NationStates Jolt Archive

We, the intelligent life-forms of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland, determined
To save succeeding generations from the scourge of intra-galactic war which has brought untold horror and suffering to our planetary social systems, and
To reaffirm faith in the fundamental intelligent life-form rights, in the dignity and worth of the intelligent life-form person, to the equal rights of male and female and of planetary social systems large and small, and
To establish conditions under which justice and mutual respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of interplanetary law can be maintained, and
To promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, and
To these ends to practice benevolent tolerance and live together in peace with one another as Good Neighbours, and
To unite our strength to maintain intra-galactic peace and security, and
To ensure by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods that armed force shall not be used except in the common defence, and
To employ intra-galactic machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all intelligent life-forms,
Have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims.
Accordingly, the respective social systems, through representatives assembled on the planet Babel, who have exhibited their full powers to be in good and due form, have agreed to these Articles of Empirical Control of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland, and do hereby establish an interplanetary organization to be known as the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland.

Chapter I: Purposes and Principles
Article 1
The purposes of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland are:
To maintain interplanetary peace and security within the treaty exploration territory, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention of threats to the peace, the suppression of acts of aggression, and to bring about by peaceful means, and employing the principles of justice and intra-galactic law, adjustment or settlement of interplanetary disputes which might lead to a breach of the peace;
To develop friendly relations among planets based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of intelligent life-forms, and to other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;
To achieve interplanetary cooperation in solving intra-galactic problems of economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character; in promoting and encouraging respect for intelligent life-form rights; and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to culture, sex, life-form, or religious belief; and
To be a centre for conciliation of the actions of all social systems in the attainment of these common ends.

Article 2
The Empirical Control and its members, in pursuit of the purposes stated, shall act in accordance with the following principles:
The Empirical Control is based on the sovereign equality of all its members;
In order to ensure to all of them equal rights and benefits resulting from membership, all members shall fulfil in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with these Articles of Empirical Control;
All members shall settle their interplanetary disputes by peaceful means in such manner that intra-galactic peace, security, and justice, are not endangered;
In all interplanetary relations, all members shall refrain from the threat, or use, of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any planetary social system, or in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the Star Empire;
All members shall give the Star Empire every assistance in any action taken in accordance with these Articles of Empirical Control, and shall refrain from assisting any planetary social system against which the Empirical Control is taking preventive or enforcement action;
The Star Empire shall ensure that planetary social systems which are not members of the Empirical Control act in accordance with these principles as necessary for the maintenance of intra-galactic peace and security;
Nothing within these Articles of Empirical Control shall authorize the Empirical Control to intervene in matters which are essentially the domestic jurisdiction of any planetary social system, or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement under these Articles of Empirical Control; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.

Chapter II: Membership
Article 3
The original members of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland shall be those planetary social systems which, having participated in the interplanetary conference on interplanetary Empirical Control at Babel, or having previously signed the declaration of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland of stardate 96341, sign these Articles of Empirical Control and ratify them in accordance with Article 110.

Article 4
Membership in the Star Empire is open to any other peaceful planetary social systems which accept the obligations contained in these Articles of Empirical Control and, in the judgement of the Empirical Control, are capable and willing to carry out these obligations;
The admission of any such planetary social system to membership in the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland is contingent upon the decision of the supreme assembly upon recommendation of the Grand Council.

Article 5
The Supreme Assembly may suspend the rights and privileges of membership of any member of the Star Empire against which the Grand Council has taken preventive or enforcement action. The Grand Council may restore these rights and privileges of membership at its discretion.

Article 6
Any member of the Star Empire which has persistently violated the purposes contained in these Articles of Empirical Control may be expelled from the Empirical Control by the Supreme Assembly upon the recommendation of the Grand Council.

Chapter III: Agencies
Article 7
There are established as the principle agencies of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland: a Supreme Assembly, a Grand Council, an economic and social council, a trusteeship council, an interplanetary supreme court of justice, a Zaon Imperium combined peace-keeping force, and a Secretariat;
Such subsidiary agencies as may be deemed necessary from time to time may be established in accordance with these Articles of Empirical Control.

Article 8
The Star Empire shall place no restriction on the eligibility of male and female life-forms or any member planetary social system to participate in any capacity under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary agencies.

