Artikel 44

1. This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of 10 years after its entry into force unless the Council, by special vote in accordance with article 12, decides to extend, renegotiate or terminate it in accordance with the provisions of this article.
2. The Council may, by special vote in accordance with article 12, decide to extend this Agreement for two periods, an initial period of five years and an additional one of three years.
3. If, before the expiry of the 10-year period referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, or before the expiry of an extension period referred to in paragraph 2 of this article, as the case may be, the new Agreement to replace this Agreement has been negotiated but has not yet entered into force either definitively or provisionally, the Council may, by special vote in accordance with article 12, extend this Agreement until the provisional or definitive entry into force of the new Agreement.
4. If the new Agreement is negotiated and enters into force during any period of extension of this Agreement under paragraph 2 or paragraph 3 of this article, this Agreement, as extended, shall terminate upon the entry into force of the new Agreement.
5. The Council may at any time, by special vote in accordance with article 12, decide to terminate this Agreement with effect from such date as it may determine.
6. Notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement, the Council shall continue in being for a period not exceeding 18 months to carry out the liquidation of the Organization, including the settlement of accounts, and, subject to relevant decisions to be taken by special vote in accordance with article 12, shall have during that period such powers and functions as may be necessary for these purposes.
7. The Council shall notify the depositary of any decision taken under this article.