This paper is one of a series issued by The Geographer, Bureau of Intelligence and Research of the Department of State. The aim of the series is to set forth the basis fox national arrangements fox the measurement of the territorial sea or the division of the maritime areas of coastal nations. Intended for background use only, this research document does not represent an official acceptance of the United States Government of the line or lines represented on the charts Oft .necessarily, of the specific principles involved, if any, in the original drafting of the lines. Additional copies may be requested by mail from The Geographer, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520, or by telephone (Area Code 202, 632-2022). LIMITS IN THE SEAS NO, 89 CONTINENTAL SHELF BOUNDARY: It&ly-Tunisia January 7, 1980 Office of the Geographes BureAu of Intelligence and ResearchCONTIEJEUTAL SHELF BOUNDARY: ITALY - TUIJISIA On Auyust 20, 1971, the Governments of the Italian Republic and the Republic of Tunisia signed an agreement delimiting their common continental shelf boundary in the Mediterranean Sea. Instruments of ratification were exchanged and the agreement entered into force on December 6, 1978. The full text is as follows: AGREEMEUT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ITALIAII REPUBLIC AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TUNISIAN REPUBLIC RELATIIJG TO THE DELI11ITATIOfJ OF THE COEJTIUEIJTAL SHELF BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES The Government of the Italian Republic and the Government of the Tunisian Republic, Desirous of strengthening further their neiyhbourliness and of drawing the bonds of friendship between their two countries closer, Have agreed to define and establish in the present Agreement the principles and criteria for drawing the line of delimitation of the continental shelf between Italy and Tunisia, Article I The boundary of the continental shelf between the two countries shall be the median line, every point of which is equidistant from the nearest points of the baselines from which the breadths of the Italian and Tunisian territorial seas are measured, taking into account islands, islets and low-tide elevations with exception of Lampione, Lampedusa, Linosa and Pantelleria.-2- Article II With regard to the islands referred to in Article 1, the boundary of the continental shelf shall be determined by tile following provisions: (a) Around Pantelleria, the boundary with Tunisia shall be the envelope of circles with a radius of 13 nautical miles and centres on the coastline of this island, as far as the intersection of this envelope with the median line defined in Article I. (b) Around Lampione, the boundary with Tunisia shall be the envelope of circles with a radius of 12 nautical miles and centres on the coastline of this island, as far as the intersection of this envelope with that relating to Lampedusa defined in (c) below. (c) Around Lampedusa, the boundary with Tunisia shall be the sections of the envelope of circles with a radius of 13 nautical miles and centres on the coastline of this island, these sections being between the intersection of this envelope, on the one hand, with that of Lampione specified in (b) above and, on the other hand, with that of Linosa defined in (d) below. (d) Around Linosa, the boundary with Tunisia shall be the sections of the envelope of circles with a radius of 13 nautical miles and centres on the coastline of this island, these sections being between the intersection of this envelope, on the one hand, with that of Lampedusa specified in (c) above and, on the other hand, with the median line defined in Article I. I Article III I There shall be created as soon as possible a Tunisian-Italian Technical Commission whose task shall be to draw on charts the median line and the sections of envelopes defined above and to determine the co-ordinates of the points forming these lines. This Commission ought, as far as possible, to have completed its work within three months of the date of the present Agreement. . I These maps as well as the definition of the co-ordinates of the points forming these lines, which shall be established by the said Commission, shall be-3- authenticated by the signatures of the Ljlenipotentiaries of the two Parties; they shall be annexed to the present Agreement. Article IV If deposits of natural resources extend on both sides of the boundary of the continental shelf, with the result that the resources of the part of the continental shelf belonging to one of the Contracting Parties could be exploited from the part of the continental shelf belonging to the other Party, the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall act together with the aim of reaching an agreement to determine the manner in which these resources are to be exploited, after having consulted the holders of any concessions. Pending the conclusion of such an agreement, each Party shall ensure that exploitation is carried out under optimum conditions in accordance with the technical rules. Article V In the event of a difference over the position of an installation in relation to the boundary line, as defined by the present Agreement, the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall by ayreement determine on which Party's continental shelf the installation is situated. Article VI The present Agreement shall be ratified in accordance with the constitutional rules of the Contracting Parties and shall enter into force on the date of the exchange of instruments of ratification, which shall take place at Rome as soon as possible. Nevertheless, from the date of signature of the present Agreement, the two Governments may grant licences for the exploration and exploitation of the mineral resources in the areas falling to them