Chapter IV: The Supreme Assembly
Article 9: Composition
The Supreme Assembly shall consist of all the members of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland. Each member shall be entitled to have not more than five (5) representatives in this body;

Article 10: Functions and Powers
The Supreme Assembly may discuss any questions on any matters within the scope of these articles of Empirical Control or relating to the powers and functions of any agencies provided for in these articles of Empirical Control and, except as provided in Article 12, may make recommendations to the members and the Grand Council or both on any such questions or matters;

Article 11
The Supreme Assembly may consider the general principles of cooperation in maintaining interplanetary peace and security, including disarmament and the regulation of armaments, and may make recommendations with regard to such principles to the members or the Grand Council or to both;
The Supreme Assembly may discuss any questions relative to the maintenance of intra-galactic peace and security put to it by any member or the Grand Council, or a non-member planetary social system in accordance with Article 25 Paragraph 2 and, except as provided in Article 12, may make recommendations with regard to any such questions to the members, the Grand Council, or the pleading planetary social system, or to all of them. Any such question on which action is necessary shall be referred to the Grand Council by the supreme assembly either before or after discussion;
The Supreme Assembly may call situations which are likely to endanger the interplanetary and intra-galactic peace and security to the attention of the Grand Council;
The powers of the Supreme Assembly as set forth in this Article shall not limit the scope of Article 10;

Article 12
Where the Grand Council is executing the functions assigned to it under these Articles of Empirical Control with respect to any dispute or situation, the Supreme Assembly shall make no recommendation with regard to that dispute or situation unless so requested by the Grand Council;
The Supreme-Secretariat, with the consent of the Grand Council, shall notify the Supreme Assembly at each session of any matters relating to the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security which are under discussion in the Grand Council, and shall notify the Supreme Assembly, or the members if the Supreme Assembly is not in session, immediately when the Grand Council completes its deliberations on any such matters;

Article 13
The Supreme Assembly shall initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of:
A) Promoting interplanetary cooperation in political fields and encouraging the progressive development of interplanetary law and its codification;
B) Promoting interplanetary cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, educational, and health fields, and assisting in the realization of intelligent life-form rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to culture, sex, language, or religion;
The further responsibilities, functions, and powers of the supreme assembly with respect to matters mentioned in Paragraph 1(b) above are set forth in Chapters IX and X;

Article 14
Subject to the provisions of Article 12, the Supreme Assembly may recommend measures for the peaceful adjustment of any situation, regardless of origin, which it deems likely to impair the general welfare or friendly relations among the planets, including situations resulting from violations of the provisions of these articles of Empirical Control setting forth the purposes and principles of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland;

Article 15
The Supreme Assembly shall receive and consider regular and special reports from the Grand Council; which reports shall include an account of the measures that the Grand Council has decided upon or taken to maintain interplanetary peace and security;
The Supreme Assembly shall receive and consider reports from the other agencies of the Star Empire on agreed upon regular periods or reporting;

Article 16
The Supreme Assembly shall perform such functions of intra-galactic trusteeship as are assigned to it under Chapters XII and XIII, including the approval of the trusteeship agreements for areas which are not designated as strategic;

Article 17
The Supreme Assembly shall consider and approve the budget of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland;
The expenses of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland shall be borne by the members as apportioned by the Supreme Assembly;
The Supreme Assembly shall consider and approve any financial and budgetary agreements with specialized agencies referred to in Article 57 and shall examine the administrative budgets of such specialized agencies with a view to making recommendations to the agencies concerned;
All budgets of, and expenses of the Star Empire shall be made and paid in the common interplanetary credit. The common interplanetary credit shall be the official medium of exchange within the Star Empire treaty exploration territory;

Article 18: Voting
Each member of the Supreme Assembly shall have one (1) vote;
Decisions of the Supreme Assembly on important decisions shall be made on a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present and voting. These questions shall include: recommendations with respect to the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security; the election of non-permanent members to the Grand Council; the election of members of the trusteeship council in accordance with Paragraph 1(c) of Article 86; the admission of new members to the Empirical Control; the suspension of the rights and privileges of membership; the expulsion of members; questions relating to the operation of the trusteeship system; and budgetary questions;
Decisions on other questions, including the determination of additional categories of questions to be decided by a two-thirds (2/3) majority, shall be made by a majority vote of the members present and voting;

Article 19
A member of the Star Empire which is in arrears in the payment of its financial obligations to the Empirical Control shall have no vote in the Supreme Assembly if the amount it is in arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two accounting periods. The Supreme Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a member to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the member.
Article 20: Procedure
The Supreme Assembly shall meet in regular periodic sessions and in such special sessions as occasion may require. Special sessions shall be convoked by the Supreme-Secretariat at the request of the Grand Council or of a majority of the members of the Star Empire.

Article 21
The Supreme Assembly shall adopt its own rules of procedure. It shall elect its president for each session.

Article 22
The Supreme Assembly may establish such subsidiary agencies as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.

Chapter V: The Grand Council
Article 23: Composition
The Grand Council shall consist of eleven (11) members of the Star Empire. The United Nations of the planet Earth, the Planetary Confederation of 40 Eridani, the United Planets of 61 Cygni, the Star Empire of Epsilon Indii, and the Alpha Centauri Concordium of Planets shall be permanent members of the Grand Council. The Supreme Assembly shall elect six (6) other members of the Star Empire to be non-permanent members of the Grand Council, due regard being especially paid, in the first instance, to the contribution of the members to the Star Empire to the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security and to the other purposes of the Empirical Control, and also to equitable geo-galactic distribution;
The non-permanent members of the Grand Council shall be elected for a term of two (2) session periods. In the first election of non-permanent members, however, three (3) shall be elected for a term of one (1) session period. A retiring member shall not be eligible for immediate re-election.

