CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION OF THE USE,

STOCKPILING, PRODUCTION AND TRANSFER OF

ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION

Preamble

The State Parties,

Determined to put an end to the suffering and

casualities caused by anti-personnel mines, that

kill or maim hundreds of people every week,

mostly innocent and defenceless civilians and

especially children, obstruct economic

development and reconstruction, inhibit the

repatriation of refugees and internally displaced

persons, and have other severe consequences for

years after emplacement.

Believing it necessary to do their utmost to

contribute in an efficient and coordinated manner

to face the challenge of removing anti-personnel

mines placed throughout the world, and to assure

their destruction,

Wishing to do their utmost in providing

assistance for the care and rehabilitation,

including the social and economic reintegration

of mine victims,

Recognizing, that a total ban of anti-personnel

mines would also be an important

confidence-building measure,

Welcoming the adoption of the Protocol on

Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines,

Booby-Traps and Other Devices, as amended on 3

May 1996, annexed to the Convention on

Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of

Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed

to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have

Indiscriminate Effects, and calling for the early

ratification of this Protocol by all countries

who have not yet done so,

Welcoming also the United Nations General

Assembly Resolution 51/45 S of 10 December 1996

urging all States to pursue vigorously an

effective, legally-binding international

agreement to ban the use, stockpiling,

production, and transfer of anti-personnel

landmines.

Welcoming furthermore the measures taken over the

past years, both unilaterally and multilaterally,

aiming at prohibiting, restricting or suspending

the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of

anti-personnel landmines,

Stressing the role of public conscience in

furthering the principles of humanity as

evidenced by the call for a total ban of

anti-personnel mines and recognizing the efforts

to that end undertaken by the International Red

Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the

International Campaign to Ban Landmines and

numerous other non-governmental organtizations

around the world,

Recalling the Ottawa Declaration of 5 October

1996 and Brussels Declaration of 27 June 1997

urging the international community to negotiate

an international and legally binding agreement

prohibiting the use, stockpiling, production, and

transfer of anti-personnel mines,

Emphasizing the desirability of attracting the

adherence of all states to this Convention, and

determined to work strenuously toward the

promotion of its universalization in all relevant

fora including, inter alia, the United Nations,

Conference on Disarmament, regional

organizations, and groupings, and review

conferences of the Conventioon on Prohibitions or

Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional

Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively

Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects,

Basing themselves on the principle of

international humanitarian law that the right of

the parties to an armed conflict to choose

methods or means of warfare is not unlimited, on

the principle that prohibits the employment in

armed conflicts of weapons, projectiles and

materials and methods of warfare of a nature to

cause superfuous injury or unnecessary suffering

and on the principle that a distinction must be

made between civilians and combatants,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

General Obligations

1. Each State Party undertakes never under any

circumstances:

a) To use anti-personnel mines; b) To develop,

produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain or

transfer to anyone, directly or indirectly,

anti-personnel mines;

c) To assist, encourage or induce, in any way,

anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a

State Party under this Convention.

2. Each State Party undertakes to destroy or

ensure the destruction of all anti-personnel

mines in accordance with the provisions of the

Convention.

Article 2

Definitions

1. "Anti-personnel mine" means a mine designed to

be exploded by the presence, proximity, or

contact of a person and that will incapacitate,

injure, or kill one or more persons. Mines

designed to be detonated by the presence,

proximity or contact of a vehicle as opposed to a

person, that equipped with anti-handling devices,

and not considered anti-personnel mines as a

result of being so equipped.

2. "Mine" means a munition designed to be placed

under, on or near the ground or other surface

area and to be exploded by the presence,

proximity or contact of a person or vehicle.

3. "Anti-handling" device means a device intended

to protect a mine and which is part of, linked

to, attached to or placed under the mine and

which activates when an attempt is made to tamper

with or otherwise intentionally disturb the mine.

4. "Transfer" involves, in addition to the

physical movement of anti-personnel mines into or

from national territory, the transfer of title to

and control over the mines, but does not involve

the transfer of territory containing emplaced

anti-personnel mines.

5. "Mined area" means an area which is dangerous

due to the presence or suspected presence of

mines.

Article 3

Exceptions

1. Notwithstanding the general obligations under

Article 1, the retention and or transfer of a

number of anti-personnel mines for the

development of and training in mine detection,

mine clearance, or mine destruction techniques is

permitted. The amount of such mines shall not

exceed the minimum number absolutely necessary

for the above mentioned purpose.

