ARTICLE XVI

Effective Date

     Section 1.  This Constitution takes effect 1 year after ratification unless the Congress of Micronesia by joint resolution specifies an earlier date.  If a provision of this Constitution is held to be in fundamental conflict with the United Nations Charter or the Trusteeship Agreement between the United States of America and the United Nations, the provision does not become effective until the date of termination of the Trusteeship Agreement.

Editor's note:  Resolution No. 32 of the Micronesian Constitutional Convention, adopted October 24, 1975, states:

"WHEREAS, in establishing the government for the new Federated States of Micronesia, and making provision for the governing of the various states, the question has arisen over whether this affects the traditional leaders of Micronesia.  It is not the intention of the Delegates to the Micronesian Constitutional Convention to affect adversely any of the relationships which prevail between the traditional leaders and the people of Micronesia, nor to diminish in any way the full honor and respect to which they are entitled; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Micronesian Constitutional Convention of 1975 that it is the consensus of this Convention that all due honor and respect continue to be accorded the traditional leaders of Micronesia, and nothing in the Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia is intended to in any way detract from the role and function of traditional leaders in Micronesia or to deny them the full honor and respect which is rightfully theirs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon the signing of the Constitution, this Resolution be included with all duplications of the Constitution so that the intent of the Delegates may be evident to all who read the Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia."