Declarations, Reservations and Statements CHINA

III. Declarations, Reservations and Statements CHINA

The instrument of accession of the Peoples Republic of China contains a declaration in the Chinese language: [Translation] that the acceptance of the ... Convention[s] by the Chiang Kai-shek clique usurping the name of China is illegal and null and void. Furthermore, the instrument of accession contains the following reservation: With respect to its off-coast areas, the Peoples Republic of China will not be bound by the defining of zones and seasonal areas in the relevant provisions of regulations 49 and 50 of Annex II to the Convention. The reservation made by the Government of the Peoples Republic of China to Regulations 49 and 50 of the Annex II to the Convention will also apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with effect from 1 July 1997. EGYPT The signature of the Representative of the United Arab Republic now the Arab Republic of Egypt was accompanied by the following paragraph in the English language: The Government of the United Arab Republic register the following reservation: Nothing in this Convention should in any way, affect any of the rules and regulations promulgated by the Suez Canal Authority. In case of any contradiction between them the latter shall prevail. GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC 1 The instrument of accession of the German Democratic Republic was accompanied by the following statement and declarations in the German language: [Translation] With regard to the application to Berlin West of the Convention the Government of the German Democratic Republic states in accordance with the Quadripartite Agreement of 3 September l97l between the Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the French Republic that Berlin West is no constituent part of the Federal Republic of Germany and must not be governed by it. Consequently, the statement of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany that the Convention applies also to the Land Berlin is contrary to the Quadripartite Agreement and can have no legal effects. The Government of the German Democratic Republic considers that the provisions of article 27 of the Convention are inconsistent with the principle that all States pursuing their policies in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations shall have the right to become parties to conventions affecting the interests of all States. The position of the Government of the German Democratic Republic on article 32 of the Convention, as far as the application of the Convention to colonial and other dependent territories is concerned, is governed by the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples resolution 1514XV of 14 December l960 proclaiming the necessity of bringing to a speedy and unconditional end colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. __________ 1 In respect of the statement by the German Democratic Republic, the texts of communications received from the Governments of the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, together with the relevant parts of a statement from the Government of France were circulated by the depositary. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY 1 A letter in the English language from the Chargé daffaires of the Federal Republic of Germany in London, which accompanied the instrument of acceptance, contains the following sentence: the said Convention shall also apply to Land Berlin with effect from the date on which it enters into force for the Federal Republic of Germany. OMAN The instrument of accession of the Sultanate of Oman contained the following statement in the English language: It is understood that accession to this International Convention on Load Lines does not, in any way, imply recognition of Israel by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman, and furthermore, no treaty relations will arise between the Sultanate of Oman and Israel by virtue of this action by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman. ROMANIA The letter in the French language accompanying the instrument of accession of the Socialist Republic of Romania contains the following declaration: [Translation] a The Council of State of the Socialist Republic of Romania considers that the maintenance in a state of dependence of certain territories referred to in the provisions contained in article 32 of the Convention is not in accordance with the Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization on 14 December l960 in resolution 1514XV, which proclaims the need to put an end rapidly and unconditionally to colonialization in all its forms and manifestations, nor with the Declaration on principles of international law on friendly relations and co-operation between States in conformity with the United Nations Charter, adopted unanimously in resolution 2625XXV on 24 October l970 by the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization, which proclaims solemnly that it is the duty of States to foster the fulfilment of the principle of equal rights between peoples and their right to self-determination, with the aim of bringing colonialism to a speedy end. b The Council of State of the Socialist Republic of Romania considers that the provisions of article 27, paragraph one, of the Convention are not in accordance with the principle that multilateral international treaties whose aims and objects concern the international community as a whole, should be open to participation by all. c ... d The Government of the Socialist Republic of Romania considers that the approval given by the Republic of Korea‘ to the International Convention on Load Lines done in London on 5 April l966 has no legal effect, since the South Korean authorities have no title to speak on behalf of Korea. _________ 1 The following Governments do not accept the declaration accompanying the instrument of acceptance of the Federal Republic of Germany and the texts of their Notes to this effect were circulated by the depositary: Bulgaria, Poland, the USSR. The texts of further communications from the Government of France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States were also circulated by the depositary. SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC 1 The instrument of accession of the Syrian Arab Republic contains the following sentence in the Arabic language: [Translation] ... this accession” ... to this Convention ... in no way implies recognition of Israel and does not involve the establishment of any relations with Israel arising from the provisions of this Convention. USSR At the time of signature, the Representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics addressed to the depositary a letter in the English language which contains the following statement: The Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics states that article 271 of the International Convention on Load Lines l966, under which the Governments of a number of States are deprived of the opportunity to become Parties to this Convention, is of a discriminatory nature and believes that in accordance with the principles of sovereign equality of Sates the Convention should be open for participation to all the interested nations without any discrimination or limitation. On 16 October l969, a communication in the Russian language was received by the depositary from the Embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in London, of which the following is an excerpt: [Translation] ... the Soviet Union does not recognize the acceptance of the Convention on Load Lines, l966 by the authorities of South Korea as lawful since the above-mentioned authorities cannot act in any way on behalf of Korea. __________ 1 The depositary received a communication dated 11 February l976 from the Chargé daffaires ad interim of the Embassy of Israel in London. The communication, the full text of which was circulated by the depositary, includes the following: The Government of Israel notes that in acceding to the ... Convention ...The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic included in its instruments of accession sentences relating to the State of Israel. This statement by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic is a political one and it is the view of the Government of Israel that the [International Maritime Organization] and its conventions are not the proper place for making such pronouncements. These pronouncements are, moreover, in flagrant contradiction to the principles, objects and purposes of the Convention in question. The Government of Israel rejects the said statement as being devoid of any legal validity whatsoever and will proceed on the assumption that it cannot in any way affect the obligations incumbent on the Syrian Arab Republic under the above-mentioned Convention. The Government of Israel will, in so far as concerns the substance of the matter, adopt towards the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic an attitude of complete reciprocity. 1971 Amendments

IV. Amendments 1 1971 Amendments A.231VII