Advisory Opinion of 28 May 1951

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012-19510528-ADV-01-00-EN
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Date of the Document
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Bilingual Document File

COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE

RECUEIL DES ARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNAKCES

RÉSERVES A LA CONVENTION

POUR LA PRÉVENTION ET LA
RÉPRESSION DU CRIME

DE GÉNOCIDE
AVIS CONSULTATIFDU 28MAI 1951

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS

RESERVATIONS TO THE

CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION
AND PUNISHMENT OF THE
CRIME OF GENOCIDE

ADVISORY OPINION OF MAY 28th, 1951

LEYDE LEYDEN
SOCIÉTÉ D'ÉDITIONS AW. SIJTHOFF'S
A. SIJTHOFF !! PUBLISHING COMPANY Le présent avis doit être cité comme suit:

(Réserves à ln Conventiolz sur le Génocide,
ilvis conszdtnt:fC. I.J. Recueil 1951,P. 1.51)

This Opinion should be cited as follows:
"Keservations to the Conventiono~zGenocide,

Advisory Opinion :I.C.J. Reports 19-51,p. 1.5."

No de vente :
Sale. numh. 59 1 INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

YEAR 1951.

May z8th, 1951 May95asth
General Lis:
No 17
RESERVATIONS TO THE

CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION

AND PUNISHMENT OF THE

CRIME OF GENOCIDE

Advisory jurisdictionof the Coztrt.-Objectionbased : on nlleged
existence of a dispz;ton alleged exclzrsive right of the parties to tlze
Genocide Convention to interPret it ; on Article IX of the Conoewtion.-
Rejection of objection.,
Replies limiteto Genocide Convention.-Abstracqztestiorzs.

Reseruations.-Objectionthereto.-Rightof a State i.ol~iclzhcls r~zade
a reseruation to be a Party to the Conventionnotwithsthe objection
made to its reseruation by certparties.-Circztr?zsta~iusfifyina
relaxation of theule of integrity.-Facultof nzalsing reservatio~zs to
the Convention;intention of the General Assembly and of the contvactirzg
States; high ideals of the Convention.-Criteriof the co~17patibility

of the reservation with object and purpose of the Convention.-I~zdir~id~~nl
ap$waisal by States.-Absencof a rule of international lafa concer7zing
the egects ofreserua2ions.-Administrativpractice of tlze League of
Nations and of the United Nations.
Egect of the reseruati:between the State zuhich makes it and the
State which objects t1lereto.-Applicof the criterion of conzpatibility.

Objection made-by a State whiclt has not signed the Convention ; bv a
signatorywhich Izas not ratifed.-l'rouisiostatus of signatory State.

ADVISORY OPINION

Present : President BASDEVAN ;T Vice-President GUERRER O
Judges ALVAREZ,HACKWORTH W, INIARSKI,ZORICIC,
DE VISSCHER S,ir Arnold MCNAIR,KLAESTAD B,ADAWI
PASHA,READ,HSU MO ; Registrar HAMBRO. composed as above,
gives the following Advisory Opinion :

On November 16th, 1950, the General Assembly of the United
Nations adopted the following resolution :
"The General Assembly,

Having examined the report of the Secretary-General regarding
reservations to multilateral conventions,
Considering that certain reservations to the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide have been
objected to by some States,
Considering that the International Law Commission is studying
the whole subject of the law of treaties, incliiding the qiiestion of
reservations,
expressed during the fifth session of the General Assembly, andbeen
particularly in the Sixth Committee,

I. Requests the International Court of Justice to give an Advisory
Opinion on the following questions :
In so far as concerns the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the event of a State
ratifying or acceding to the Convention subject to a reservation
made either on ratification or on accession, or on signature
followed by ratification :
1. Can the reserving State be regarded as being a party to the
Convention while still maintaining its reservation if' the
reservation is objected to by one or more of the parties to
the Convention but not by others ?

II. If the answer to Question 1is in the affirmative, what is the
effect of the reservation as between the reserving State and :

(a) The parties which object to the reservation ?
(b) Those which accept it ?
III. What would be the legal effect as regards the answer to
Question 1 ifan objection to a reservation is made :

(a) By a signatory which has not yet ratified ?
(b) By a State entitled to sign or accede but which has not
yet done so ?

2. Invites the International Law Commission :
(a) In the course of its work on the codification of the law of
treaties, to study the question of reservations to multilateral
conventions both from the point of view of codification and from
that of the progressive development of international law ; to give
priority to this study and to report thereon, especially as regards
multilateral conventions of which the Secretary-General is the
5 depositary, this report to be considered by the General Assembly
at its sixth sessio;
(b) In connection with this study, to take account of al1 the
views expressed during the fifth session of the Gencral Assembly,
and particularly in the Sixth Committee ;

3. Instnicts the Secretary-General, pending the rendering of the
Advisory Opinion by the International Court of Justice, the receipt
action by the General Assembly, to follow his prior practice with
respect to the receipt of reservations to conventions and with
respect to the notification and solicitation of approvals thcreof, al1
without prejudicc to the legal effect of objections to rescrvations to
conventions as it may be recommended by the General Asscmbly
at its sixth session."

By a letter of November 17th, 1950, filed in the Registry on
November aoth, the Secretary-General of the Cnited Nations
transmitted to the Court a certified true copy of the General
Assembly's resolution.
On November a5th, 1950, in accordance with Article 66, para-

graph I, of the Court's Statute, the Registrar gave noticc of the
request to al1 States entitled to appcar before thc Court.
On December ~st, 1950, the I'residcnt-as thc Court was not
sitting-made an order by which he appoint-cd january zoth, 1951,
as the date of expiry of the timc-limit fo the filing of written
statements and reserved the rest of the proccdure for furthcr
decision. Under the terms of this order, such statcmcnts could be
submitted to the Court by al1 States cntitlcd to l~ccomcpartics to
the Genocide Convention, namcly, any Member of the Lnited
Nations as well as any non-member State to which an invitation
to this effect had been addressed by the Gencral Assembly. Further-
more, written statements could also be submitted by any inter-
national organization considered by the Court as likely to be able
to furnish information on the questions referrcd to it for an Advis-
ory Opinion, namely, the International Labour Organization and
the Organization of American States.
On the same date, the Registrar addresséd the special and

direct communication provided for in Article 66, paragraph a, of
the Statute to al1States entitled to appear beforc the Court, which
had been invited to sign and ratify or accede to the Genocide
Convention, either under Article XI of that Convention or by
virtue of a resolution adopted by the General Assembly on Decem-
ber 3rd, 1949, which refers to Article XI ; by application of the
provisions of Article 63, paragraph 1,and Article 68 of the Statute,
the same communication was addressed to other States invited to
sign and ratify or accede to the Convention, by virtue of tlie
resolution of the General Assembly, namely, the following States :
Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Ceylon, Finland, Hungary,
6OPIN. OF 28 v 51 (REÇERVATIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 18
Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Korea, Laos, Monaco, Portugal, Roma-
nia, and Viet-Nam. Finally, the Registrar's communication was
addressed to the International Labour Organization and the
Organization of American States.
Written statements were deposited within the prescribed time-
limit by the followinggovernments and international organizations :
the Organization of American States,the Union of Soviet Socialist
Rrpublirs, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United States
of Americâ, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Israel, the
International Labour Organization, Poland, Czechoslovakia, the
Netherlands, the People's Republic of Romania, the Ukrainian
Soviet SociaJist Republic, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, the
Byeloriissian Soviet Socialist Republic, the Republic of the Philip-
pines.
By a despatch dated December 14th, 1950, and received on
January zgth, 1951, the Secretary-General of the United Nations
transmitted to the Registry the documents which he had been
requested to furnish pursuant to Article 65 of the Court's Statute.
Al1 these documents are enumerated in the list attached to the
present Opinion.
As the Federal German Republic had been invited on Decem-
ber zoth, 1950,to accedeto the GenocideConvention,the Registrar,
by a telegram and a letter of January 17th, 1951,which constituted
the special and direct communication provided for under Article 66,
paragraph 2, of the Statute, informed the Federal German Govern-
ment that the Court was prepared to receive a written statement
and to hear an oral statement on its behalf ; no action was taken
in pursuance of this suggestion.
By a letter dated March gth, 1951, filed in the Registry on
March rcjth, the Secretary-General ofthe United Nations announced
that he had designated Dr. Ivan S. Kerno, Assistant Secretary-
General in charge of the Legal Department, as his representative
before the Court, and that Dr. Kerno was authorized to present
any statement likely to assist the Court.
The Government of the United Kingdom, the French Govern-
ment and the Govemment of Israel stated, in letters dated respec-
tively January 17th, March 12th and March ~gth, 1951, that they
intended to present oral statements.
At public sittings held from April 10th to 14th, 1951,the Court
heard oral statements presented :
on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations by
Dr. Ivan S. Kerno, Assistant Secretary-General in charge of the
Legal Department ;
on behalf of the Government of Israel by Mr. Shabtai Rosenne,
Legal Adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ;
on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland by the Right Honourable Sir Hartley