Article 24: Functions and Powers
In order to assure prompt and effective action by the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland, its members confer on the Grand Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security, and agree that in carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Grand Council acts on their behalf;
In discharging these duties the Grand Council shall act in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Star Empire. The specific powers granted to the Grand Council for the discharge of these duties are laid down in Chapters VI, VII, VIII, and XII;
The Grand Council shall submit regular and, when necessary, special reports to the Supreme Assembly for its consideration;

Article 25
The members of the Star Empire agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Grand Council in accordance with these articles of Empirical Control.

Article 26
In order to promote the establishment and maintenance of interplanetary peace and security with the least diversion of the Empirical Control's life-forms, and economic resources for armaments, the Grand Council shall be responsible for formulating, with the assistance of Zaon Imperium Headquarters staff referred to in Article 47, plans to be submitted to the members of the Star Empire for the establishment of a system for the regulation of armaments;

Article 27: Voting
Each member of the Grand Council shall have one (1) vote;
Decisions of the Grand Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of seven (7) members;
Decisions of the Grand Council on all other matters shall be made on an affirmative vote of seven (7) members including the concurring votes of the permanent members, provided that, in decisions under Chapter VI, and under Paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to the dispute shall refrain from voting.
Article 28: Procedure
The Grand Council shall be so organized as to be able to function continuously. Each member of the Grand Council shall, for this purpose, be represented at all times at the seat of the Empirical Control;
The Grand Council shall hold periodic meetings at which each of its members may, if it so desires, be represented by a member of its government or by some other specially designated representative;
The Grand Council may hold meetings at such places other than the seat of the Empirical Control as in its judgement will facilitate its work.

Article 29
The Grand Council may establish such subsidiary agencies as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.

Article 30
The Grand Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including the method of selecting its governor.

Article 31
Any member of the Star Empire which is not a member of the Grand Council may participate, without vote, in the discussion of any question brought before the Grand Council whenever the latter considers that the interests of the member are specifically affected.

Article 32
Any member of the Star Empire which is not a member of the Grand Council or any planetary social system which is not a member of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland, if it is a party to a dispute under consideration by the Grand Council, shall be invited to participate, without vote, in the discussion relating to the dispute. The Grand Council shall lay down the conditions as it deems just for the participation of a planetary social system which is not a member of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland.

Chapter VI: Pacific Settlement of Disputes
Article 33
The parties to any dispute, the continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security, shall, first of all, seek a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice;
The Grand Council shall, when it deems necessary, call upon the parties to settle their disputes by such means.

Article 34
The Grand Council may investigate any dispute, or any situation that might lead to interplanetary friction or give rise to a dispute, in order to determine whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security.

Article 35
Any member of the Star Empire may bring any dispute, or any situation of the nature referred to in Article 34, to the attention of the Grand Council or the Supreme Assembly;
A planetary social system which is not a member of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland may bring to the attention of the Grand Council or the supreme assembly any dispute to which it is a party if it accepts in advance, for the purposes of disputes, the obligation of pacific settlement provided in these articles of Empirical Control;
The proceedings of the Supreme Assembly in respect to matters brought to its attention under this Article will be subject to the provisions of Articles 11 and 12.

Article 36
The Grand Council may, at any stage of a dispute of the nature referred to in Article 33 or of a situation of like nature, recommend procedures or appropriate methods of adjustment;
The Grand Council shall take into consideration any procedures for the settlement of the dispute which have already been adopted by the parties;
In making recommendations under the Article the Grand Council should also take into consideration that legal disputes should as a general rule be referred to the interplanetary supreme court of justice in accordance with the provisions of the statute of the court;

Article 37
Should the parties to a dispute as referred to in Article 33 fail to settle it by means indicated in that Article, they shall refer it to the Grand Council;
If the Grand Council deems that the continuance of the dispute is in fact likely to endanger the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security, it shall decide whether to take action under Article 36 or to recommend such terms as it may consider appropriate.

Article 38
Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 33 to 37, the Grand Council may, if all the parties to any dispute so request, make recommendations to the parties with a view to a pacific settlement of the dispute.

Chapter VII: Action with Respect to Threats of the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression
Article 39
The Grand Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations to maintain or restore interplanetary peace and security.

Article 40
In order to prevent aggravation of the situation, the Grand Council may call upon the parties concerned to comply with such provisional measures as it deems necessary or desirable. Such provisional measures shall be without prejudice to the rights, claims, or position of the parties concerned. The Grand Council shall take into account any failure to comply with such provisional measures.

