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5. Optional Protocol to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, concerning the Compulsory Settlement of Disputes

Vienna, 18 April 1961

 

Entry into force: 24 April 1964, in accordance with article VIII.
Registration: 24 June 1964, No. 7312.
Status: Signatories: 29 ,Parties: 66.
Text: United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 500, p. 241

Note: See "Note:" in chapter III.3.

 

 

PARTICIPANTS


Participant  Signature  Ratification, Accession (a), Succession (d) 
Australia    26 Jan 1968 a 
Austria  18 Apr 1961  28 Apr 1966 
Bahamas    17 Mar 1977 a 
Belgium  23 Oct 1961  2 May 1968 
Bosnia and Herzegovina1    1 Sep 1993 d 
Botswana    11 Apr 1969 a 
Bulgaria    6 Jun 1989 a 
Cambodia    31 Aug 1965 a 
Central African Republic  28 Mar 1962  19 Mar 1973 
China2     
Colombia  18 Apr 1961   
Costa Rica    9 Nov 1964 a 
Democratic Republic of the Congo    19 Jul 1965 a 
Denmark  18 Apr 1961  2 Oct 1968 
Dominica    24 Mar 2006 a 
Dominican Republic  30 Mar 1962  13 Feb 1964 
Ecuador  18 Apr 1961  21 Sep 1964 
Estonia    21 Oct 1991 a 
Fiji    21 Jun 1971 d 
Finland  20 Oct 1961  9 Dec 1969 
France  30 Mar 1962  31 Dec 1970 
Gabon    2 Apr 1964 a 
Germany3,4  18 Apr 1961  11 Nov 1964 
Ghana  18 Apr 1961   
Guinea    10 Jan 1968 a 
Hungary    8 Dec 1989 a 
Iceland    18 May 1971 a 
India    15 Oct 1965 a 
Iran (Islamic Republic of)  27 May 1961  3 Feb 1965 
Iraq  20 Feb 1962  15 Oct 1963 
Ireland  18 Apr 1961   
Israel  18 Apr 1961   
Italy  13 Mar 1962  25 Jun 1969 
Japan  26 Mar 1962  8 Jun 1964 
Kenya    1 Jul 1965 a 
Kuwait    21 Feb 1991 a 
Lao People's Democratic Republic    3 Dec 1962 a 
Lebanon  18 Apr 1961   
Liberia    16 Sep 2005 a 
Liechtenstein  18 Apr 1961  8 May 1964 
Luxembourg  2 Feb 1962  17 Aug 1966 
Madagascar    31 Jul 1963 a 
Malawi    29 Apr 1980 a 
Malaysia    9 Nov 1965 a 
Malta5    7 Mar 1967 d 
Mauritius    18 Jul 1969 d 
Montenegro6    23 Oct 2006 d 
Nepal    28 Sep 1965 a 
Netherlands7    7 Sep 1984 a 
New Zealand8  28 Mar 1962  23 Sep 1970 
Nicaragua    9 Jan 1990 a 
Niger    26 Apr 1966 a 
Norway  18 Apr 1961  24 Oct 1967 
Oman    31 May 1974 a 
Pakistan    29 Mar 1976 a 
Panama    4 Dec 1963 a 
Paraguay    23 Dec 1969 a 
Philippines  20 Oct 1961  15 Nov 1965 
Republic of Korea  30 Mar 1962  25 Jan 1977 
Romania    19 Sep 2007 a 
Serbia1    12 Mar 2001 d 
Seychelles    29 May 1979 a 
Slovakia    27 Apr 1999 a 
Slovenia1    6 Jul 1992 d 
Sri Lanka    31 Jul 1978 a 
Suriname    28 Oct 1992 a 
Sweden  18 Apr 1961  21 Mar 1967 
Switzerland  18 Apr 1961  22 Nov 1963 
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1,9    18 Aug 1993 d 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland  11 Dec 1961  1 Sep 1964 
United Republic of Tanzania  27 Feb 1962  5 Nov 1962 
United States of America  29 Jun 1961  13 Nov 1972 
 

 

NOTES


1. The former Yugoslavia had signed and ratified the Optional Protocol on 18 April 1961 and 1 April 1963, respectively. See also note 1 under "Bosnia and Herzegovina", "Croatia", "former Yugoslavia", "Slovenia", "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" and "Yugoslavia" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.