7Shawcross, K.C., M.P., Attorney-General, and by Mr. G. G.
Fitzmaurice, C.M.G., Second Legal Adviser to the Foreign Office ;

on behalf of the Govemment of the French Republic by
M. Charles Rousseau, Professor at the Faculty of Law in Paris,
Assistant Legal Adviser of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the'communications which they have addressed to the Court,
certain governments have contended that the Court is not corn-
petent to exercise its advisory functions in the present case.
A first objection is founded on the argument that the making of
an objection to a reservation made by a State to the Convention
on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

constitutes a dispute and that, in order to avoid adjudicating on
that dispute, the Court should refrain frorn replying to Questions 1
and II. In this connection, the Court can confine itself to recalling
the principles which it laid down in its Opinion ofRlarch 3oth, 1950
(I.C.J. Reports 1950, p. 71). A reply to a request for an Opinion
should not, in principle, be refused. The permissive provision of
Article 65 of the Statute recognizes that the Court has the power to
decide whether the circumstances of a particular case are such as
to lead the Court to decline to reply to the request for an Opinion.
At the same time, Article 68 of the Statute recognizes that the
Court has the power to decide to what extent the circumstances
of each case must lead it to apply to advisory proceedings the pro-
visions of the Statute which apply in contentious cases. The object
of this request for an Opinion is to guide the LTnitedNations in
respect of its own action. It is indeed beyond dispute that the
General Assernbly, which drafted and adopted the Genocide Con-

vention, and the Secretary-General, who is the depositary of the
instruments of ratification and accession, have aninterest in knowing
the legal effects of reservations to that Convention and more
particularly the legal effects of objections to such reservations.
Following a similar line ;argument, it has been contended that
the request for an opinion would constitute an inadmissible inter-
ference by the General Assembly and by States hitherto strangers
to the Convention in the interpretation of that Convention, as only
States which are parties to the Convention are entitled to interpret
it or to seékan interpretation of it. Itmust be pointed out in this
connection that, not only did the General Assembly takethe initiative
in respect of the Genocide Convention, draw up its terrns and open
it for signature and accession by States, but that express provisions
of the Convention (Articles XI and XVI) associate the General
Assembly with the life of the Convention ; and finally, that the
General Assembly actually associated itself with it by endeavouring

to secure the adoption of the Convention by as great a number of
8States as possible. III these circumstances, there can be no doubt
that the precise determination of the conditions for participation
in the Convention constitutes a permanent interest of direct concern
to the United Nations which has not disappeared with the entry

into force of the Convention. Moreover, the power of the General
Assembly to request an Advisory Opinion from the Court in no way
impairs the inherent right of States parties to the Convention in
the matter of its interpretation. This right is independent of the
General Assembly's power and is exercisable in a parallel direction.
Furthermore, States which are parties to the Convention enjoy the
faculty of referring the matter to the Court in the manner provided
in Article IX of the Convention.
Another objection has been put forward to the exercise of the
Court's advisory jurisdiction : it is based on Article IX of the
GênocideConvention which provides that disputes relating to the
interpretation, application of fulfilment of that Convention shall
he subniitted to the International Court of Justice at the request
of any of the parties to the dispute. It has been contended that
tliere exists no dispute in the present case and that, consequently,
the effect of Article IX is to deprive the Court, not only of any
coritentious jurisdiction, but also of any power to give an Advisory
Opinion. The Court cannot share this view. The existence of a

procedure for the settlement of disputes, such as that provided by
Article IX, does not in itstlf exclude the Court's advisory juris-
diction, for Article 96 of the Charter confers upon the General
Assembly and the Security Council in general terms the right to
request this Court to give an Advisory Opinion "on any legal ques-
tion". Further, Article IX, before it can be applied, presupposes
the status of "contracting parties" ; consequently, it cannot be
invoked against a request for an Opinion the very object of which
is to determine, in relation to reservations and objections thereto,
the conditions iri which a State can become a party.
In conclusion, the Court considers that none of the above-stated
objections to the exercise of its advisory function is well founded.

Tlie Court observes that the three questions which have been
referred to it for an Opinioii have certain conimon characteristics.
Al1 three questions are expressly limited by the terms of the
Kesolutiori of the General Assembly to the Convention on the
Prevention and Puiiishmerit of the Crime of Genocide, and the same
Resolutiori invites the International Law Commission to study the

general question of reservations to multilateral conventions both
fromthe point of view of codification and from that of the progres-
sive development of international law. The questions thus having
a clearly defined object, the replies which the Court is called upon
to give to them are necessai-ilyand strictly limited to that Converi-
tion. The Court will seek these replies in the rules of law relating
to the effect to be given to the intention of the parties to multi-
lateral conventions.
9 The three questions are purely abstract in character. They refer
neither to the reservations which have, in fact, been made to the
Convention by certain States, nor to the objections which have
been made to such reservations by other States. They do not
even refer to the reservations which may in future be made in
respect of any particular article;nor do they refer to the objections

to which these reservations might give rise.
Question 1 is framed in the following terms :
"Can the reserving State be regarded as being a party to the
Conventionwhile still maintaining its reservation if the reservation
is objected to by one or more of the parties to the Convention
but not by others?"

The Court observes that this question refers, not to the possi-
bility of making reservations to the Genocide Convention, but
solely to the question whether a contracting State which has made
a reservation can, while still maintaining it, be regarded as being
a party to the Convention, when there is a divergence of views
between the contracting parties concerning this reservation, some
accepting the reservation, others refusing to accept it.
It is well established that in its treaty relations a State cannot
be bound without its consent, and that consequently no reser-
vation can be effective against any State without its agreement
thereto. It is also a generally recognized principle that a multi-

lateral convention is the result of an agreement freely concluded
upon its clauses and that consequently none of the contracting
parties is entitled to frustrate or impair, by means of unilateral
decisions or particular agreements, the purpose and raison d'être
of the convention. To this principle was linked the notion of the
integrity of the convention as adopted, a notion which in its tradi-
tional concept involved the proposition that no reservation was
valid unless it was accepted by al1the contracting parties without
exception, as would have been the case if it had been stated during
the negotiations.

This concept, which is directly inspired bythe notion of contract,
is of undisputed value as a principle. However, as regards the
Genocide Convention, it is proper to refer to a variety of circum-
stances which would lead to a more flexible application of this
principle. Among these circumstances may be noted the clearly
universal character of the United Nations under whose auspices the
Convention was concluded, and the very wide degree of partici-

pation envisaged by Article XI of the Convention. Extensive
participation in conventions of this type has already given rise to
greater flexibility in the international practice concerning multi-
lateral conventions. More general resort to reservations, very great
allowance made for tacit assent to reservations, the existence of
practices which go so far asto admit that the author of reservationswhich have been rejected by certain contracting parties is neverthe-
less to be regarded as a party to the convention in relation to

those contracting parties that have accepted the reservations-al1
these factors are manifestations of a neur need for flexibility in
the operation of multilateral conventions.
It must also be pointed out that although the Genocide Conven-
tion was finally approved unanimously, it is nevertheless the result
of a series of majority votes. The majority principle,while facilitating
the conclusion of multilateral conventions, may also make it neces-
sary for certain States to make reservations. This observation is
confirmed by the great number of reservations which have been
made of recent years to multilateral conventions.

In this state of international practice, it could certainly not be
inferred from the absence of an article providing for reservations
in a multilateral convention that the contracting States are pro-

hibited from making certain reservations. Account should also be
taken of the fact that the absence of such an article or even the
decision not to insert such an article can be explained by the deçire
not to invite a multiplicity of reservations. The character of a multi-
lateral convention, its purpose, provisions, mode of preparation and
adoption, are factors which must be considered in determining,
in the absence of any express provision on the subject, the possi-
bility of making reservations, as well as their validity and effect.

Although it was decided during the preparatory work not to
insert a special article on reservations, it is none the less true that
the faculty for States to make reservations was contemplated at
successive stages of the drafting of the Convention. In this con-
nection, the following passage may be quoted from the comments

on the draft Convention prepared by the Secretary-General :"....(1)
It would seem that reservations of a general scope have no place
in a convention of this kind which does not deal with the private
interests of a State, but with the preservation of an element of
international order ...; (2) perhaps in the course of discussion in
the General Assembly it will be possible to allow certain limited
reservations."
Even more deciside in this connection is the debate on reser-
vations in the Sixth Committee at the meetings (December 1st and
znd, 1948) which immediately preceded the adoption of the Geno-
cide Convention by the General Assembly. Certain delegates clearly
announced that their governments could only sign or ratify the
Convention subject to certain reservations.
Furthermore, the faculty to make reservations to the Con-
vention appears to be implicitly admitted by the very ternis of

Question 1.
The Court recognizes that an understanding was reached
within the General Assembly on the faculty to make reservationsto the Genocide Convention and that it is permitted to conclude
therefrom that States becoming parties to the Convention gave

their assent thereto. It must now determine what kind of reser-
vations may be made and what kind of objections may be taken to
them.
The solution of these problems must be found in the special
characteristics of the Genocide Convention. The origins and char-
acter of that Convention, the objects pursued by the General
Assembly and the contracting parties, the relations which exist
between the provisions of the Convention, inter se, and between
those provisions and these objects, furnish elements of interpret-
ation of the will of the General Assembly and the parties. The
origins of the Convention show that it was the intention of the
United Nations to condemn and punish genocide as "a crime under
international law" involving a denial of the right of existence of
entire human groups, a denial which shocks the conscience of
mankind and results in great losses to humanity, and which is
contrary to moral law and to the spirit and aims of the United
Nations (Resolution 96 (1)of the General Assembly, December 11th
1946). The first consequence arising from this conception is that
the principles underlying the Convention are principles which are
recognized by civilized nations as binding on States, even without

any conventional obligation. A second consequence is the uni-
versa1 character both of the condemnation of genocide and of the
CO-operationrequired "in order to liberate mankind from such an
odious scourge" (Preamble to the Convention). The Genocide
Convention was therefore intended by the General Assembly and
by the contracting parties to be definitely universal in scope. It
was in fact approved on December gth, 1948, by a resolution which
was unanimously adopted by fifty-six States.
The objects of such a convention must also be considered. The
Convention was manifestly adopted for a purely humanitarian and
civilizing purpose. It is indeed difficult to imagine a convention
that might have this dual character to a greater degree, since its
object on the one hand is to safeguard the very existence of certain
human groups and on the other to confirm and endorse the most
elementary principles of morality. In such a convention the con-
tracting States do not have any interests of their own; they merely
have, one and au, a common interest, namely, the accomplishment
of those high purposes which arethe raisond'êtro ef the convention.
Consequently, in a convention of this type one cannot speak of

individual advantages or disadvantages to States, or of the main-
tenance of a perfect contractual balance between rights and duties.
The high ideals which inspired the Convention provide, by virtue
of the common will of the parties, the foundation and measure of
al1 its provisions.
The foregoing considerations, when applied to the question of
reservations, and more particularly to the effects of objections to
reservations, lead to the following conclusions. The object and purpose of the Genocide Convention imply that
it was the intention of the GeneralAssembly and of the States which
adopted it that as many States as possible should participate.
The complete exclusion from the Convention of one or more States

would not only restrict the scope of its application, but would
detract from the authority of the moral and humanitarian prin-
ciples which are its basis. It is inconceivable that the contracting
parties readily contemplated that an objection to a minor reser-
vation should produce such a result. But even less could the con-
tracting parties have intended to sacrifice the very object of the
Convention in favour of a vain desire to secure as many participants
as possible. The object and purpose of the Convention thus limit
both the freedom of making reservations and that of objecting to
them. It follows that it is the compatibility of a reservation with
the object and purpose of the Convention that must furnish the
criterion for the attitude of a State in making the reservation
on accession as well as for the appraisal by a State in objecting
to the reservation. Such is the rule of conduct which must guide
every State in the appraisal which it must make, individually and
from its own standpoint, of the admissibility of any reservation.
Any other view would lead either to the acceptance of reser-

vations which frustrate the purposes which the General Assembly
and the contracting parties had in mind, or to recognition that
the parties to the Convention have the power of excluding from
it the author of a reservation, even a minor one, which may be
quite compatible with those purposes.
It has nevertheless been argued that any State entitled to become
a party to the Genocide Convention may do so while making
any reservation it chooses by virtue of its sovereignty. The Court
cannot share this view. It is obvious that so extreme an application
of the idea of State sovereignty could lead to a complete disregard
of the object and purpose of the Convention.

On the other hand, it has been argued that there exists a rule of
international law subjecting the effect of a reservation to the express
or tacit assent of al1 the contracting parties. This theory rests
essentially on a contractual conception of the absolute integrity of
the convention as adopted. This view, however, cannot prevail if,

having regard to the character of the convention, its purpose and
its mode of adoption, it can be established that the parties intended
to derogate from that rule by admitting the faculty to make reser-
vations thereto.
Itdoes not appear, moreover, that the conception of the absolute
integrity of a convention has been transformed into a rule of inter-
national law. The considerable part which tacit assent has always
played in estimating the effect which is to-,be given to reservationsOPIN. OF 28 V 51 (RESERVATIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 25
scarcely permits one to state that such a rule exists, determining
with sufficient precision the effect of objections made to reser-

vations. In fact, the examples of objections made to reservations
appear to be too rare in international practice to have given rise
to such a rule. It cannot be recognized that the report which was
adopted on the subject by the Council of the League of Nations on
June 17th, 1927, has had this effect. At best, the recommendation
made on that date by the Council constitutes the point of departure
of an administrative practice which, after being observed by the
Secretariat of the League of Nations, imposed itself, so to speak,
in the ordinary course of things on the Secretary-General of the
United Nations in his capacity of depositary of conventions con-
cluded under the auspices of the League. But it cannot be concluded
that the legal problem of the effect of objections to reservations has
in this way been solved. The opinion of the Secretary-General of
the United Nations himself is embodied in the following passage of

his report of September z~st, 1950 :"While it is universally recog-
nized that the consent of the other governments concerned must
be sought before they can be bound by the terms of a reservation,
there has not been unanimity either as to the procedure to be
followed by a depositary in obtaining the necessary consent or as
to the legal effect of a State's objecting to a reservation."
It may, however, be asked whether the General Assembly of the
United Nations, in approving the Genocide Convention, had in
mind the practice according to which the Secretary-General, in
exercisinghis functions as a depositary, did not regard a reservation
as definitively accepted until it had been established that none of
the other contracting States objected to it. If this were the case,
it might be argued that the implied intention of the contracting
parties was to make the effectiveness of any reservation to the

Genocide Convention conditional on the assent of all the parties.

The Court does not consider that this view corresponds to reality.
It must be pointed out, first of all, that the existence of an adminis-
trative practice does not in itself constitute a decisive factor in
ascertaining what views the contracting States to the Genocide
Convention may have had concerning the rights and duties result-
ing therefrom. It must also be pointed out that there existed among
the American States members both of the United Nations and of
the Organization of American States, a different practice which
goes so far as to permit a reserving State to become a party irre-
spective of the nature of the reservations or of the objections raised
by other contracting States. The preparatory work of the Conven-
tion contains nothing to justify the statement that the contracting

States implicitly had any definite practice in mind. Nor is there
any such indication in the subsequent attitude of the contracting
States : neither the reservations made by certain States nor the
position adopted by other States towards those reservations permit
14OPIN. OF 28 V 51 (RESERV.~TIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 26

the conclusion that assent to one or the other of these practices
had been given. Finally, it is not without interest to note, in
view of the preference generally said to attach to an established
practice, that the debate on reservations to multilateral treaties
which took place in the Sixth Committee at the fifth session of
the General Assembly reveals a profound divergence of views, some
delegations being attached to the idea of the absolute integrity of
the Convention, others favouring a more flexible practice which
would bring about the participation of as many States as possible.

It results from the foregoing considerations that Question 1,
on account of its abstract character, cannot be given an absolute
answer. The appraisal of a reservation and the effect of objections
that might be made to it depend upon the particular circumstances
of each individual case.

Having replied to Question 1, the Court will now examine Ques-
tion II, which is framed as follows :
"If the answer to Question 1 is in the affirmative, what is the
effect of the reservation as between the reserving State a:d

(a) the parties which object to the reservatio?
(b) those which accept it?"
The considerations which form the basis of the Court's reply to
Question 1are to a large extent equally applicable here. As has been
pointed out above, each State which is a party to the Convention

is entitled to appraise the validity of the reservation. and it exer-
cises this right individually and from its own standpoint. As no
State can be bound by a reservation to which it has not consented,
itnecessarily follows that each State objecting to it will or wiUnot,
on the basis of its individual appraisal within the limits of the
criterion of the object alid purpose stated above, consider the
reserving State to be a party to the Convention. In the ordinary
course of events, such a decision will only affect the relationship
between the State making the reservation and the objecting
State ; on the other hand, as will be pointed out later, such a deci-

sion might aim at the complete exclusion from the Convention
in a case where it was expressed by the adoption of a position on
the jurisdictional plane.
The disadvantages which result from this possible divergence of
views-which an article concerning the making of reservations
could have obviated-are real ; they are mitigated by the common
duty of the contracting States to be guided in their judgment by
the compatibility or incompatibility of the reservation with the

15object and purpose of the Convention. It must clearly be assumed
that the contracting States are desirous of preserving intact at
least what is essential to the object of the Convention ; should

this desire be absent, it is quite clear that the Convention itself
would be impaired both in its principle and in its application.
It may be that the divergence of views between parties as to
the admissibility of a reservation will not in fact have any conse-
quences. On the other hand, it may be that certain parties who
consider that the assent given by other parties to a reservation is
incompatible with the purpose of the Convention, will decide to
adopt a position on the jurisdictional plane in respect of this diver-
gence and to settle the dispute which thus arises either by special
agreement or by the procedure laid down in Article IX of the
Convention.
Finally, it may be that a State, whilst not claiming that a reser-
vation is incompatible with the object and purpose of the Conven-
tion, will nevertheless object to it, but that an understanding
between that State and the reserving State will have the effect

that the Convention will enter into force between them, except
for the clauses affected by the reservation.
Such being the situation, the task of the Secretary-General
would be simplified and would be confined to receiving reservations
and objections and notifying them.