2. The transfer of anti-personnel mines for the

purpose of destruction is permitted.

Article 4

Destruction of stockpiled anti-personnel mines

Except as provided for in Article 3, each State

Party undertakes to destroy or ensure the

destruction of all stockpiled anti-personnel

mines it owns or possesses, or that are under its

jurisdiction or control, as soon as possible but

not later than four years after the entry into

force of this Convention for that State Party.

Articles 5

Destruction of anti-personnel mines in mined

areas

1. Each State Party undertakes to destroy all

anti-personnel mines in mined areas under

its jurisdiction or control, as soon as

possible but not later than ten years after

the entry into force of this Convention for

that State Party.

2. Each State Party shall make every effort to

identify all areas under its jurisdiction or

control in which anti-personnel mines are

known or suspected to be emplaced and shall

ensure as soon as possible that all

anti-personnel mines in mined areas under

its jurisdiction or control are

perimeter-marked, monitored and protected by

fencing or other means, to ensure the

effective exclusion of civilians, until all

anti-personnel mines contained therein have

been destroyed. The marking shall be at

least to the standards set out in the

Protocol On Prohibitions or Restrictions on

the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and other

Devices, As Amended on 3 May 1996, annexed

to the Convention on Prohibitions or

Restrictions on the Use of Certain

Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to

Be Excessively Injurious of to Have

Indiscriminate Effects.

3. If a State Party believes that it will be

unable to ensure the destruction of all

anti-personnel mines referred to in

paragraph I within that time period, it may

submit a request to a Meeting of the States

Parties or a Review Conference for an

extension of the deadline for completing the

destruction of such anti-personnel mines,

for a period of up to ten years.

4. Each request shall contain:

a. The duration of the proposed extension;

b. A detailed explanation of the reasons for

the proposed extension, including:

i. The preparation and status of work

conducted under national demining

programs;

ii. The financial and technical means

available to the State Party for the

destruction of all the anti-personnel

mines; and

iii. Circumstances which impede the ability

of the State Party to destroy all the

anti-personnel mines in mined areas.

a. The humanitarian, social, economic, and

environmental implications of the extension;

and

b. Any other information relevant to the

request for the proposed extension.

1. The Meeting of the States Parties or the

Review Conference shall, taking into

consideration the factors contained in

paragraph 4, assess the request and decide

by a majority of votes of States Parties

present and voting whether to grant the

request for an extension period.

2. Such an extension may be renewed upon the

submission of a new request in accordance

with paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of this Article.

In requesting a further extension period a

State party shall submit relevant additional

information on what has been undertaken

pursuant to this Article.

Article 6

International cooperation and assistance

1. In fulfilling its obligations under this

Convention each State Party has the right to

seek and receive assistance, where feasible,

from other States Parties to the extent

possible.

2. Each State Party undertakes to facilitate

and shall have the right to participate in

the fullest possible exchange of equipment,

material, and scientific and technological

information concerning the implementation of

this Convention. The States Parties shall

not impose undue restrictions on the

provision of mine clearance equipment and

related technological information for

humanitarian purposes.

3. Each State Party in a position to do so

shall provide assistance for the care and

rehabilitation and social and economic

reintegration, of mine victims and for mine

awareness programs. Such assistance may be

provided, inter alia, through the United

Nations system, international, regional or

national organizations or institutions, the

International Committee of the Red Cross,

national Red Cross or Red Crescent societies

and their International Federation,

non-governmental organization, or on a

bilateral basis.

4. Each State Party in a position to do so

shall provide assistance for mine clearance

and related activities. Such assistance may

be provided, inter alia, through the United

Nations system, international or regional

organizations or institutions,

non-governmental organizations, or on a

bilateral basis, or by contributing to the

United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for the

assistance in Mine Clearance, or other

regional funds that deal with demining.

5. Each State Party in a position to do so

shall provide assistance for the destruction

of stockpiled anti-personnel mines.

6. Each State Party undertakes to provide

information to the database on mine

clearance established within the United

Nations system, especially information

concerning various means and technologies of

mine clearance, and list of experts, expert

agencies or national points of contact on

mine clearance.

