143 5. Any amendment relating exclusively to activities in the Area and any amendment to Annex VI shall enter into force for all States Parties one year following the deposit of instruments of ratification or accession by three fourths of the States Parties. 6. A State which becomes a Party to this Convention after the entry into force of amendments in accordance with paragraph 5 shall be considered as a Party to this Convention as so amended. Article 317 Denunciation 1. A State Party may, by written notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, denounce this Convention and may indicate its reasons. Failure to indicate reasons shall not affect the validity of the denunciation. The denunciation shall take effect one year after the date of receipt of the notification, unless the notification specifies a later date. 2. A State shall not be discharged by reason of the denunciation from the financial and contractual obligations which accrued while it was a Party to this Convention, nor shall the denunciation affect any right, obligation or legal situation of that State created through the execution of this Convention prior to its termination for that State. 3. The denunciation shall not in any way affect the duty of any State Party to fulfil any obligation embodied in this Convention to which it would be subject under international law independently of this Convention. Article 318 Status of Annexes The Annexes form an integral part of this Convention and, unless expressly provided otherwise, a reference to this Convention or to one of its Parts includes a reference to the Annexes relating thereto. Article 319 Depositary 1. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall be the depositary of this Convention and amendments thereto. 2. In addition to his functions as depositary, the Secretary-General shall: (a) report to all States Parties, the Authority and competent international organizations on issues of a general nature that have arisen with respect to this Convention; (b) notify the Authority of ratifications and formal confirmations of and accessions to this Convention and amendments thereto, as well as of denunciations of this Convention; (c) notify States Parties of agreements in accordance with article 311, paragraph 4; (d) circulate amendments adopted in accordance with this Convention to States Parties for ratification or accession; (e) convene necessary meetings of States Parties in accordance with this Convention. 3. (a) The Secretary-General shall also transmit to the observers referred to in article 156: