ADOPTED: Done at Geneva on 29 April 1958

REFERENCE: 559 UNTS 285

UN TREATY NUMBER: I. 8164

ENTERED INTO FORCE: 20 March 1966

DEPOSITARY: Secretary General, United Nations

SECRETARY: Secretary General, United Nations

IMPLEMENTATION

SIGNATURE, RATIFICATION AND ACCESSION

Article XV

This Convention shall, until 31 October 1958, be open for signature by all States Members of the United Nations or of any of the specialized agencies, and by any other State invited by the General Assembly of the United Nations to become a Party to the Convention.

Article XVI

This Convention is subject to ratification. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Article XVII

This Convention shall be open for accession by any State belonging to any of the categories mentioned in Article XV. The instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

ENTRY INTO FORCE

Article XVIII

1. This Convention shall come into force on the thirtieth day following the date of deposit of the twenty-second instrument of ratification or accession with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

2. For each State ratifying or acceding to the Convention after the deposit of the twenty-second instrument of ratification or accession, the Convention shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after deposit by such State of its instrument of ratification or accession.

RESERVATIONS

Article XIX

1. At the time of signature, ratification or accession, any State may make reservations to articles of the Convention other than to Articles VI, VII, IX, X, XI and XII.

2. Any contracting State making a reservation in accordance with the preceding paragraph may at any time withdraw the reservation by a communication to that effect addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

AMENDMENTS

Article XX

1. After the expiration of a period of five years from the date on which this Convention shall enter into force, a request for the revision of this Convention may be made at any time by any contracting party by means of a notification in writing addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

2. The General Assembly of the United Nations shall decide upon the steps, if any, to be taken in respect of such request.

DECLARATIONS AND RESERVATIONS

(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations and reservations were made upon ratification, accession or succession)

Denmark

Denmark does not consider itself bound by the last sentence of article II of the Convention.

Spain

Spain’s accession is not to be interpreted as recognition of any rights or situations in connection with the waters of Gibraltar other than those referred to in article X of the Treaty of Utrecht, of 13 July 1713, between the Crowns of Spain and Great Britain.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

“In depositing their instrument of ratification . . . Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland declare that, save as may be stated in any further and separate notices that may hereafter be given, ratification of this Convention on behalf of the United Kingdom does not extend to the States in the Persian Gulf enjoying British protection. Multilateral conventions to which the United Kingdom becomes a party are not extended to these States until such time as an extension is requested by the Ruler of the State concerned.”

United States of America

“…Subject to the understanding that such ratification shall not be construed to impair the applicability of the principle of ‘abstention’, as defined in paragraph A.1 of the documents of record in the proceedings of the Conference on the Law of the Sea, held at Geneva from 24 February to 27 April 1958, identified as A/CONF. 13/C.3/L.69, 8 April 1958.”