2. Signed on behalf of the Republic of China on 18 April 1961. See also note 1 under "China" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.

In communications addressed to the Secretary-General with reference to the above-mentioned signature and/or ratification, the Permanent Representatives of the Permanent Missions to the United  of Bulgaria, the Byelorussian SSR, Mongolia, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, the Ukrainian SSR and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics stated that their Governments considered the said signature and/or ratification as null and void, since the so-called "Government of China" had no right to speak or assume obligations on behalf of China, there being only one Chinese State, the People's Republic of China, and one Government entitled to represent it, the Government of the People's Republic of China.

In letters addressed to the Secretary-General in regard to the above-mentioned communications, the Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations stated that the Republic of China, a sovereign State and Member of the United Nations, had attended the 1961 Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities, contributed to the formulation of the Convention concerned, signed the Convention and duly deposited the instrument of ratification thereof, and that "any statements and reservations relating to the above-mentioned Convention that are incompatible with or derogatory to the legitimate position of the Government of the Republic of China shall in no way affect the rights and obligations of the Republic of China under this Convention".

The instrument of accession deposited on behalf of the Government of China on 25 November 1975 contained the following declaration:

The "signature" on and "ratification" of this Convention by the Chiang Kai-shek clique usurping the name of China are illegal and null and void.


3. See note 2 under "Germany" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.


4. In a communication received on 22 March 1965, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany informed the Secretary-General of the following:

"The Federal Republic of Germany is not a Party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice. In order to meet her obligations under article I of the Optional Protocol on the Compulsory Settlement of Disputes, and in accordance with Security Council resolution of 15 October 1946 on the conditions under which the International Court of Justice shall be open to States not Parties to that Statute [resolution 9 (1946) adopted by the Security Council at its 76th meeting], the Federal Republic has issued a declaration accepting the competence of the International Court of Justice for the disputes named in article I of the Optional Protocol on the Compulsory Settlement of Disputes. This declaration also applies to the disputes named in article IV of the Optional Protocol on the Compulsory Settlement of Disputes which arise from the interpretation or application of the Optional Protocol on the Acquisition of Nationality."

The declaration referred to above was deposited by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on 29 January 1965 with the Registrar of the International Court of Justice who transmitted certified true copies thereof to all States parties to the Statute of the International Court of Justice, in accordance with paragraph 3 of the Security Council resolution referred to above.

In the same communication, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has notified the Secretary-General, in accordance with article IV of the Optional Protocol concerning the Compulsory Settlement of Disputes, done at Vienna on 18 April 1961, that it will extend the provisions of the said Protocol to disputes arising out of the interpretation or application of the Optional Protocol concerning the Acquisition of Nationality, done at Vienna on 18 April 1961.

See also note 1 under "Germany" regarding Berlin (West) in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.


5. In its notification of succession the Government of Malta indicated that it conssiders itself bound by the Convention as from 1 october 1964 [the date of entry into force of the Convention for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.


6. See note 1 under "Montenegro" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.


7. F or the Kingdom in Europe and the Netherlands Antilles. See also note 1 under "Netherlands" regarding Aruba/Netherlands Antilles in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.


8. See note 1 under "New Zealand" regarding Tokelau in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.


9. Upon depositing the notification of succession, the Government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia declared that "... the stipulation contained in this Protocol also apply to differences that arose from the interpretation or implementation of the Protocol with facultative signing relating to the acquisition of citizenship".