Question III is framed in the following terms

"What would be the legal effect as regards the answer to Ques-
tion1 if an objectionto a reservation is made:

(a) By a signatory which has not yet ratifie?
(b) By a State entitled to sign or accede but which has not yet
done so 7"

The Court notes that the terms of this question link it to Ques-
tion 1.This link is regarded by certain States as presupposing a
negative reply to Question 1.
The Court considers, however, that Question III could arise in
any case. Even should the reply to Question 1 not tend to exclude,
from being a party to the Convention, a State wliich has made a
reservation to which another State has objected, the fact remains
that the Convention does not enter into force as between the reserv-
ing State and the objecting State. Even if the objection has this
reduced legal effect, the question would still arise whether the
States mentioned under (a) and (b) of Question III are entitled to
bring about such a result by their objection.

An extreme view of the right of such States woiild appear to 3e

that these two categories of States have a right to becomeparties to
16the Convention, and that by virtue of this right they may object
to reservations in the same way as any State which is a party to
the Convention with full legal effect, i.e. the exclusion from the

Convention of the reserving State. By denying them this right, it
issaid, they would be obliged either to renounce entirely their right
of participating in the Convention, or to become a party to what is,
in fact, a different convention. The dilemma does not correspond to
reality, as the States concerned have always a right to be parties
to the Convention in their relations with other contracting States.
From the date when the Genocide Convention was opened for
signature, any Member of the United Nations and any non-member
State to which an invitation to sign had been addressed by the
General Assembly, had the right to be a Party to the Convention.
Two courses of action were possible to this end : either signature,
from December 9th, 1948, until December pst, 1949, followed by
ratification, or accession as from January ~st, 1950 (Article XI of
the Convention). The Court would point out that the right to
become a party to the Convention does not express any very clear
notion. It is inconceivable that a State, even if it has participated in
the preparation of the Convention, could, before taking one or the
other of the two courses of action provided for becoming a party
to the Convention, exclude another State. Possessing no rights bvhich

derive from the Convention, that State cannot claim such a right
from its status as a Member of the United Nations or from the
invitation to sign which has been addressed to it by the General
Assembly .
The case of a signatory State is different. Without going into
the question of the legal effect of signing an international convention,
which necessarily varies in individual cases, the Court considers
that signatureconstitutes a first step to participationin the Conven-
tion.
It is evident that without ratification, signature does not make
the signatory State a party to the Convention ; nevertheless, it
establishes a provisional status in favour of that State. This status
may decrease in value and importance after the Convention enters
into force. But, both before and after the entry into force, this
status would justify more favourable treatment being rneted out
to signatory States in respect of objections than to States which
have neither signed nor acceded.
As distinct from the latter States, signatory States have taken
certain of the steps necessary for the exercise of the right of being
a party. Pending ratification, the provisional status created by

signature confers upon the signatory a right to formulate as a
precautionary measure objections which have themselves a provi-
sional character. These would disappear if the signature were not
followed by ratification, or they would become effective on rati-
fication. Until this ratification is made, the objection of a signatory State
can therefore not have an immediate legal effect in regard to the
reserving State. It would merely express and proclaim the eventual
attitude of the signatory State when it becomes a party to the

Convention.
The legal interest of a signatory State in objecting to a reserva-
tion would thus be amply safeguarded. The reserving State would
be given notice that as soon as the constitutional or other pro-
cesses, which cause the lapse of time before ratification, have
been completed, it would be confronted with a valid objection
which cames full legal effect and consequently, it would have to
decide, when the objection is stated, whether it wishes to maintain
or withdraw its reservation. In the circumstances, it is of little
importance whether the ratification occurs within a more or less
long time-limit. The resulting situation will always be that of a
ratification accompanied by an objection to the reservation. In
the event of no ratification occurring, the notice would merely
have been in vain.

For these reasons,

In so far as concerns tlie Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in the event of a State
ratifying or acceding to the Convention subject to a reservation
made either on ratification or on accession,or on signature followed
by ratification,

On QuestionI :

by seven votes to five,

that a State which has made and maintained a reservation which
has been objected to by one or more of the parties to the Conven-
tion but not by others, can be regarded as being a party to the
Convention if the reservation is compatible with the object and
purpose ofthe Convention ;otherwise, that State cannot be regarded
as being a party to the Convention.

On QuestionII :

by seven votes to five,
(a) that if a party to the Convention objects to a reservation
which it considers to be incompatible with the object and purpose
of the Convention, it can in fact consider that the reserving State
is not a party to the Convention ;

(b) that if, on the other hand, a party accepts the reservation
as being compatible with the object and purpose of the Convention,
18it can in fact consider that the reserving State is a party to the
Convention ;

On Question III :

by seven votes to five,
(a) that an objection to a reservation made by a signatory State

which has not yet ratified the Convention can have the legal effect
indicated in the reply to Question 1 only upon ratification. Until
that moment it merely serves as a notice to the other State of the
eventual attitude of the signatory State ;
(b) that an objection to a reservation made by a State which is
entitled to sign or accede but which has not yet done so, is without
legal effect.

Done in French and English, the French text being authoritative,
at the Peace Palace, The Hague, this twenty-eight day of May,
one thousand nine hundred and fifty-one, in two copies, one of
which will be placed in the archives of the Court and the other
transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

(Signed) BASDEVANT,

President.

(Signed) E. HAMBRO,
Registrar.

Vice-President GUERREROJ,udges Sir Arnold RICNAIR,READ
and Hsu Mo, while agreeing that the Court has competence to
give an Opinion, declare that they are unable to concur in the

Opinion of the Court and have availed themselves of the nght
conferred onthem by Articles 57 and 68of the Statute and appended
to the Opinion the common statement of their dissenting opinion.
Judge ALVAREZd , eclaring that he is unable to concur in the
Opinion of the Court, has availed himself of the right conferred
on him by Articles 57 and 68 of the Statute and has appended to
the Opinion the statement of his dissenting opinion.

(Initialled)J. B.
(Initialled) E. H. ANNEX

LIST OF DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE COURT

1.-DOCUMEKTS SUBMITTED DURING THE WRITTEN PROCEEDINGS

(a) Documents transmitted with the Request (Article 65, para. 2, of
the Statute)

(1) RECORDS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 5,TH SESSION

a--Inclusion of theItem in theAgenda (Records of the proceedings)

I. Records of the General Committee : 69th meeting.
Idem, 70th meeting.

2. Records of the General Assembly :285th plenary meeting.
p-Inclusion of the Item in the Agenda (documents)

3. Adoption of the Agenda of the 5th Session and allocation of items
to Committees : Report of the General Committee (extract).

4. Allocation of items on the Agenda of the 5th Session :Letter dated
Septenlber 26th, 1950, from the President of the General Assembly
to the Chairman of the 6th Committee (extract).

(11) DISCUSSION IN THE TH COMMITTEE AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(RECORDS OF THE PROCEEDINGS)

6th Committee :
5. 217th meeting.
6. 218th meeting.

7. 219th meeting.
8. 220th meeting.

g. zz~st meeting.
IO. zzznd meeting.
II. ~~3rdmeeting.

12. 224th meeting.
13. 225th meeting.
II. Corrections to the summary records of the 221st, ~~2ndand 225th
meetings.

GeneralAssembly :
15. 305th plenary meeting.

45(III)DISCUSSION IN THE TH COMMITTEE AND THE GENERAL ASSEMRLY
(DOCUMENTS)

16. Report of the Secretary-General to the Assembly (first phase).

17.United States of America :draft resolution.
18.United States of America :revised draft resolution.
19.United Kingdom :amendments to the draft resolution submitted by
the United States of America.

20. uruguay : amendments to the draft resolution submitted by the
United States of America.
21. Uruguay : memorandum.

22.France : amendments to the draft resolution submitted by the
United States of America.
23.Iran :amendments to the draft resolution submitted by the United
States of America.
24.Chile : amendment to the draft resolution amended by Uruguay.

25. Sweden : amendment to the United Kingdom amendments to the
draft resolution submitted by the United States of America.
26. Note by the Secretary-General.

27.Note by the Secretary-General (addendum).
28.Egypt, France, Greece,Iran, United Kingdom :joint draft resolution.

29. Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden :amendment to
the joint draft resolution submitted by Egypt, France, Greece, Iran,
United Kingdom.
30. Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Nether-
lands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America,
Umguay : joint draft resolution replacing the foregoing documents.

31.Union of Soviet Socialist Republics : amendment to the joint draft
resolution of Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran,
Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of
America and Uruguay.

32.Report of the Sixth Committee to the General Assembly (final
phase).
33.Belgium, Chile,Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Netherlands,
Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America,
Uruguay: amendment to the draft resolution submitted by the
Sixth Committee.

34. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly at its 305th plenary
meeting on 16 November, 1950. (b) Documents annexed to the written statement
Annexed document
number
English French

PART ONE.-NOTIFICATION BY THE SECRETARY-
GENERAL OF THE DEPOSIT OF TWENTY INSTRU-
MENTS OF RATIFIC.4TION OR ACCESSION :

1. Notification (19 October, 1950) I 4
II. Procès-verbal (14 October, 1950) 2 2
III. Corrigendum to notification (1 November,

1950) 3 5
PARTTwo.-NOTIFICATIONS BY THE SECRETARY-
GENERAL OF RESERVATIONS :

1. Notifications of reservations made at sig-
nature by the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (30 December, 1949) 6
2. Procès-verbal of signature (16 Decem-

ber, 1949) 7
3. Corrigendum to notification (13Janu-
ary, 1950) 8
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified:

I. Notification (30 December, 1949) 12
2. Procès-verbal of signature (16 Decem-
ber, 1949) 7

C. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
tothe Union of SovietSocialistRepublics
(13 Januav. 1950) 13
II. Notifications of reservations made at sig-
nature by the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist
Republic :

A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (30 December, 1949)
14
2. Procès-verbal of signature (16 Decem-
ber, 1949) 15
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified:

1. Notification (30 December, 1949) Iô
2. Procès-verbal of signature (16 Decem-

ber, 1949) 15 Annexednumbercument
Engliçh French

C. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist
Republic (13 Janua-, 1950) 19

III. Notification ofreservationsmade at signature
by the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (29 December, 1949) 20 22
2. Procès-verbalof signature (16 Decem-
ber, .1949) 2 1 23
3. Corngendum to notification (13 Janu-
ary, 1950) 8 IO
B. Notification to States which had already

ratified :
I. Notification (30 December, 1949)
2. Procès-verbalof signature (16 Decem-
ber, 1949)

C. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to the Ukrainian Soviet SocialistRepublic
(13 January, 1950)

IV. Notifications of reservations made at sig-
nature by Czechoslovakia :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (29 December, 1949)
2. Procès-verbalof signature (28 Decem-
ber, 1949)
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (30 December, 1949)
2. Procès-verbalof signature (28 Decem-
ber, 1949)

C.. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to Czechoslovakia (13 January, 1950)
V. Notifications of reservations in the instru-

ment of ratification of the Philippines :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (21 July, 1950)
2. Instrument of ratification

B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (31 July, 1950)
2. Instrument of ratificationOPIK. OF 28 V 51 (RESERVATIONS TO GEKOCIDE CO~;VENTION) 60

Annexed document
number
English French
C. Letter of the General Counsel and Prin-
cipal Director to the Philippines (31July,

1950) 38

VI. Notifications of reservations in the instru-
ment of accession of Bulgaria :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (3 August, 1950) 39
2. Instrument of accession 40
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (3 August, 1950) 43
2. Instrument of accession 40

C. Letter of the General Counsel and Prin-
cipal Director to Bulgaria (3August, 1950)

VII. Notifications of reservations in the instru-
ment of accession of Romania :

A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded .
I. Notification (21 November, 1950) 46
2. Reservations of Romania
47
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (21 November, 1950) 50
2. Reservations of Romania 47

VIII. Notifications of reservations in the instru-
ment of accession of Poland :
A. Notification to States which had not yet

ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (29 November, 1950) 52
2. Instrument of accession 53

B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (18 December, 1950) 56
2. Instrument of accession
53
C. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to Poland (7 December, 1950) 57a

IX. Notifications of receipt of instrument of rati-
fication of Czechoslovakia maintaining
reservations : Annexed document
number
English French
A. Notification to al1 States concerned

(5 January, 1951) 58 59
B. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to Czechoslovakia (12 January, 1951) 60

PARTTHREE.-INVITATION TO NON-MEMBE STATES
TO BECOME PARTIES, CONTAINING NOTIFICATIONS
OF RESERVATIONS :
1. Letter to Indonesia

A. Letter (27 March, 1950) 61
B. Annexes to letter:

I. Procès-verbal of signature of the
U.S.S.R. (16 December, 1949) 7
2. Procès-verbaolf signature ofthe Byelo-
russian S.S.R. (16 December, 1949) 13
3. Procès-verbaolfsignature ofthe Ukrai-
nian S.S.R. (16 December, 1949) 18

4. Procès-verbalof signature of Czecho-
slovakia (28 December, 1949) 23

II. Letter to Liechtenstein :
A. Letter (IO April, 1950)
B. Annexes to letter
(Identical with annexes to letter to
Indonesia)

III. Letter to Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos :

A. Letter (31 May, 1950)
B. Annexes to letter
(Identical with annexes to letter to
Liechtenstein)

IV. Letter to the Federal Republic of Germany :
A. Letter (20 December, 1950) 64

B. Annexes to letter
(Identical witli anQexesto letter to Indo-
nesia with the addition of the followin:)

I.Instrument of ratification of the Phi-
lippines 33
2. Instrument of accession of Bulgaria 40

3. Reservations of Romania 47
4. Instrument of accession of Poland 53 Annexed document
number
English French

GART FOUR.-CORRESPONDENC EONCERNING EX-
PRESSION BY GOVERKMEKTS OF DISAGREEXEXT
WITH, OR OBJECTION TO, THE FOREGOISG RESERV-
ATIONS :
1. Correspondence concerning the position of

Ecuador :
-4. Circular note (5 May, 1950)

B. Annexes to circular note :

I. Note of Ecuador (IO February, 1950)
2. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-
General to Ecuador (21 March, 1950)
3. Note of Ecuador (31 March, 1950)

C. Xote of Ecuador (16 August, 19j0)

II. Correspondence concerning the position of
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics :

A. Letter of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (2 Rlarch, 1950) 74
B. Letter of the Secretary-General (23 March,

1950) 75
C. Letter of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (IO October, 1950) 76

III. Correspondence concerning the position of
Guatemala :
A. Circular note (2 August, 19j0)
-//
B. Annexes to circular note :

I. Letter of the Assistant Secretarÿ-
General to Guatemala (19 Janiiary,
1950) 7s
2. Note of Guatemala (16 June, 1950) 79
3. Letter of the General Counsel and
Principal Director to Guatemala

(14 Jul~, 1950) so
C. Circular note (7 September, 1950) 85

D. Annex to circular note :
Note of Guatemala (31 July, Igjo) SG

E. Circular note (18 October, 1950) 89
F. Xnnex to circular note :
Yote of Guatemala (36 September.

19.50) 90 Annexed document
EnglishumberFrench

IV. Letters from the United Kingdom :
A. Letter of the United Kingdom (31 July.
1950) 93

B. Letter of the United Kingdom (30 Sep-
tember, 1950) 94
C. Letter of the United Kingdom (6Deceni-
ber, 1950) 95

V. Correspondence conceming the position of
Australia :

A. Circular note (4 October, 1950) 96 9s
B. Annex to circular note :

Letter of Australia (26 September,
1950) 97 99
C. Circular note (II December, 1950) 100 102

D. Annex to circular note :
Letter of Australia (15 November,
1950) IO1 103
E. Letter of the Philippines (15 December,

1950) 104
PART FIVE.-ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OS GOVERN-
MENTS R.4TIFYING OR ACCEDING, AFTER NOTICE OF
RESERVATIONS, WITHOUT COMMENT THEREON :

1. Letter to Panama (13 January, 1950) 105

II. Letter to Guatemala (19 January, 1950) 78 S2
III. Letter to Israel (15 March, 1950) 106

IV. Letter to Monaco (IO April, 1950) 107
V. Letter to Hashemite Jordan (4 May,
1950) 108
VI. Letter to Liberia (19 June, 1950)
109
VII. Letter to Saiidi Arabia (21 July, 1950) IIO

VIII. Letter to Turkey (7 August, 1950) III

IX. Letter to Viet Nam (30 August, 1950) 112
X. Letter to Yugoslavia (7September, 1950)
113

XI. Letter to El Salvador (6 October, 1950) II4
XII. Letter to Ceylon (15November, 1950)
II5
XIII. Letter to Cambodia (15November, 1950) 116

52 Annexed document
niimber
English French
XIV. Letter to Costa Rica (15 November,
1950) 117
118
XV. Letter to France (15 November, 1950)
XVI. Letter to Haiti (15 November, 1950) 119
120
XVII. Letter to Korea (15 November, 1950)
XVIII. Letter to Laos (12 January, 1951) 121

PART SIX.-REPLIES OF GOVERNMENTS TO THE

FOREGOING :
1. Correspondence concerning the position of
El Salvador :

A. Circular note (25 November, 1950) 122 124
B. Annex to circular note :
Note of El Salvador (27October, 1950) 123 125

II. Correspondence coricerning the position of
Viet Nam :

A. Circular note (6 December, 1950) 126 128
B. Annex to circular note :

Letter ofViet Nam (3November, 1950) 127 129

C. Letter of Viet Nam (22 December, 1950) 130

D. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
(12 January, 1951) 131

III. Correspondence concerning the position of
France :
A. Letter of France (6 December, 1950) 132

B. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
(12 January, 1951) 133

IV. Correspondence concerning the position of
Cambodia :
A. Letter of Cambodia (6December, 1950)
134

B. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
(12 January, 1951) 135

Draft Convention on the Crime of Genocide 136

Communications received by the Secretary-General 137
53 Annexed document
number
English French
Comments by Governments on the Draft Conven-
tion prepared by the Secretariat. Communica-
tions froni non-governmental Organizations 138

Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide 139
Summary Record of the 26th meeting of the
Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide 140

Report of the Sixth Committee 141
The Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide : Final pro-
visions 142
Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide. Siimmary Record
of the 23rd meeting 143

Genocide. Draft Convention and Report of the
Economic and Social Council. Amendment 144
Genocide. Draft Convention and Report of the
Economic and Social Council. Amendments 145

Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide. Summary
Record of the 20th Meeting 146
Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide. Summary
Record of the 24th Meeting 147
Genocide. Draft Convention and Report of tlie
Economic and Social Council. Amendments
148
U.S.S.R. :amendments to the draft convention on
the prevention and punishment of genocide
proposed by the Sixth Committee 149
Ukrainian S.S.R.: amendment to the United
Kingdom proposa1 for the addition to the Draft
Convention on Genocide of a new article extend-
ing the application of the Convention to temto-
ries in regard to which any State performs the
functions of the governing and administering
authority
OfficialRecords of the Third Session of the General
Assembly. Part 1. Plenary Meetings of the
General Assembly. Summary Records of Meet-
ings. 21 September-12 December, 1948

Officia1Records of the Third Session of the General
Assembly. Part 1. Legal Questions. Sixth Com-
mittee. Summary Records of Meetings. 21 Sep-
tember-IO December, 1948

Idem. Annexes B.-DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY THE INTERNATIONA LABOUR
ORGANIZ~~TION

(1) Constitution of the International Labour Organization.
(II) Conventions and recommendations 1919-1949 (volume containing
conventions and recommendations adopted by the International
Labour Conference from 1919 to 1949).
(III) Official correspondence concerning the ratification of certain
international labour conventions.

