The final result of negotiations is usually a formal written communique or agreement that spells out the actions and responsibilities of each side. The most well-known is, of course, the   treaty , a formal, written agreement between sovereign states or between or among countries and   international organizations . In the United States, treaties are negotiated through the executive branch, which includes the   Department of State . Once the negotiators have accepted the terms of the   treaty , the president sends the   treaty  to the U.S. Senate for its “advice and consent” on   ratification , or endorsement. If the Senate approves, the   treaty  is returned to the White House for the president’s signature. Many other countries have similar procedures for ratifying agreements and it may be many years before a   treaty  might be signed and implemented. While the United States signed a   Treaty  of Peace with Japan in 1951 after World War II, it did not settle terms of peace with Germany until reunification in 1991, partly because Germany was divided at the end of the war.