View/save PDF version of this document - La Strada International

Part Four. Article 17 713“3. Reservations may be withdrawn at any time by notification to that effectaddressed to the Secretary General of the United Nations, who shall then inform allStates. Such notification shall take effect on the date on which it is received by theSecretary General.]”Most delegations opposed the inclusion of this provision, noting that the Ad Hoc Committeehad previously decided not to deal expressly with the question of reservations in the textof the convention and that that decision had subsequently been adopted by the Ad HocCommittee with respect to the other two protocols. It was noted that if no reference wasmade to reservations in any of the instruments, the principles established by the ViennaConvention on the Law of Treaties would apply, but that if specific reference was made inthe firearms protocol, then interpretation of the other instruments might be affected. At thetwelfth session of the Ad Hoc Committee, the Chairman proposed the deletion of article 20bis (see A/AC.254/L.281, para. 9).5. At its twelfth session, the Ad Hoc Committee considered, finalized and approvedarticle 20 of the draft protocol, as amended. The Chairman proposed a revised versionof paragraph 1 (see A/AC.254/L.281, para. 8), which was reflected in the final textof the protocol, as included in the report of the Ad Hoc Committee (A/55/383/Add.2,sect. III, draft resolution, annex), that was submitted to the General Assembly foradoption pursuant to resolutions 54/126 of 17 December 1999 and 55/25 of15 November 2000.B. Approved text adopted by the General Assembly(see resolution 55/255, annex)Article 17Signature, ratification, acceptance, approval and accession1. This Protocol shall be open to all States for signature at United NationsHeadquarters in New York from the thirtieth day after its adoption by the GeneralAssembly until 12 December 2002.2. This Protocol shall also be open for signature by regional economicintegration organizations provided that at least one member State of such organizationhas signed this Protocol in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article.3. This Protocol is subject to ratification, acceptance or approval.Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with theSecretary-General of the United Nations. A regional economic integration organizationmay deposit its instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval if at leastone of its member States has done likewise. In that instrument of ratification, acceptanceor approval, such organization shall declare the extent of its competence withrespect to the matters governed by this Protocol. Such organization shall also informthe depositary of any relevant modification in the extent of its competence.4. This Protocol is open for accession by any State or any regional economicintegration organization of which at least one member State is a Party tothis Protocol. Instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. At the time of its accession, a regional economicintegration organization shall declare the extent of its competence with respect tomatters governed by this Protocol. Such organization shall also inform the depositaryof any relevant modification in the extent of its competence.