Article 41
The Grand Council may decide what measures short of the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its decisions, and may call upon the members of the Star Empire to apply such measures. These may include partial or complete interruption of economic relations, inter-planet radio and space travel, and severance of diplomatic relations.

Article 42
Should the Grand Council consider that measures under Article 41 would be inadequate or have proved to be inadequate, it may take such action by armed force as necessary to maintain or restore interplanetary peace and security. Such action may include demonstrations, blockades, and other operations by Zaon Imperium combined peace-keeping forces.

Article 43
All members of the Star Empire in obligation to the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security, agree to make available to Zaon Imperium, on call of the Grand Council, armed forces, assistance and facilities, including rights of passage, necessary for the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security.

Article 44
When the Grand Council has decided to use force it shall, before calling upon a member not represented on it to provide armed forces in fulfilment of obligations assumed under Article 43, invite that member to participate in the decision of the Grand Council relating to the employment of contingents of the member's armed forces.

Article 45
In order to enable the Star Empire to take urgent military measures, all members so capable, shall assign contingents of their armed forces to Zaon Imperium to be employed as a single peace-keeping force of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland. All contingents so assigned, and for the duration of their assignment, shall hold full faith and loyalty to the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland and the protection of the purposes and principles of these articles of Empirical Control.

Article 46
Plans for the application of Zaon Imperium armed forces shall be made by the Grand Council with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee of Zaon Imperium Headquarters.

Article 47
There shall be established within Zaon Imperium a Military Staff Committee to advise, and assist the Grand Council on all matters relating to the Star Empire's military requirements for maintaining interplanetary peace and security;
The Military Staff Committee shall consist of the chiefs of staff of the permanent members of the Grand Council, or their representatives. Any member of the Star Empire may be invited to provide representation on the Military Staff Committee where its responsibilities requires the participation of that member in its work;
The Military Staff Committee, with the authorization of the Grand Council, shall establish a Zaon Imperium as the armed, peace-keeping, forces of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland. It shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of all facilities of Zaon Imperium, including armed ships, starbases, and training facilities;
The Military Staff Committee shall be responsible under the Grand Council for the strategic direction of Zaon Imperium armed forces, and the other armed forces of the members when required for the maintenance on interplanetary peace and security.

Article 48
The action required to carry out decisions of the Grand Council for the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security shall be taken by Zaon Imperium, using such contingents as appropriate to the specific action.

Article 49
The members of the Star Empire shall join in affording mutual assistance in carrying out the measures decided upon by the Grand Council and in assisting Zaon Imperium in the performance of its duties and obligations.

Article 50
If preventive or enforcement measures against any planet are taken by the Grand Council, any other planet, whether a member of the Star Empire or not, which finds itself confronted with special economic problems arising from the carrying out of these measures shall have the right to consult with the Grand Council with regard to the solution of its problems.

Article 51
Nothing in these Articles of Empirical Control shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence against armed attacks occurring to members of the Star Empire, until the Grand Council has taken measures necessary to maintain interplanetary peace and security, and Zaon Imperium forces can be brought into action. Such actions taken by members of the Star Empire in their self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Grand Council.

Chapter VIII: Zaon Imperium
Article 52
There is established a Zaon Imperium as the armed peace-keeping forces of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland. It shall initially be comprised of contingents assigned to it by members of the Star Empire under Article 43 until such time as facilities, recruitment, and training obviates the necessity of drawing upon the armament of any member, except as provided in Article 49;
The operations and actions of Zaon Imperium shall at all times be under the direct cognisance of the Grand Council and the Military Staff Committee which shall also prepare and approve the budget for Star Fleet operations;
Initial expenditure is authorized under these Articles of Empirical Control for the establishment of a Zaon Imperium Headquarters and two (2) starbases to be equitably located within the boundary of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland and outside of any possible conflict with the territorial boundaries of any member of the Star Empire. The Grand Council shall review and approve such other expansions of starbases and other facilities as shall seem appropriate from time to time in the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security;
Initial expenditure is also granted under these Articles of Empirical Control for the establishment of a Zaon Imperium Academy for the purpose of training officers and personnel for Zaon Imperium duty. The standards for training such officers and personnel shall be determined by the Military Staff Committee and approved by the Grand Council.

Article 53
Initial expenditure is granted under these Articles of Empirical Control for the design, procurement, and operation of fourteen (14) heavy cruiser type of starships to provide the nucleus of Zaon Imperium's peace-keeping armed forces. These cruisers shall be capable of extended duration patrol of intra-galactic range, with weaponry appropriate to such class of starships. They shall be provided with fire-power superior to that now employed by any member of the Star Empire, and appropriate to the tasks expected of them;
Expenditure is also granted under these Articles of Empirical Control for the procurement and construction of such lesser classes of space forces as shall be required to support Zaon Imperium operations and the heavy cruiser class of starships. These may be, but not necessarily limited to, types such as scouts, destroyers, transports, re-supply, shuttlecraft, and survey ships.

Article 54
The training of base personnel and ship complements shall include all fields of science and technology as well as the military arts in Zaon Imperium. It is the intent of these Articles of Empirical Control that Zaon Imperium shall be used to conduct missions of scientific exploration and investigation within the treaty exploration territory whenever its services are not required in the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security;
Zaon Imperium headquarters and the Grand Council shall be at all times kept informed of the activities undertaken, or contemplated, for the scientific exploration and investigation of the treaty exploration territory. Any ship so employed shall be detached from military fleet duty and re-assigned as a non-military scientific unit of the Star Empire.

Chapter IX: Interplanetary Economic and Social Cooperation

Article 55
With a view to creating conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for peaceful relations among planetary social systems based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of all intelligent life-forms, the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland shall promote:
A) Higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development;
B) Solution of interplanetary economic, social, health, and related problems; and interplanetary cultural and educational cooperation; and
C) Universal respect for, and observance of, intelligent life-form rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to culture, sex, language, or religion.

Article 56
All members pledge themselves to take joint and separate action in cooperation with the Star Empire for the achievement of the purposes and goals set forth in Article 55.

Article 57
The various specialized agencies, established by interplanetary agreement and having wide interplanetary responsibilities as defined in their basic instruments in economic, social, cultural, educational, health, and related fields, shall be brought into relationship with the Star Empire in accordance with Article 63;
Such agencies thus brought into relationship with the Star Empire are hereafter referred to as specialized agencies.

Article 58
The Star Empire shall make recommendations for the coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies.

Article 59
The Star Empire shall, where appropriate, initiate negotiations among its members concerned for the creation of any new specialized agencies required for the accomplishment of the purposes set forth in Article 55.

Article 60
Responsibility for the discharge of the functions of the Star Empire as set forth in this Chapter shall be vested in the Supreme Assembly and, under the authority of the Supreme Assembly, in the economic and social council which shall have for this purpose the powers set forth in Chapter X.

Chapter X: The Economic and Social Council

Article 61: Composition
The economic and social council shall consist of eighteen (18) members of the Star Empire as elected by the Supreme Assembly;
Subject to the provisions of paragraph 3, six (6) members of the economic and social council shall be elected each session for a term of three (3) session periods. A retiring member shall be eligible for immediate re-election;
At the first election, eighteen (18) members of the economic and social council shall be chosen, the term of office of six (6) members so chosen will expire at the end of one (1) session period, and the terms of six (6) other members at the end of two (2) session periods in accordance with arrangements made by the Supreme Assembly;
Each member of the economic and social council shall have one (1) representative.

Article 62: Functions and Powers
The economic and social council may make or initiate studies and reports with respect to interplanetary economic, social, cultural, educational, health, and related matters and may make recommendations with respect to any such matters to the Supreme Assembly, to the members of the Star Empire, and to specialized agencies concerned;
It may make recommendations for the purpose of promoting respect for, and observance of, intelligent life-form rights and fundamental freedoms for all;
It may prepare draft instruments with the rules prescribed by the Star Empire;
It may prepare draft instruments for admission to the Supreme Assembly, with respect to matters falling within its competence;
It may call, in accordance with the rules prescribed by the Star Empire, interplanetary conferences on matters falling within its competence.

Article 63
The economic and social council may enter into agreements with any of its agencies referred to in Article 57, defining the terms on which the agency concerned shall be brought into relationship with the Star Empire. Such agreements shall be subject to approval by the Supreme Assembly;
It may coordinate the activities of the specialized agencies through consultation with and recommendations to such agencies and through recommendations to the Supreme Assembly and to the members of the Star Empire.

Article 64
The economic and social council may take appropriate steps to obtain reports from the specialized agencies. It may make arrangements with the members of the Star Empire and with the specialized agencies to obtain reports on the steps taken to give effect to its own recommendations and to recommendations on matters falling within its competence by the Supreme Assembly.

Article 65
The economic and social council may furnish information to the Grand Council and shall assist the Grand Council upon its request.

Article 66
The economic and social council shall perform such functions as fall within its competence in connection with the carrying out of the recommendations of the Supreme Assembly;
It may, with the approval of the Supreme Assembly, perform services at the request of members of the Star Empire or as may be assigned to it by the Supreme Assembly.

Article 67: Voting
Each member of the economic and social council shall have one (1) vote;
Decisions of the economic and social council shall be made by a majority of the members present and voting.

Article 68: Procedures
The economic and social council shall set up commissions in economic and social fields and for the promotion of intelligent life-form rights, and such other commissions as may be required for the performance of its functions.

Article 69
The economic and social council shall invite any member of the Star Empire to participate, without vote, in its deliberations on any matter of particular concern to that member.