7. States Parties may request the United

Nations, regional organizations, other

States Parties or other competent

intergovernmental or non-governmental fora

to assist its authorities in the elaboration

of a national demining program to determine

inter alia:

a. The extent of the anti-personnel mine

problem;

b. The financial, technological and human

resources that are required for the

implementation of the program;

c. The estimated number of years necessary to

destroy all anti-personnel mines in mined

areas under the jurisdiction or control of

the concerned State Party;

d. Mine awareness activities to reduce the

incidence of mine related injuries or

deaths;

e. Assistance to mine victims;

f. The relationship between the Government of

the concerned State Party and the relevant

governmental, inter-governmental or

non-governmental entities that will work in

the implementation of the program.

1. Each State Party giving and receiving

assistance under the provisions of this

article shall cooperate with a view to

ensuring the full and prompt implementation

of agreed assistance programs.

Article 7

Transparency measures

1. Each State Party shall report to the

Secretary-General of the United Nations

as soon as practicable, and in any

event not later than 180 days after the

entry into force of this Convention for

that State Party on:

a. The national implementation measures

referred to in Article 9;

b. The total of all stockpiled anti-personnel

mines owned or possessed by it, or under its

jurisdiction or control, to include a

breakdown of the type, quantity and, if

possible, lot numbers of each type of

anti-personnel mine stockpiled;

c. To the extent possible, the location of all

mined areas that contain, or are suspected

to contain, anti-personnel mines under its

jurisdiction or control, to include as much

detail as possible regarding the type and

quantity of each type of anti-personnel mine

in each mined area and when they were

emplaced;

d. The types, quantities, and if possible lot

numbers of all anti-personnel mines retained

or transferred for the development of and

training in mine detection, mine clearance

or mine destruction techniques, or

transferred for the purpose of destruction,

as well as the institutions authorized by a

State Party to retain or transfer

anti-personnel mines, in accordance with

Article 3;

e. The status of programmes for the conversion

or de-commissioning of anti-personnel mine

production facilities;

f. The status of programs for the destruction

of anti-personnel mines in accordance with

Articles 4 and 5, including details of the

methods which will be used in destruction,

the location of all destruction sites and

the applicable safety and environmental

standards to be observed;

g. The types and quantities of all

anti-personnel mines destroyed after the

entry into force of the Convention for that

State Party, to include a breakdown of the

quantity of each type of anti-personnel mine

destroyed, in accordance with Articles 4 and

5, respectively, along with, if possible,

the lot numbers of each type of

anti-personnel mine in the case of

destruction in accordance with Article 4;

h. The technical characteristics of each type

of anti-personnel mine produced, to the

extent known, and those currently owned or

possessed by a State Party, giving, where

reasonably possible, such categories of

information as may facilitate identification

and clearance of anti-personnel mines; at a

minimum, this information shall include the

dimensions, fusing, explosive content,

metallic content, colour photographs and

other information which may facilitate mine

clearance; and

i. The measures taken to provide an immediate

and effective warning to the population in

relation to all areas identified under

paragraph 2 of Article 5.

1. The information provided in accordance with

this Article shall be updated by States

Parties annually, covering the last calendar

year, and reported to the Secretary-General

of the United Nations not later than 30

April of each year.

2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations

shall transmit all such reports received to

the States Parties.

Article 8

Facilitation and clarification of compliance

1. The States Parties agree to consult and

cooperate with each other regarding the

implementation of the provisions of this

Convention, and to work together in a spirit

of cooperation to facilitate compliance by

States Parties with their obligations under

this Convention.

2. If one or more States Parties wish to

clarify and seek to resolve questions

relating to compliance with the provisions

of this Convention by another State Party,

it may submit, through the Secretary-General

of the United Nations a Request for

Clarification of that matter to that State

Party. Such a request shall be accompanied

by all appropriate information. Each State

Party shall refrain from unfounded requests

for Clarification, care being taken to avoid

abuse. A State Party that receives a Request

for Clarification shall provide, through the

Secretary-General of the United Nations,

within 28 days to the requesting State Party

all information which would assist in

clarifying this matter.

3. If the requesting State Party does

not receive a response through the

Secretary-General of the United Nations

within that time period, or deems the

response to the Request for

Clarification to be unsatisfactory, it

may submit the matter through the

Secretary-General of the United Nations

to the next Meeting of the States

Parties. The Secretary-General of the

United Nations shall transmit the

submission, accompanied by all

appropriate information pertaining to

the Request for Clarification, to all

States Parties. All such information

shall be presented to the requested

State Party which shall have the right

to respond.

1. Pending the convening of any meeting of the

States Parties, any of the States Parties

concerned may request the Secretary-General

of the United Nations to exercise his or her

good offices to facilitate the clarification

requested.

2. The requesting State Parties may propose

through the Secretary-General of the United

Nations the convening of a Special meeting

of the State Parties to consider the matter.

The Secretary General of the United Nations

shall thereupon communicate this proposal

and all information submitted by the state

parties concerned, to all States Parties

with a request that they indicate whether

they favour a Special Meeting of the States

Parties, for the purpose of considering the

matter. In the event that within 14 days

from the date of such communication, at

least one third of the States Parties

favours such a Special Meeting, the

Secretary-General of the United Nations

shall convene this Special Meeting of the

States Parties within a further 14 days. A

quorum for this Meeting shall consist of a

majority of States Parties.

3. The Meeting of the State or the Special

Meeting of the States Parties, as the case

may be, shall first determine whether to

consider the matter further, taking into

account all information submitted by the

States Parties concerned. The Meeting of the

States Parties or the Special Meeting of the

States Parties shall make every effort to

reach a decision by consensus. If despite

all efforts to that end no agreement has

been reached, it shall take this decision by

a majority of States Parties present and

voting.

4. All States Parties shall cooperate fully

with the Meeting of the States Parties or

the Special Meeting of the States Parties in

the fulfilment of its review of the matter,

including any fact-finding missions that are

authorized in accordance with paragraph 8.

5. If further clarification is required, the

Meeting of the States Parties or the Special

Meeting of the States Parties shall

authorize a fact-finding mission and decide

on its mandate by a majority of States

Parties present and voting. At any time the

requested State Party may invite a

fact-finding mission to its territory. Such

a mission shall take place without a

decision by a Meeting of the State parties

or a Special Meeting of the State Parties to

authorize such a mission. The mission,

consisting of up to 9 experts, designated

and approved in accordance with paragraphs 9

and 10, may collect additional information

on the spot or in other places directly

related to the alleged compliance issue

under the jurisdiction or control of the

requested State Party.

1. The Secretary-General of the United Nations

shall prepare and update a list of the

names, nationalities, and other relevant

data of qualified experts provided by States

Parties and communicate it to all States

Parties. Any expert included on this list

shall be regarded as designated for all

fact-finding missions unless a State Party

declares its non-acceptance in writing. In

the event of non-acceptance, the expert

shall not participate in fact-finding

missions on the territory or any other place

under the jurisdiction or control of the

objecting State Party, if the non-acceptance

was declared prior to the appointment of the

experts to such missions.

2. Upon receiving a request from the Meeting of

the States Parties or a Special Meeting of

the States Parties, the Secretary-General of

the United Nations shall, after

consultations with the requested States

Party, appoint the members of the mission,

including its leader. Nationals of States

Parties requesting the fact-finding mission

or directly affected by it shall not be

appointed to the mission. The members of the

fact-finding mission shall enjoy privileges

and immunities under Article VI of the

Convention on the Privileges and Immunities

of the United Nations adopted on 13 February

1946.

3. Upon at least 72 hours notice, the members

of the fact-finding mission shall arrive in

the territory of the requested State Party

at the earliest opportunity. The requested

State Party shall take the necessary

administrative measures to receive,

transport and accommodate the mission to the

maximum extent possible while they are on

territory under its control.

4. Without prejudice to the sovereignty of the

requested State Party, the fact-finding

mission may bring into the territory of the

requested State Party the necessary

equipment which shall be used exclusively

for the gathering information on the alleged

compliance issue. Prior to its arrival, the

mission will advise the requested State

Party of the equipment that it intends to

utilize in the course of its fact-finding

mission.

5. The requested state party shall make all

efforts to ensure that the fact-finding

mission is given the opportunity to speak

with all relevant persons who may be able to

provide information related to the alleged

compliance issue.

6. The requested State Party shall grant access

for fact finding mission to all areas and

installations under its control where facts

relevant to the compliance issue could be

expected to be collected. This shall be

subject to any arrangements that the

requested State Party considers necessary

for :

a. The protection of sensitive equipment,

information, and areas;

b. The protection of any constitutional

obligations the requested State Party may

have with regard to proprietary rights,

searches and seizures, or other

constitutional rights, or;

c. The physical protection and safety of the

members of the fact-finding mission.