(a) Poland
I. Letter of June 16th, 1920, from the Minister of Labour
of Poland to the Director of the I.L.O.
2. Reply from the Director of the I.L.O. to the Minister of
Labour of Poland, Ju!y ~oth, 1920.

3. Summary of the above correspondence as communicated
to the Members of the Organization in the "Officia1Bulletin
of the International Labour Office".
(b) India
I. Extract from a letter from the Secretary of State for India
to the Secretary-General of the League ofNations, July ~zth,
1921.

2. Extract from the reply of the Acting Secretary-General of
the League of Nations to the Secretary of State for India
of July 22nd, 1921.
3. Letter from the Director of the International Labour Office
to the Secretary of State for India of September 24th, 1921.
(c) Cuba

I. Letter from the Secretary-General of the League of Nations
to the Director of the International Labour Office of
July r~th, 1928.
2. Letter from the Director of the I.L.O. to the Secretary-
General of the League of Nations of July 31st, 1928.
3. Letter from the Secretary-General of the League of Kations
to the Director of the I.L.O., August zgrd, 1928.
4. Letter from the Director ofthe I.L.O. tothe Under-Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, August 3rd, 1928.

5. Letter from the Director of the I.L.O. to the Secretary
for Agriculture, Commerce and Labour of Cuba of
August 3rd, 1928.
6. Letter from the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs of Cuba to the Director of the I.L.O., February zoth,
1930.
(d) Peru
I. Decision of the Peruvian Government dated 6th March,
1936.

55QPIN. OF 28 V 51 (RESERVATIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 67

2. Letter from the Acting Director of the I.L.O. tothe Rfinister
for Foreign Affairs of Peru, May 15th, 1936.
3. Reply from the Minister for External Relations of Peru,
8th July, 1936.
(IV) Memorandumsubmittedby the Directorof the I.L.O. to the Com-
mittee of Experts for the progressivecodificationof international
law and extractfrom the reportsubnzittedby the Committeeto the
Councilof the Lengueof Nations, 1927.

(a) Text of the Menorandum submitted by the Director of the
I.L.O. to the Committee of Experts for the progressive codi-
fication of international law.
(b) Extract from the report by the Committee of Experts for the
progressive codification of international law concerning the
admissibility of reservations to general conventions, submitted
to the Council of the League of Nations, June 15th, 1927.
(c) Extract from the Resolution adopted by the Council of the
League of Nations on June 17th, 1927.

IV) Extract from the report submitted to the GoverningBody of the
I. L. O., ut its 60thsession(Madrid, October1g32), by its Standing
Orders Committee,and document submitted by the I.L.O. to the
Committee.
(a) Extract from the report of the Standing Orders Committee.
(b) Document submitted by the I.L.O. to the Standing Orders
Committee.

(VI) Communicationsfrom the I.L.O. to the Secretary-Genevalof the
LTnitedNations concerningthe registrationof internationallabour
conventions.
(a) Letter from the Legal Adviser of the I.L.O. to the Secretary-
General of the United Nations dated 10th August, 1949.
(b) Letter from the Legal Adviser of the I.L.O. to the Secretary-
General of the United Nations dated 27th June, 1950.

(VII) ExamplesofratificationsofInternational LabourConventions subject
to sus$ensive conditions,geogra$hicallinzitationsand under-
standings@?hichhaoenotbeenregardea dsconstitutingreservations.
(a) Example of ratification subject to suspensive conditions:
1. Conditional ratification by the IJnited Kingdom of Great
Britain and Korthern Ireland of the Convention concerning
the simplification of the inspection of emigrants on board
ship, 1926 (Convention No. 21).

(b) Examples of ratifications subject to geographical limitations:
I. Forma1 ratification by India of the conventions concerning
workmen's compensation for occupational diseases, 1925
(Convention No. 18),and equality oi treatinent for national
and foreign workers as regards workmen's compensation
for accidents, 1925 (Convention No. 19).
2. Forma1 ratification by Australia of certain International
Labour Conventions.
56 3. Forma1 ratification by the United Kingdoni of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland of the Convention conceming
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to
organize, 1948 (Convention No. 87).
(c) Examples of ratifications subject to understandings which
have not been regarded as constituting reservations :
I. Forma1 ratification by the United Kingdom of Great

Rritain and Northern Ireland of the Convention conceming
seamen's Articles of Agreement, 1926 (Convention No. 22).

2. Forma1 ratification by India of the Convention conceming
seamen's Articles of Agreement, 1926 (C.onventionNo. 22).

3.. Fornial ratification by Australia of the Convention concerii-

ing hours of work on board ship and manning, 1936
(Convention Xo, 57).
4. Forma1 ratification by tlie United States of America of the
Conventions concerning the minimun; requirement of
professional capacity for masters and officers on board
merchant ships, 1936 (Convention Xo. 53) ; concernirig
annual holidays with pay for seamen, 1936 (Convention
No. 54) ; concerning the liability of the shipowner in case
of sickness,injury or death of ceamen, 1936 (Convention
No. jj); concerning hours of work on board ship and
manning. 193G (Convention No. j7) ; fixing the minimum
age for the admission of children to employment at sea

(revised 1936) (Convention No. 58).

II.-DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED DURING THE ORAL PROCEEDINGS

(1) Report on the Law of Treaties compiled by Professor Brierley for
the International Law Commission.

(2) Analytical Report of the j3rd Meeting of the Commission.
(3) Report of the International Law Commission on the proceedings of
the and Session (June-July, 1950).
(4) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department, of
February 5th, 1951, regarding conimunication from Ecuador.

(5) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department, of
February jth, 1951, regarding commiinication from Ecuador.
(6) Letter from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran to the Secretary
General of January ~jth, 1951.
(7) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department, to
the Minister for Foreign Xffairs of Iran.

(8) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department,
of February &th, 1951, regarding communications by Australia.
(9) Letter from the Acting Permanent Australian Representative to
the United Nations to the Secretary-General of March ~gtli, 1951.OPIN. OF 28 V 51 (RESERVATIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 69

(IO) Letter from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Ceylon, to the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department, of
January 27th, 1951.
(II) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, 1,egalDepartment, to
the Minister for Extemal Affairs, Ceylon, of March 5th, 1951.

(12) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department,
on the communication from Ceylon, March 7th, 1951.
(13) Letter from the Nonvegian Permanent Delegation to the United
Nations to the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department,
Febmary gth, 1951.
(14) Letter from the~hssistant Secretary-General, Legal Department,
to the Permanent Representative ofonvay tothe United Nations,
February 16th, 1951.

(1)Translation into English of the Israel Crime of Genocide (prevention
and punirhhrne~,t) law. 5710-1950.
(2) "The Genocide Convention, its Ongin and Interpretation", by
Nehemiah Robinson. 1949. Institute of Jewisli Affairs of the
World Jewish Corigress.

C.-CORRESPONDENC ADRESSED TO THE REGISTRY BP THE AUSTRALIAN
EMBASSY ATTHEHAGUE,ANP THE CHARGÉ D'AFFAIREP S, ILIPPINES
MISSION TO THE UNITEDNATIQNS

(1) Letter from the Australian Embassy at The Hague to the Registrar,
Apnl 3rd, 1951.
(2)Telegram from the Chargé d'affaires, Philippines Mission to the
United Nations, to tbe Registrar, April 6th, 1951.

Bilingual Content

COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE

RECUEIL DES ARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNAKCES

RÉSERVES A LA CONVENTION

POUR LA PRÉVENTION ET LA
RÉPRESSION DU CRIME

DE GÉNOCIDE
AVIS CONSULTATIFDU 28MAI 1951

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS

RESERVATIONS TO THE

CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION
AND PUNISHMENT OF THE
CRIME OF GENOCIDE

ADVISORY OPINION OF MAY 28th, 1951

LEYDE LEYDEN
SOCIÉTÉ D'ÉDITIONS AW. SIJTHOFF'S
A. SIJTHOFF !! PUBLISHING COMPANY Le présent avis doit être cité comme suit:

(Réserves à ln Conventiolz sur le Génocide,
ilvis conszdtnt:fC. I.J. Recueil 1951,P. 1.51)

This Opinion should be cited as follows:
"Keservations to the Conventiono~zGenocide,

Advisory Opinion :I.C.J. Reports 19-51,p. 1.5."