Article 70
The economic and social council may make arrangements for representatives of the specialized agencies to participate, without vote, in its deliberations and in those commissions established by it, and for its representatives to participate in the deliberations of the specialized agencies.

Article 71
The economic and social council may make suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental and intra-planet organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with planetary organizations after consultation with members of the Star Empire concerned.

Article 72
The economic and social council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including the method of selecting its director;
The economic and social council shall meet as required in accordance with its rules, which shall include provision for the convening of meetings on the request of a majority of its members.

Chapter XI: Declaration Regarding Non-Self-Governing Regions
Article 73
Members of the Star Empire which have assumed responsibilities for the administration of regions whose intelligent life-forms have not yet attained a full measure of self-government recognize the principle that the interests of the inhabitants of these regions are paramount, and accept as a sacred trust the obligation to promote to the utmost, within the system of interplanetary peace and security established by these Articles of Empirical Control, the well-being of the inhabitants of these regions, and, to this end:
A) To ensure, with due respect for the cultures of the intelligent life-forms concerned, their political, economic, social, and educational advancement, their just treatment, and their protection against abuses;
B) To develop self-government, to take due account of the political aspirations of the intelligent life-forms, and to assist them in the progressive development of their free political institutions, according to the particular circumstances of each region and its intelligent life-forms and their varying stages of advancement;
C) To further interplanetary peace and security;
D) To promote constructive measures of development, to encourage research, and to cooperate with one-another and, when and where appropriate, with specialized interplanetary bodies with a view to the practical achievement of the social, economic, and scientific purposes set forth in this Article; and
E) To transmit regularly to the Supreme-Secretariat for information purposes, subject to such limitations as security and statutory considerations may require, statistical and other information of a technical nature relating to economic, social, and educational conditions in the regions for which they are respectively responsible other than those regions to which Chapters XII and XIII apply.

Article 74
Members of the Star Empire also agree that their policy in respect of the regions to which this Chapter applies, no less than in respect of their metropolitan areas, must be based on the general principle of good-neighbourliness, due account being taken of the interests and well-being of the rest of the Empirical Control territory in social, economic, and commercial matters.

Chapter XII: Interplanetary Trusteeship System
Article 75
The Star Empire shall establish under its authority an interplanetary trusteeship system for the administration and supervision of such regions as may be placed thereunder by subsequent individual agreements. These regions are hereinafter referred to as trust regions.

Article 76
The basic objectives of the trusteeship system, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Star Empire as laid down in these Articles of Empirical Control, shall be:
A) To further interplanetary peace and security;
B) To promote the political, economic, social, and educational advancements of the inhabitants of the trust regions, and their progressive development towards self-government or independence as may be appropriate to the particular circumstances of each region and its intelligent life-forms concerned, and as may be provided by the terms of the trusteeship agreement;
C) To encourage respect for intelligent life-form rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to culture, sex, language, or religion, and to encourage recognition of the inter-dependence of the intelligent life-forms of the galaxy; and
D) To ensure equal treatment in social, economic, and commercial matters for all members of the Star Empire and their nationals, and also equal treatment for the latter in the administration of justice, without prejudice to the adjustment of foregoing objectives and subject to the provisions or Article 80.

Article 77
1. The trusteeship system shall apply to such regions in the following categories as may be placed thereunder by means of trusteeship agreements:
A) Regions now held under mandate;
B) Regions which may be detached from alien social systems as a result of interplanetary war; and
C) Regions voluntarily placed under the trusteeship system by social systems responsible for their administration.
2. It will be a matter for subsequent agreement as to which regions in the foregoing categories will be brought under the trusteeship system and upon what terms.

Article 78
The trusteeship system shall not apply to regions which have become members of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland, relationship among which shall be based on the respect for the principle of sovereign equality.

Article 79
The terms of trusteeship for each region to be placed under the trusteeship system, including any alteration or amendment, shall be agreed upon by the social systems directly concerned, including the mandatory power in the case of regions held under mandate by a member of the Star Empire, and shall be approved as provided for in Articles 83 and 85.

Article 80
Except as may be agreed upon in individual trusteeship agreements, made under Articles 77, 79, and 81, placing each region under the trusteeship system, and until such agreements have been concluded, noting in this Chapter shall be construed in or of itself to alter in any manner the rights whatsoever of any social systems or any intelligent life-forms or the terms of existing agreements to which members of the Star Empire may respectively be parties;
Paragraph 1 of this Article shall not be interpreted as giving grounds for delay or postponement of the negotiation and conclusion of agreements for placing mandated and other regions under the trusteeship system as provided for in Article 77.

Article 81
The trusteeship agreement shall in each case include the terms under which the trust region will be administered and designate the authority which will be exercising the administration of the trust region. Such authority, hereinafter called the administering authority, may be one or more social systems of the Star Empire itself.

