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2.a. Additional Protocol 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 (Protocol IV, entitled Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons)

Vienna, 13 October 1995

 

Entry into force: 30 July 1998, in accordance with article 2 of the Additional Protocol.
Registration: 30 July 1998, No. 22495.
Status: ,Parties: 45.
Text: Doc. CCW-CONF.I-16 Part I). 

Note: At its 8th plenary meeting on 13 October 1995, the Conference of the States Parties 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 adopted pursuant to article 8.3 (b) of the Convention an additional Protocol entitled "Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons (Protocol IV)".

 

 

PARTICIPANTS

Participant  Consent to be bound (P) 
Argentina  21 Oct 1998 P 
Australia  22 Aug 1997 P 
Austria  27 Jul 1998 P 
Belgium  10 Mar 1999 P 
Brazil  4 Oct 1999 P 
Bulgaria  3 Dec 1998 P 
Cambodia  25 Mar 1997 P 
Canada  5 Jan 1998 P 
Cape Verde  16 Sep 1997 P 
China  4 Nov 1998 P 
Costa Rica  17 Dec 1998 P 
Czech Republic  10 Aug 1998 P 
Denmark  30 Apr 1997 P 
Finland  11 Jan 1996 P 
France  30 Jun 1998 P 
Germany  27 Jun 1997 P 
Greece  5 Aug 1997 P 
Holy See  22 Jul 1997 P 
Hungary  30 Jan 1998 P 
India  2 Sep 1999 P 
Ireland  27 Mar 1997 P 
Italy  13 Jan 1999 P 
Japan  10 Jun 1997 P 
Latvia  11 Mar 1998 P 
Liechtenstein  19 Nov 1997 P 
Lithuania  3 Jun 1998 P 
Luxembourg  5 Aug 1999 P 
Mexico  10 Mar 1998 P 
Mongolia  6 Apr 1999 P 
Netherlands2  25 Mar 1999 P 
New Zealand  8 Jan 1998 P 
Norway  20 Apr 1998 P 
Panama  26 Mar 1997 P 
Peru  3 Jul 1997 P 
Philippines  12 Jun 1997 P 
Russian Federation  9 Sep 1999 P 
Slovakia  30 Nov 1999 P 
South Africa  26 Jun 1998 P 
Spain  19 Jan 1998 P 
Sweden  15 Jan 1997 P 
Switzerland  24 Mar 1998 P 
Tajikistan  12 Oct 1999 P 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland  11 Feb 1999 P 
Uruguay  18 Sep 1998 P 
Uzbekistan  29 Sep 1997 P 
 

 

DECLARATIONS

Declarations and Reservations

(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations and reservations were made upon acceptance.)

Australia

Declaration:

"It is the understanding of the Government of Australia that the provisions of Protocol IV shall apply in all circumstances."

Austria

Declaration:

[Same declaration, mutatis mutandis, as the one made by Ireland.]

Belgium

Declaration:

It is the understanding of the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium that the provisions of Protocol IV which by their contents or nature may also be applied in peacetime, shall be observed at all times.

Canada1

19 October 1999

Declaration:

[Same declaration, mutatis mutandis, as the one made by Ireland.]

Germany

Declaration:

[Same declaration, mutatis mutandis, as the one made by Ireland.]

Greece

Declaration:

[Same declaration, mutatis mutandis, as the one made by Ireland.]

Ireland

Declaration in relation to article 1:

"It is the understanding of Ireland that the provisions of the Additional Protocol which by their contents or nature may also be applied in peacetime, shall be observed at all times."

Italy

Declaration:

[Same declaration, mutatis mutandis, as the one made by Ireland.]

Liechtenstein

Declaration:

[Same declaration, mutatis mutandis, as the one made by Ireland.]

Netherlands

Declaration:

With regard to Article 1:

"The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands takes the view that the provisions of Protocol IV which, given their content or nature, can also be applied in peacetime must be observed in all circumstances."

South Africa

Declaration:

[Same declaration, mutatis mutandis, as the one made by Ireland.]

Sweden

Declarations:

"--Sweden intends to apply the Protocol to all types of armed conflict;

- -Sweden intends to pursue an international agreement by which the provisions of the Protocol shall be applicable to all types of armed conflict;

-- Sweden has since long strived for explicit prohibition of the use of blinding laser which would risk causing permanent blindness to soldiers. Such an effect, in Sweden's view is contrary to the principle of international law prohibiting means and methods of warfare which cause unnecessary suffering."

Switzerland

Declaration:

[Same declaration, mutatis mutandis, as the one made by Australia.]

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Declaration:

''In relation to Protocol IV, the Government of the United Kingdom declare that their application of its provisions will not be limited to the situations set out in Article 1 of the [1980] Convention."

 

 

NOTES

1. In keeping with the depositary practice followed in similar cases, the Secretary-General proposed to receive the declaration for deposit in the absence of any objection on the part of the Contracting States, either to the deposit itself or to the procedure envisaged, within a period of 90 days from the date of its circulation (i.e. 21 July 1998). None of the Contracting Parties to the Protocol having notified the Secretary-General of an objection within the 90 days period, the declaration was deemed to have been accepted for deposit upon the expiration of the 90 day period in question, i.e. on 19 october 1998.

2. For the Kingdom in Europe.