No de vente :
Sale. numh. 59 1 COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE

'91
Le nS mai 28 mai 1951
Rôle général
11" 11
RÉSERVES A LA CONVENTION

POUR LA PRÉVENTION ET LA

RÉPRESSION DU CRIME

DE GÉNOCIDE

Compétence conszrltative de la Cour. - Exception déduite: de

l'existencc PîTte~îde'ztn digéren;du prétendu droit exclusif des par-
tirsà lu Converrtion sur le génocided'interpréter ce;di l'articlIX
dc la Co?zve?ztion.-Rejet de 1,'exception.
Réponses liwzitées à la Convention sur le génocide. - Questions
abstraites.

Réserves.- Objections. - Droit d'un État qui a fornzztléune réserve
d'être partie la Convention nonobstant l'objection faite à sa réserve
par certaines parties. Circonstaizces jztstifiun assouplissement
de la règlede'intégrité.- Faculté d'apporter des réservesà la Conven-
tion; intentionde l'Assemblée généraleet des États contrilcta;tfins
supérieures de la Convention.- Critère de la compatibilitÉ de la réserve

avec le but et l'objet de la Convention.ppréciation iî~dividz~elledes
États.- Absence de règle de droit international relative aux effets des
réserves. Pratique administrativede la Sociétédes Nations et le
1'Organisation des Nations Unies.
Efjet de la réserve:entre l'État qui la formule et 1'État.qui y fait

objection. -Applicationdzr critère de la compatibilité.
Objection faite par un État qui n'a pas signéla Conventio:par un
signatairqui ne l'u pas ratifiée.Statut provisoire du signataire.

AVIS CONSULTATIF

Présents : hl. BASDEVANT Président ; M. GUERRERO ,ice-Prési-
dent ;MM.ALVAREZ ,ACKWORTW H,INIARSKIZ ,ORICIC,
DE VISSCHER,Sir Arnold MCNAIR, M. KLAESTAD,

BADAWI PACHA, MM. READ, HSU Mo, Juges;
M. HAMBRO , regier. INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

YEAR 1951.

May z8th, 1951 May95asth
General Lis:
No 17
RESERVATIONS TO THE

CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION

AND PUNISHMENT OF THE

CRIME OF GENOCIDE

Advisory jurisdictionof the Coztrt.-Objectionbased : on nlleged
existence of a dispz;ton alleged exclzrsive right of the parties to tlze
Genocide Convention to interPret it ; on Article IX of the Conoewtion.-
Rejection of objection.,
Replies limiteto Genocide Convention.-Abstracqztestiorzs.

Reseruations.-Objectionthereto.-Rightof a State i.ol~iclzhcls r~zade
a reseruation to be a Party to the Conventionnotwithsthe objection
made to its reseruation by certparties.-Circztr?zsta~iusfifyina
relaxation of theule of integrity.-Facultof nzalsing reservatio~zs to
the Convention;intention of the General Assembly and of the contvactirzg
States; high ideals of the Convention.-Criteriof the co~17patibility

of the reservation with object and purpose of the Convention.-I~zdir~id~~nl
ap$waisal by States.-Absencof a rule of international lafa concer7zing
the egects ofreserua2ions.-Administrativpractice of tlze League of
Nations and of the United Nations.
Egect of the reseruati:between the State zuhich makes it and the
State which objects t1lereto.-Applicof the criterion of conzpatibility.

Objection made-by a State whiclt has not signed the Convention ; bv a
signatorywhich Izas not ratifed.-l'rouisiostatus of signatory State.

ADVISORY OPINION

Present : President BASDEVAN ;T Vice-President GUERRER O
Judges ALVAREZ,HACKWORTH W, INIARSKI,ZORICIC,
DE VISSCHER S,ir Arnold MCNAIR,KLAESTAD B,ADAWI
PASHA,READ,HSU MO ; Registrar HAMBRO. ainsi composée,

donne l'avis consultatif suivant

A ladate du 16 novembre 1950, llAsseniblée généraledes Nations
Unies a adopté la résolution ci-après :

((L'Assembléegénérale,
Ayant examiné le rapport du Secrétaire généralsur les réserves
aux conventions multilatérales,
Considérant que certaines réserves à la Convention pour la pré-
vention et la répression du crime de génocide ont provoqué des
objections de la part de quelques Etats,
Considérant que la Commission du droit international a entrepris

une étude d'ensemble du droit des traités, y compris la question
des réserves,
Considérant que des divergences d'opinions en ce qui concerne
les réservesse sont manifestées au cours de la cinquième session de
l'Assemblée générale,et spécialement à la Sixième Cornmission,
I. Demande à la Cour internationale de Justice un avis consul-
tatif sur les questions suivantes:

En ce qui concerne la Convention pour la prkvention et la
répression du crime de génocide,dans l'hypothèse du dépôt par
un Etat d'un instrument de ratification ou d'adhésioncontenant
une réserve formuléesoit au moment de la ratification ou de
l'adhésion,soit au moment de la signature suivie de ratification :
1. é éta tui a formulé la réservepeut-il êtreconsidérécomme
partie à la Convention aussi longtemps qu'il maintient sa
réserve siune ou plusieurs parties à la Convention font une
objection à cette réserve, lesautres parties n'en faisant pas ?

II. En cas de réponse affirmative à la première question, quel
est l'effet de cette réservedam les relations entre 1'Etat qui
a formuléla réserveet :
a) Les parties qui ont fait une objection à la réserve?
b) Celles qui l'ont acceptée?

III. Er1 ce qui concerne la réponse à la question 1, quel serait
l'effet juridique d'une objection à une réservesi cette objec-
tion est faite par:
a) Un sjgnataire qui n'a pas encore ratifié la Convention ?
b) Un Etat qui a le droit de signer ou d'adhérer, mais qui
ne l'a pas encore fait ?
2. Invite la Commission du droit international :

a) A étudier, au cours de ses travaux sur la codification du droit
des traités, la question des réserves aux conventions multilatérales
aux deux points de vue de la codification et du développemerit
progressif du droit international; à accorder priorité à cette étude
et à présenter un rapport sur cette question, plus particulièrement
en ce qui concerne les réservesaux conventions multilatérales dont

5 composed as above,
gives the following Advisory Opinion :

On November 16th, 1950, the General Assembly of the United
Nations adopted the following resolution :
"The General Assembly,

Having examined the report of the Secretary-General regarding
reservations to multilateral conventions,
Considering that certain reservations to the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide have been
objected to by some States,
Considering that the International Law Commission is studying
the whole subject of the law of treaties, incliiding the qiiestion of
reservations,
expressed during the fifth session of the General Assembly, andbeen
particularly in the Sixth Committee,

I. Requests the International Court of Justice to give an Advisory
Opinion on the following questions :
In so far as concerns the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the event of a State
ratifying or acceding to the Convention subject to a reservation
made either on ratification or on accession, or on signature
followed by ratification :
1. Can the reserving State be regarded as being a party to the
Convention while still maintaining its reservation if' the
reservation is objected to by one or more of the parties to
the Convention but not by others ?

II. If the answer to Question 1is in the affirmative, what is the
effect of the reservation as between the reserving State and :

(a) The parties which object to the reservation ?
(b) Those which accept it ?
III. What would be the legal effect as regards the answer to
Question 1 ifan objection to a reservation is made :

(a) By a signatory which has not yet ratified ?
(b) By a State entitled to sign or accede but which has not
yet done so ?

2. Invites the International Law Commission :
(a) In the course of its work on the codification of the law of
treaties, to study the question of reservations to multilateral
conventions both from the point of view of codification and from
that of the progressive development of international law ; to give
priority to this study and to report thereon, especially as regards
multilateral conventions of which the Secretary-General is the
517 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)
le Secrétaire généraelst le dépositaire, ce rapport devant être
examinépar l'Assembléegénéraleau cours de sa sixièmesession ;

b) A tenir compte lors de cette étude de toutes les opinions
expriméesau cours de la cinquièmesession de l'Assembléegénérale
et spécialementà la SixièmeCommission ;
3. Invite le Secrétaire générale,n attendant que Ia Cour inter-
nationale de Justice ait donnéson avis consultatif, que la Commis-
sion du droit international ait fait parvenir son rapport et que
l'Assembléegénéraleait pris une nouvelle décision, à appliquer la
mkthode qii'il a suivie jusqu'ici pour la réception des réservesaux
convcntions, pour leur notification et pour les demandes d'appro-
bation dc ces réserves,le tout sans préjudice del'efiètjuridique qur
l'Assembléegénéralepourra, à sa sisième session, recommander
d'attri1,uer aux objections élevéecontre les réservesaux conven-
tions)I

Par une lettre du 17 novembre 1950, enregistrée au Greffe le
20 novembre, le Secrétaire général desNations Cnies a transmis à
la Cour la copie certifice conforme de la résolution de l'Assemblée
générale.
Le 25 novembre 19j0, le Greffier, conformément à l'article 66,
paragraphe premier, du Statut de la Cour, a notifié la requête à
tous les Etats admis à ester en justice devant la Cour.