In the event that the requested State Party makes

such arrangements, it shall make every reasonable

effort to demonstrate through alternative means

its compliance with this Convention.

1. The fact-finding mission may remain in the

territory of the State Party concerned for

no more than 14 days, and at any particular

site no more than 7 days, unless otherwise

agreed.

2. All information provided in confidence and

not related to the subject matter of the

fact-finding mission shall be treated on a

confidential basis.

3. The fact-finding mission shall report,

through the Secretary-General of the United

Nations, to the Meeting of the States

Parties or the Special Meeting of the States

Parties the results of its findings.

4. The Meeting of the States Parties or the

Special Meeting of the States Parties shall

consider all relevant information, including

the report submitted by the fact-finding

mission, and may request the requested State

Party to take measures to address the

compliance issue within a specified period

of time. The requested State Party shall

report on all measures taken in response to

this request.

5. The Meeting of the States Parties or the

Special Meeting of the States Parties may

suggest to the States Parties concerned ways

and means to further clarify or resolve the

matter under consideration, including the

initiation of appropriate procedures in

conformity with international law. In

circumstances where the issue at hand is

determined to be due to circumstances beyond

the control of the requested State Party,

the Meeting of the States Parties or the

Special Meeting of the States Parties may

recommend appropriate measures, including

the use of cooperative measures referred to

in Article 6.

6. The Meeting of the States Parties or the

Special Meeting of the States Parties shall

make every effort to reach its decisions

referred to in paragraphs 18 and 19 by

consensus, otherwise by a two-thirds

majority of States Parties present and

voting.

Article 9

National implementation measures

Each State Party shall take all appropriate

legal, administrative and other measures,

including the imposition of penal sanctions, to

prevent and suppress any activity prohibited to a

State Party under this Convention undertaken by

persons or on territory under its jurisdiction or

control.

Article 10

Settlement of disputes

1. The States Parties shall consult and

cooperate with each other to settle any

dispute that may arise with regard to the

application or the interpretation of the

Convention. Each State Party may bring any

such dispute before the Meeting of the

States Parties.

2. The Meeting of the States Parties may

contribute to the settlement of the dispute

by whatever means it deems appropriate,

including offering its good offices, calling

upon the States Parties to a dispute to

start the settlement procedure of their

choice and recommending a time-limit for any

agreed procedures.

3. This Article is without prejudice to the

provisions of this Convention on

facilitation and clarification of

compliance.

Article 11

Meetings of the States Parties

1. The States Parties shall meet

regularly in order to consider any

matter with regard to the application

or implementation of this Convention,

including:

a. The operation and status of this Convention;

b. Matters arising from the reports submitted

under the provisions of this Convention;

c. International cooperation and assistance in

accordance with Article 6;

d. The development of technologies to clear

anti-personnel mines;

e. Submissions of States Parties under Article

8; and

f. Decisions relating to submissions of States

Parties as provided for in Article 5.

2. The First Meeting of the States Parties

shall be convened by the Secretary-General

of the United Nations within one year after

the entry into force of this Convention. The

subsequent meeting shall be convened by the

Secretary-General of the United Nations

annually until the first Review Conference.

3. Under the conditions set out in Article 8,

the Secretary-General of the Untied Nations

shall convene a Special Meeting of the

States Parties.

4. States not parties to this Convention, as

well as the United Nations, other relevant

international organizations or institutions,

regional organizations, the International

Committee of the Red Cross and relevant

non-governmental organizations may be

invited to attend these meetings as

observers in accordance with the agreed

Rules of Procedure.

Article 12

Review Conferences

1. A Review Conference shall be convened by the

Secretary-General of the United Nations five

years after the entry into force of this

Convention. Further Review Conferences shall

be convened by the Secretary-General of the

United Nations if so requested by one or

more of the States Parties, provided that

the interval between Review Conferences

shall in no case be less than five years.

All States Parties to this Convention shall

be invited to each Review Conference.

2. The purpose of the Review Conference shall

be:

a. To review the operation and status of this

Convention;

b. To consider the need for the interval

between further Meetings of the States

Parties referred to in paragraph 2 of

Article 11;

c. To take decisions on submissions of States

Parties as provided for in Article 5; and

d. To adopt, if necessary in its final report,

conclusions related to the implementation of

this Convention.

