Law on International Treaties of the Republic of Lithuania (21.5.1991)
No I-1344
The Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania
The Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania
proceeding from the universally recognised principles and
norms of international law regulating the conclusion and
execution of international treaties, and which were consolidated
in the 23 May 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of International
Treaty, the 14 March 1975 Vienna Convention on the Representation
of States in their Relations with International Organisations,
and in the 21 March 1986 Vienna Convention on the Law of
Agreements between States and International Organisations, or
between International Organisations,
expressing its allegiance to the principle of scrupulous
fulfillment of international obligations,
adopts this law.
Chapter 1
General Provisions
Article 1.
Under this law an international treaty of the Republic of
Lithuania shall mean an agreement which the Republic of Lithuania
concludes in writing with foreign states or international
organisations, regardless of the title of said treaty.
Article 2.
This law shall establish procedure for the conclusion and
execution of all international treaties of the Republic of
Lithuania, regardless of which institution or official negotiated
and signed, according to established procedure, any international
treaty of the Republic of Lithuania.
Chapter 2
The Conclusion of International Treaties
of the Republic of Lithuania
Article 3.
Recommendations concerning conclusion of international
treaties of the Republic of Lithuania shall be submitted to the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania by the standing
committees of the Supreme Council or by Ministries of the
Republic of Lithuania upon coordination, or jointly, with the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs according to procedure established by
the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
If the proposed international treaties establish norms other
than those established by valid laws of the Republic of
Lithuania, recommendations concerning these treaties shall be
coordinated with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of
Lithuania and shall be submitted together with expert assessment
of the discrepancies.
Article 4.
Decisions concerning the preparation and negotiation of
international treaties of the Republic of Lithuania shall be made
by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or, on its behalf,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, except decisions concerning the
international treaties of the Republic of Lithuania specified in
Paragraph 2 of Article 7 of this law. Decisions concerning them
shall be made by the Supreme Council of the Republic of
Lithuania.
Article 5.
The President of the Supreme Council of the Republic of
Lithuania, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, and
the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
shall have the right to negotiate the conclusion of international
treaties of the Republic of Lithuania, to adopt their texts or
sign them without special authorisation, in accordance with the
provisions set forth in Article 4.
A head of a diplomatic mission of the Republic of Lithuania
or a representative of the Republic of Lithuania to an
international conference, international organisation, or to one
of its bodies shall have the right to negotiate the conclusion of
an international treaty of the Republic of Lithuania and to adopt
its text either with the state wherein the diplomatic mission is
located, or at an international conference, international
organisation or at one of its bodies, respectively.
Other persons may negotiate the conclusion of an
international treaty of the Republic of Lithuania, to adopt its
text or sign it only if he has been provided powers set forth in
Article 6 of this law.
Article 6.
The powers to negotiate and sign international treaties of
the Republic of Lithuania shall be conferred by the Government of
the Republic of Lithuania and signed by the Prime Minister of the
Republic of Lithuania and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Lithuania, except powers to negotiate and sign
treaties on behalf of the Republic of Lithuania set forth in
Paragraph 2 of Article 7 of this law. Powers to negotiate and
sign the international treaties of the Republic of Lithuania
specified in Paragraph 2, Article 7 of this law shall be
conferred by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania and
signed by the President of the Supreme Council and the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. Such powers must
define the object of negotiations and specify other actions which
the negotiator is authorised to perform.
Article 7.
International treaties of the Republic of Lithuania shall be
ratified by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania.
Subject to ratification shall be the following international
treaties of the Republic of Lithuania :
1) on political cooperation with foreign states;
2) on mutual assistance;
3) peace treaties;
4) on the refusal to use or threaten to use force;
5) on the presence and status of armed forces of the
Republic of Lithuania on the territory of foreign states;
6) on the presence and status of armed forces of foreign
states on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania;
7) on the borders of the Republic of Lithuania;
8) on the participation of the Republic of Lithuania in both
universal and regional international organisations;
9) multilateral and longterm economic agreements;
10) treaties establishing norms differing from those
provided for by the laws of the Republic of Lithuania;
11) defence treaties.
Also ratified must be those international treaties which
include provision for ratification. The Government of the
Republic of Lithuania shall submit by its own decision
international treaties of the Republic of Lithuania to the
Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania for ratification.
Article 8.
The Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania, having
considered an international treaty of the Republic of Lithuania
submitted for ratification, shall adopt a relevant decree.
Instruments of ratification shall be issued pursuant to
Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithunia decrees.
Article 9.
At the behest of the Government of the Republic of
Lithuania, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Lithuania, a diplomatic mission of the Republic of Lithuania in a
corresponding foreign state, or a mission of the Republic of
Lithuania to an international organisation shall exchange
instruments of ratification, and deposit documents of accession
to international treaties with the depositary.
Article 10.
International treaties of the Republic of Lithuania which
are not subject to ratification but for which confirmation
procedure is stipulated, shall be confirmed by the Government of
the Republic of Lithuania or, at its behest, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania according to
procedure determined by the Government.
Article 11.
A decision to accede to an international treaty shall be
made by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or, at its
behest, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, except treaties
specified in Paragraph 2 of Article 7 of this law, decisions
concerning which shall be made by the Supreme Council of the
Republic of Lithuania.
Chapter 3
The Fulfillment of International Treaties
of the Republic of Lithuania
Article 12.
International treaties of the Republic of Lithuania shall
have the force of law on the territory of the Republic of
Lithuania.
Article 13.
The Government of the Republic of Lithuania shall fulfill
obligations assumed in international treaties of the Republic of
Lithuania.
Article 14.
Decisions to suspend or terminate international treaties of
the Republic of Lithuania according to universally recognised
norms of international law shall be made by the Government of the
Republic of Lithuania, except treaties specified in Paragraph 2
of Article 7 of this law, decisions concerning which shall be
made by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania.
Chapter 4
Final Provisions
Article 15.
All international treaties of the Republic of Lithuania
shall be registered in the register of international treaties of
the Republic of Lithuania with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 16.
Ratified and confirmed international treaties of the
Republic of Lithuania as well as treaties to which the Republic
of Lithuania has acceded according to the procedure established
by this law, upon recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, shall be published in the Supreme Council and Government
of the Republic of Lithuania News, and in the Lietuvos aidas,
Echo Litvy, and Kurier Wilenski newspapers.
Article 17.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
shall file the international treaties of the Republic of
Lithuania which are in force with the Secretary General of the
United Nations Organisation for registration, deposition, and
publication.
Vytautas Landsbergis
President
Supreme Council
Republic of Lithuania
Vilnius
21 May 1991