Article 82
There may be designated, in the trusteeship agreement, a strategic area or areas which may include part or all of the trust region to which the agreement applies, without prejudice to any special agreement or agreements made under Article 43.

Article 83
All functions of the Star Empire relating to strategic areas, including the approval of the terms of the trusteeship agreements and of their subsequent alteration or amendment, shall be exercised by the Grand Council;
The basic principles set forth in Article 76 shall apply to the intelligent life-forms of each strategic area;
The Grand Council shall, subject to the provisions of the trusteeship agreements and without prejudice to security considerations, avail itself of the assistance of the trusteeship council to perform those functions of the Star Empire under the trusteeship system relating to political, economic, social, and educational matters in the strategic areas.

Article 84
It shall be the duty of the administering authority to ensure that the trust region shall play its part in the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security. To this end the administering authority may make use of volunteer forces, facilities, and assistance from the trust region in carrying out the obligations towards the Grand Council undertaken in this regard by the administering authority, as well as for the local defence and the maintenance of law and order within the trust region.

Article 85
The functions of the Star Empire with regard to trusteeship agreements for all regions not designated as strategic, including the approval of the terms of the trusteeship agreements and their alteration or amendment, shall be exercised by the Supreme Assembly.

Chapter XIII: The Trusteeship Council
Article 86: Composition
1. The trusteeship council shall consist of the following members of the Star Empire:
A) Those members administering trust regions;
B) Such of those members mentioned by name in Article 23 as are not administering trust regions; and
C) As many other members elected for three (3) session periods by the Supreme Assembly as may be necessary to ensure that the total number of members of the trusteeship council is equally divided between those members of the Star Empire which administer trust regions and those which do not.
2. Each member of the trusteeship council shall designate one (1) specially qualified intelligent life-form to represent it therein.

Article 87: Functions and Powers
The Supreme Assembly and, under its authority, the trusteeship council, in carrying out their functions, may:
A) Consider reports submitted by the administering authority;
B) Accept petitions and examine them in consultation with the administering authority;
C) Provide for periodic visits to the respective trust regions at times agreed upon with the administering authority; and
D) Take these and other actions in conformity with the terms of the trusteeship agreements.

Article 88
The trusteeship council shall formulate a questionnaire on the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the inhabitants of each trust region, and the administering authority for each trust region within the competence of the Supreme Assembly shall make a periodic report to the Supreme Assembly upon the basis of such questionnaire.

Article 89: Voting
Each member of the trusteeship council shall have one (1) vote;
Decisions of the trusteeship council shall be made by a majority of the members present and voting.

Article 90: Procedure
The trusteeship council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including the method of selecting its director;
The trusteeship council shall meet as required in accordance with its rules which shall include a provision for the convening of meetings on the request of a majority or its members.

Article 91
The trusteeship council shall, when appropriate, avail itself of the assistance of the economic and social council and of the specialized agencies in regard to matters with which they are respectively concerned.

Chapter XIV: The Interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice
Article 92
The interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice shall be the principle judicial instrument of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland. It shall function in accordance with the appended statute, which is based upon the statute of the Tribunals of Alpha III, and forms an integral part of these Articles of Empirical Control.

Article 93
All members of the Star Empire are 'ipso facto' parties to the statute of the interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice;
A social system which is not a member of the Star Empire may become a party to the statute of the interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice on conditions to be determined in each case by the Supreme Assembly upon the recommendation of the Grand Council.

Article 94
Each member of the Star Empire undertakes to comply with the decisions of the interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice in any case to which it is a party;
If any party in a case fails to perform the obligations incumbent upon it under a judgement rendered by the Court, the other party may have recourse to the Grand Council, which may, if it deems necessary, make recommendations or decide upon measures to be taken to give effect to the judgement.

Article 95
Nothing in these Articles of Empirical Control shall prevent members of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland from entrusting the solution of their differences to other tribunals by virtue of agreements already in existence or which may be concluded in the future.

Article 96
The Supreme Assembly or the Grand Council may request the interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on any legal question;
Other bodies of the Star Empire and the specialized agencies, which may at any time be so authorized by the Supreme Assembly, may also request advisory opinions of the Court on legal questions arising within the scope of their activities.

Chapter XV: The Supreme-Secretariat
Article 97
The Secretariat shall be comprised of a Supreme-Secretariat and such staff as the Star Empire may require. The Supreme-Secretariat shall be appointed by the Supreme Assembly upon the recommendation of the Grand Council, and shall be the chief administrative officer of the Star Empire.

Article 98
The Supreme-Secretariat shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the Supreme Assembly, of the Grand Council, of the economic and social council, and of the trusteeship council, and shall perform such other functions as are entrusted to the Secretariat by these bodies. The Supreme-Secretariat shall make a periodic report to the Supreme Assembly on the work of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland.

Article 99
The Supreme-Secretariat may bring to the attention of the Grand Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of interplanetary please and security.

Article 100
In the performance of their duties the Supreme-Secretariat and the staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any other authority external to the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland. They shall refrain from any action which might reflect on their positions as interplanetary officials responsible only to the Star Empire;
Each member of the Star Empire undertakes to respect the exclusively interplanetary character of the responsibilities of the Supreme-Secretariat and the staff and shall not seek to influence them in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Article 101
The staffs shall be appointed by the Supreme-Secretariat under regulations established by the Supreme Assembly;
Appropriate staffs shall be permanently assigned to the economic and social council, the trusteeship council, and, as required, to other bodies of the Star Empire. These staffs shall form a part of the Secretariat;
The paramount consideration in the employment of the staff and in the determination of the conditions of service shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard shall be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geo-galactic basis as possible.

Chapter XVI: Miscellaneous Provisions
Article 102
Every treaty and every interplanetary agreement entered into by any member of the Star Empire after these Articles of Empirical Control come into force shall as soon as possible be registered with the Supreme-Secretariat and published by him;
No party to any such treaty or interplanetary agreement which has not been registered in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 1 of this Article may invoke that treaty or agreement before any body of the Star Empire.

Article 103
In the event of a conflict between the obligations of the members of the Star Empire under these Articles of Empirical Control and their obligations under any other interplanetary agreement, their obligations under these Articles of Empirical Control shall prevail.

Article 104
The Star Empire shall enjoy in the territory of each of its members such legal capacity as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfilment of its purposes.

Article 105
The Star Empire shall enjoy in the territory of each of its members such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the fulfilment of its purposes;
Representatives of the members of the Star Empire and officials of the organization shall similarly enjoy such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions in connection with the organization;
The Supreme Assembly may make recommendations with a view to determining the details of the application of Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article or may propose conventions to the members of the Star Empire for this purpose.

Chapter XVII: Transitory Security Arrangements
Article 106
Pending the coming into full force of such special agreements referred to in Article 43 as in the opinion of the Grand Council enable it to begin the exercise of its responsibilities under Article 42, the parties to the Declaration of the Empirical Control shall consult with one another and the other members of the Star Empire with a view to such joint action on behalf of the organization as may be necessary for the purpose of maintaining interplanetary peace and security;
Nothing in these Articles of Empirical Control shall invalidate or preclude action in relation to any social system which has been an adversary of any signatory to these Articles of Empirical Control, taken or authorized as a result of that war by the governments having responsibility for such action.

Article 107
Amendments to these Articles of Empirical Control shall come into force for all members of the Star Empire when they have been adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the Supreme Assembly and ratified in accordance with their respective statutory processes by two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Star Empire, including all the permanent members of the Grand Council.

Article 108
A general conference of the members of the Star Empire for the purpose of reviewing these Articles of Empirical Control may be held at a date and place to be fixed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the Supreme Assembly and by a vote of any seven (7) members of the Grand Council. Each member of the Star Empire shall have one (1) vote in the conference;
Any alterations of these Articles of Empirical Control recommended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the conference shall take effect when ratified in accordance with their respective statutory processes by two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Star Empire including all the permanent members of the Grand Council;
If such conference has not been held before the tenth regular session of the Supreme Assembly following the coming into force of these Articles of Empirical Control, the proposal to call such a conference shall be placed on the agenda of that session of the Supreme Assembly, and the conference shall be held if so decided by a majority vote of the members of the Supreme Assembly and by a vote of any seven (7) members of the Grand Council.

Chapter XVIII: Ratification and Signature
Article 109
These Articles of Empirical Control shall be ratified by the signatory governments in accordance with their respective statutory processes;
The ratifications shall be deposited with the government of the United Nations of the planet Earth, which shall notify all of the signatory governments of each deposit as well as the Supreme-Secretariat of the organization when he has been appointed;
These Articles of Empirical Control shall come into full force upon the deposit of the ratifications by the United Nations of the Planet Earth, the Planetary Confederation of 40 Eridani, the United Planets of 61 Cygni, the Star Empire of Epsilon Indii, the Alpha Concordium of Planets, and by a majority of the other signatory social systems. A protocol of the ratifications deposited shall thereupon be drawn up by the government of the United Nations which shall communicate copies thereof to all the signatory governments;
The governments signatory to these Articles of Empirical Control which ratify it after it has come into force will become original members of the Star Empire on the date of the deposit of their respective ratifications.

Article 110
These Articles of Empirical Control, of which the various language texts are equally authentic, upon the coming into full force of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland, shall be transferred by the United Nations to the organization for permanent deposit in its archives. Duly certified copies thereof shall be transmitted by the Supreme-Secretariat to the governments of all the signatory social systems.
In faith whereof the representatives of the governments of the Imperial Star Empire of Veskaland have signed these Articles of Empirical Control.