Convention on the
Prohibition of the
Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of
Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction
September 18, 1997
OFFICIAL TEXT
Preamble
The States Parties,
Determined to put an end to the suffering and casualties
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 States which have not yet done so,
Welcoming also 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 mines,
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 organizations around the world,
Recalling the Ottawa Declaration of 5 October 1996
and the 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 towards the promotion of its universalization
in all relevant fora including, inter alia, the United Nations,
the Conference on Disarmament, regional organizations, and groupings,
and review conferences of 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,
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 superfluous 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 this 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
are equipped with anti-handling devices, are 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 a 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 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 purposes.
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.
Article 5
Destruction of anti-personnel mines in mined areas
1. Each State Party undertakes to destroy or ensure
the destruction of 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 at least
be 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 or to Have Indiscriminate
Effects.
3. If a State Party believes that it will be unable
to destroy or ensure the destruction of all anti-personnel mines
referred to in paragraph 1 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;
c) The humanitarian, social, economic, and environmental
implications of the extension; and
d) Any other information relevant to the request
for the proposed extension.
5. 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.
6. 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 in the previous extension period 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 and Red Crescent societies and
their International Federation, non-governmental organizations,
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 institutions, or on a bilateral
basis, or by contributing to the United Nations Voluntary Trust
Fund for 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 lists 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 and scope 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.
8. 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 programs 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 this 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.
2. The information provided in accordance with
this Article shall be updated by the 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. The requesting State Party may propose through
the Secretary-General of the United Nations the convening of a
Special Meeting of the States Parties to consider the matter.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall thereupon communicate
this proposal and all information submitted by the States 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.
6. The Meeting of the States Parties 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.
7. All States Parties shall cooperate fully with
the Meeting of the States Parties or the Special Meeting of the
States Parties in the fulfillment of its review of the matter,
including any fact-finding missions that are authorized in accordance
with paragraph 8.
8. 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 States Parties or a Special Meeting of the
States 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.
9. 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 expert to such missions.
10. 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 State 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.
11. 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, and shall be responsible
for ensuring the security of the mission to the maximum extent
possible while they are on territory under its control.
12. 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 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.
13. 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.
14. The requested State Party shall grant access
for the 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.
15. 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.
16. All information provided in confidence and
not related to the subject matter of the fact-finding mission
shall be treated on a confidential basis.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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 this 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 procedure.
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
meetings 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 United 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 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 and 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.
3. 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 the 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 organizations
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 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 Meetings 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 Nations under Articles 7 and 8 and the costs of
any fact-finding mission 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 may at the time of its ratification,
acceptance, approval or accession, declare that it 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 United 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 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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