350 United Nations — Treaty Series • Nations Unies — Recueil des Traités_____1980 PART vi. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Article 73. CASES OF STATE SUCCESSION, STATE RESPONSIBILITY AND OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES The provisions of the present Convention shall not prejudge any question that may arise in regard to a treaty from a succession of States or from the international responsibility of a State or from the outbreak of hostilities between States. Article 74. DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR RELATIONS AND THE CONCLUSION OF TREATIES The severance or absence of diplomatic or consular relations between two or more States does not prevent the conclusion of treaties between those States. The conclusion of a treaty does not in itself affect the situation in regard to diplomatic or consular relations. Article 75. CASE OF AN AGGRESSOR STATE The provisions of the present Convention are without prejudice to any obliga tion in relation to a treaty which may arise for an aggressor State in consequence of measures taken in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations with reference to that State's aggression. PART vu. DEPOSITARIES, NOTIFICATIONS, CORRECTIONS AND REGISTRATION Article 76. DEPOSITARIES OF TREATIES 1. The designation of the depositary of a treaty may be made by the negotiating States, either in the treaty itself or in some other manner. The depositary may be one or more States, an international organization or the chief administrative officer of the organization. 2. The functions of the depositary of a treaty are international in character and the depositary is under an obligation to act impartially in their performance. In particular, the fact that a treaty has not entered into force between certain of the par ties or that a difference has appeared between a State and a depositary with regard to the performance of the latter's functions shall not affect that obligation. Article 77. FUNCTIONS OF DEPOSITARIES 1. The functions of a depositary, unless otherwise provided in the treaty or agreed by the contracting States, comprise in particular: (a) Keeping custody of the original text of the treaty and of any full powers delivered to the depositary; (b) Preparing certified copies of the original text and preparing any further text of the treaty in such additional languages as may be required by the treaty and transmitting them to the parties and to the States entitled to become parties to the treaty; (c) Receiving any signatures to the treaty and receiving and keeping custody of any instruments, notifications and communications relating to it; (d) Examining whether the signature or any instrument, notification or com munication relating to the treaty is in due and proper form and, if need be, bringing the matter to the attention of the State in question; (e) Informing the parties and the States entitled to become parties to the treaty of acts, notifications and communications relating to the treaty; Vol. 1155,1-18232