395"a


VII of this Treaty. Reasonable staff support and funding for the Board of Users shall be provided by INTEIRSIEA to allow the Board of Users to perform its functions as set forth in this Treaty. Said Board of Users representative shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of a Governor as set forth in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article X and Article XI of this Treaty.
 "4. The Board of Users shall advise INTEIRSIEA on matters of policy affecting the INTERSEA canal's operation, administration, and maintenance and advise INTERSEA on policy alternatives for plans for the canal's future. The Board of Users may appoint such subcommittees as it deems appropriate to carry out its functions.
 "A RTICLEXVI
 cc PROTECTION AND DEFENSE
 "1. The United States of America, the Republic of Panama, and any member nation of INTERSEA which enters into the Security Agreement with INTIERSEA, have the responsibility to assure that the Panama Canal will remain open and secure to ships of all nations and therefore commit themselves to protect and defend the INTERSEA Canal. Each Party shall act in accordance with their respective constitutional processes to defend the Canal against any threat to the regime of neutrality, and consequently shall have the right to act against any aggression or threat directed against the Canal or against the peaceful transit of vessels through the Canal.
 "2. The United States of America shall have primary responsibility to protect and def end the Canal. The rights of the United States of America to station, train, and move military forces within the Republic of Panama are described in the Security Agreement. The use of areas and installations and the legal status of the armed forces of the United States of America or any other nation in the Republic of Panama shall be governed by the aforesaid Agreement.
 "3. In order to facilitate the participation and cooperation of the armed f orces of Parties in the protection and defense of the Canal, th Assembly of Parties shall establish a standing Defense Board comprised of an equal number of senior military representatives of each Party. Such representatives shall be charged by their respective governments -with consulting and cooperating on all matters pertaining to the protection and defense of the Canal, and with planning f or actions to be taken in concert for that purpose. Such combined protection and defense arrangements shall not inhibit the identity or lines of authority of the armed forces of the Parties. The Defense Board shall provide for coordination and cooperation concerning such matters as"(a) the preparation of contingency plans for the protection and defense of the Canal based upon the cooperative efforts of the armed forces of the Parties;
 "(b) the planning and conduct of combined military exercises; and "(c) the conduct of military operations with respect to the protection and defense of the Canal.