its 

 own decisions; 



14. to perform such other functions as are allocated to it under the 

 Convention or are otherwise necessary for the proper operation of the 

 Fund. 



Article 19 



1. Regular sessions of the Assembly shall take ])lace once every 

 calendar year upon convocation by the Director; provided, however, 

 that if the Assembly allocates to the Executive Committee the func- 

 tions specified in Article 18, paragraph 5, regular sessions of the 

 Assembly shall be held once every two years. 



2. Extraordinary sessions of the Assembly shall be convened by the 

 Director at the request of the E.xecutive Committee or of at least 