1. States not parties to this Convention, as

well as the United Nations, other relevant

international organizations or institutions,

regional organizations, the International

Committee of the Red Cross and relevant

non-governmental organizations may be

invited to attend each Review Conference as

observers in accordance with agreed Rules of

Procedure.

Article 13

Amendments

1. At any time after the entry into force of

this Convention any State Party may propose

amendments to this Convention. Any proposal

for an amendment shall be communicated to

the Depositary, who shall circulate it to

all States Parties and shall seek their

views on whether an Amendment Conference

should be convened to consider the proposal.

If a majority of the States Parties notify

the Depositary no later than 30 days after

its circulation that they support further

consideration of the proposal, the

Depositary shall convene an Amendment

Conference to which all States Parties shall

be invited.

2. States not parties to this Convention, as

well as the United Nations, other relevant

international organinzations or

institutions, regional organizations, the

International Committee of the Red Cross and

relevant non-governmental organizations may

be invited to attend each Amendment

Conference as observers in accordance with

the agreed Rules of Procedure.

3. The Amendment Conference shall be held

immediately following a Meeting of the

States Parties or a Review Conference unless

a majority of the States Parties request

that it be held earlier.

4. Any amendment to this Convention shall be

adopted by a majority of the two thirds of

the States Parties present and voting at the

Amendment Conference. The Depositary shall

communicate any amendment so adopted to the

States Parties.

5. An amendment to this Convention shall enter

into force for all States Parties to this

Convention which have accepted it, upon the

deposit with the Depositary of instruments

of acceptance by a majority of States

Parties. Thereafter it shall enter into

force for any remaining State Party on the

date of deposit of its instrument of

acceptance.

Article 14

Costs

1. The costs of the Meeting of the States

Parties, the Special Meetings of the States

Parties, the Review Conferences and the

Amendment Conferences shall be borne by the

States Parties and States not parties to

this Convention participating therein, in

accordance with the United Nations scale of

assessment adjusted appropriately.

2. The costs incurred by the Secretary-general

of the United Nation under Articles 7 and 8

shall be borne by the States Parties in

accordance with the United Nations scale of

assessment adjusted appropriately.

Article 15

Signature

This Convention, done at Oslo, Norway, on 18

September 1997, shall be open for signature at

Ottawa, Canada, by all States from 3 December

1997 until 4 December 1997, and at the United

Nations Headquarters in New York from 5 December

1997 until its entry into force.

Article 16

Ratification, acceptance, approval or accession

1. This convention is subject to ratification,

acceptance or approval of the Signatories.

2. It shall be open for accession by any State

which has not signed the Convention.

3. The instruments of ratification, acceptance,

approval or accession shall be deposited

with the Depositary.

Article 17

Entry into force

1. This Convention shall enter into force on

the first day of the sixth month after the

month in which the 40th instrument of

ratification, acceptance, approval or

accession has been deposited.

2. For any State which deposits its instrument

of ratification, acceptance, approval, or

accession after the date of the deposit of

the 40th instrument of ratification,

acceptance, approval or accession, this

Convention shall enter into force on the

first day of the sixth month after the date

on which that State has deposited its

instrument of ratification, acceptance,

approval, or accession.

Article 18

Provisional application

Any State Party may at the time of its

ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession,

declare that tit will apply provisionally

paragraph 1 of Article 1 of this Convention

pending its entry into force.

Article 19

Reservations

The Articles of this Convention shall not be

subject to reservations.

Article 20

Duration and withdrawal

1. This Convention shall be of unlimited

duration.

2. Each State Party shall, in exercising its

national sovereignty, have the right to

withdraw from this Convention. It shall give

notice of such withdrawal to all other

States Parties, to the Depositary and to the

Untied Nations Security Council. Such

instrument of withdrawal shall include a

full explanation of the reasons motivating

this withdrawal.

3. Such withdrawal shall only take effect six

months after the receipt of the instrument

of withdrawal by the Depositary. If,

however, on the expiry of that six-month

period, the withdrawing State Party is

engaged in an armed conflict, the withdrawal

shall not take effect before the end of the

armed conflict.

4. The withdrawal of a State Party from this

Convention shall not in any way affect the

duty of the States to continue fulfilling

the obligations assumed under any relevant

rules of international law.

Article 21

Depositary

The Secretary-General of the United Nations is

hereby designated as the Depositary of this

Convention.

Article 22

Authentic texts

The original of this Convention, of which the

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and

Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be

deposited with the Secretary-General of the

United Nations.

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