-4 ia date du I~~ décembre 19j0, le Président - la Cour ne
sii,gcant pas'- rendit une ordonnance par laquelle il fixait au
zo janvier 19j1 le délai pour la présentation d'exposés écrits et
réser\,ait la suite de la procédure. Aux termes de ladite ordonnance,
ces esnoshs nouvaient êtreadrcssi.~ à la Cour nar tous les Etats
habilit'ésà dGvenir parties à la Convention sur lggénocide, à savoir
tous,les JIernbres de l'organisation des Nations Vnies, ainsi que
les Etats non membres ayant reçu une invitation à cet effet de
l'Assembléegénérale.En outre, des exposésécrits pouvaient égale-

ment être présentés par les organisatioils internationales jugées
par la Cour susceptibles de fournir des renseignements sur les
questions soumises à celle-ci à fin d'avis, à savoir l'Organisation
internationale du Travail et l'organisation des Etats américains.

Le mêmejour, le Greffier adressa la communication spéciaJeet
directe prévue par l'article 66, paragraphe 2, du Statut aux Etats
admis à ester en justice devant la Cour, qui avaient étéinvités à
signer et ratifier la Convention sur le génocide ou à y adhérer, soit
en vertu de l'article XI de celle-ci, soit en vertu d'une résolution

se référant audit article XI, adoptée par l'Assemblée générale le
3 décembre 1949 ;en application de l'article 63, paragraphe pre-
mier, et de l/rticle 68 du Statut, la même communication fut faite
aux autres Etats invités à signer et ratifier la Convention ou à y
adhérer en vertu de la résolution de l'Assemblée.générale,à savoir
lesEtats suivants :Albanie, Autriche, Bulgarie, Cambodge, Ceylan,
Corée,Finlande, Hongrie, Irlande, Italie, Jordanie, Laos, Monaco,

6 depositary, this report to be considered by the General Assembly
at its sixth sessio;
(b) In connection with this study, to take account of al1 the
views expressed during the fifth session of the Gencral Assembly,
and particularly in the Sixth Committee ;

3. Instnicts the Secretary-General, pending the rendering of the
Advisory Opinion by the International Court of Justice, the receipt
action by the General Assembly, to follow his prior practice with
respect to the receipt of reservations to conventions and with
respect to the notification and solicitation of approvals thcreof, al1
without prejudicc to the legal effect of objections to rescrvations to
conventions as it may be recommended by the General Asscmbly
at its sixth session."

By a letter of November 17th, 1950, filed in the Registry on
November aoth, the Secretary-General of the Cnited Nations
transmitted to the Court a certified true copy of the General
Assembly's resolution.
On November a5th, 1950, in accordance with Article 66, para-

graph I, of the Court's Statute, the Registrar gave noticc of the
request to al1 States entitled to appcar before thc Court.
On December ~st, 1950, the I'residcnt-as thc Court was not
sitting-made an order by which he appoint-cd january zoth, 1951,
as the date of expiry of the timc-limit fo the filing of written
statements and reserved the rest of the proccdure for furthcr
decision. Under the terms of this order, such statcmcnts could be
submitted to the Court by al1 States cntitlcd to l~ccomcpartics to
the Genocide Convention, namcly, any Member of the Lnited
Nations as well as any non-member State to which an invitation
to this effect had been addressed by the Gencral Assembly. Further-
more, written statements could also be submitted by any inter-
national organization considered by the Court as likely to be able
to furnish information on the questions referrcd to it for an Advis-
ory Opinion, namely, the International Labour Organization and
the Organization of American States.
On the same date, the Registrar addresséd the special and

direct communication provided for in Article 66, paragraph a, of
the Statute to al1States entitled to appear beforc the Court, which
had been invited to sign and ratify or accede to the Genocide
Convention, either under Article XI of that Convention or by
virtue of a resolution adopted by the General Assembly on Decem-
ber 3rd, 1949, which refers to Article XI ; by application of the
provisions of Article 63, paragraph 1,and Article 68 of the Statute,
the same communication was addressed to other States invited to
sign and ratify or accede to the Convention, by virtue of tlie
resolution of the General Assembly, namely, the following States :
Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Ceylon, Finland, Hungary,
6 18 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)

Portugal, Roumanie et Vietnam. La communication du Greffierfut
enfin adressée à l'Organisation internationale du Travail et à
l'Organisation desÉtats américains.

Dans le délaiprescrit, des exposésécritsfurent déposés par les
gouvernem~ntset organisationsinternationales suivants : Organisa-
tion des Etats américains, Union des Républiques socialistes
soviétiques,Royaume hachémite de Jordanie, États-unis dJAméri-
que, Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord,
Secrétairegénéral des Nations Unies, Israël, Organisation interna-
tionale du Travail, Pologne, Tchécoslovaquie,Pays-Bas, Répu-
blique populaire de Roumanie, République socialiste soviétique
(I'lJkraine,Républiquepopulaire de Bulgarie, Républiquesocialiste
soviétiqiiede Biélorussie,République desPhilippines.

Par envoi du 14 décembre 1950, reçu le 29 janvier 1951, le
Secrétaire général deN sations Unies transmit au Greffe la docu-
mentation qu'il était chargé de lui fournir en application de
l'article 65du Statut de la Cour.Tous cesdocuments sont énumérés
dans le bordereau joint en annexe au présentavis.

La Républiquefédérale d'Allemagne ayant étéinvitée, à la date
du 20 décembre1950, à adhérer à la Convention sur le génocide,
le Greffier, par un télégrammeet une lettre du 17 janvier 1951
constituant la communication spécialeet directe prévue à l'arti-
cle 66, paragraphe 2, du Statut, fit connaître au Gouvernement
fédéralallemand que la Cour était disposée à recevoir un exposé
écritet à entendre un exposéoral de sa part ;il n'a pas étédonné
suiteà cette suggestion.
Par lettre du 9 mars 1951, enregistréeau Greffe le 15 mars, le
Secrétaire générad les Nations Unies fit savoir qu'il avait désigné
M. Ivan S. Kerno, Secrétairegénéraladjoint chargédu Départe-
ment juridique, comme sonreprésentant devant la Cour, M.Kerno
étant autoriséà présentertout exposésusceptible d'aider la Cour.

Le Gouvernement du Royaume-Uni, le Gouvernement français
et le Gouvernement d'Israël firent savoir, de leur côté,par lettres
datéesrespectivement du 17 janvier, du 12 mars et du 19 mars
1951, qu'ils avaient l'intention de présenter des exposésoraux.
Lors des audiences publiques tenues du IO au 14 avril 1951, la
Cour entendit des exposésoraux présentés :
au nom du Secrétairegénéral desNations Unies, par M. Ivan
S. Kerno, Secrétaire généraa ldjoint chargédu Département juri-
dique ;

au nom du Gouvernement d'Israël, par M. Shabtai Rosenne,
conseiller juridique au ministère desAffairesétrangères
au nom du Gouvernement du Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne
et d'Irlande du Nord, par le très honorable sir Hartley Shawcross,
7OPIN. OF 28 v 51 (REÇERVATIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 18
Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Korea, Laos, Monaco, Portugal, Roma-
nia, and Viet-Nam. Finally, the Registrar's communication was
addressed to the International Labour Organization and the
Organization of American States.
Written statements were deposited within the prescribed time-
limit by the followinggovernments and international organizations :
the Organization of American States,the Union of Soviet Socialist
Rrpublirs, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United States
of Americâ, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Israel, the
International Labour Organization, Poland, Czechoslovakia, the
Netherlands, the People's Republic of Romania, the Ukrainian
Soviet SociaJist Republic, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, the
Byeloriissian Soviet Socialist Republic, the Republic of the Philip-
pines.
By a despatch dated December 14th, 1950, and received on
January zgth, 1951, the Secretary-General of the United Nations
transmitted to the Registry the documents which he had been
requested to furnish pursuant to Article 65 of the Court's Statute.
Al1 these documents are enumerated in the list attached to the
present Opinion.
As the Federal German Republic had been invited on Decem-
ber zoth, 1950,to accedeto the GenocideConvention,the Registrar,
by a telegram and a letter of January 17th, 1951,which constituted
the special and direct communication provided for under Article 66,
paragraph 2, of the Statute, informed the Federal German Govern-
ment that the Court was prepared to receive a written statement
and to hear an oral statement on its behalf ; no action was taken
in pursuance of this suggestion.
By a letter dated March gth, 1951, filed in the Registry on
March rcjth, the Secretary-General ofthe United Nations announced
that he had designated Dr. Ivan S. Kerno, Assistant Secretary-
General in charge of the Legal Department, as his representative
before the Court, and that Dr. Kerno was authorized to present
any statement likely to assist the Court.
The Government of the United Kingdom, the French Govern-
ment and the Govemment of Israel stated, in letters dated respec-
tively January 17th, March 12th and March ~gth, 1951, that they
intended to present oral statements.
At public sittings held from April 10th to 14th, 1951,the Court
heard oral statements presented :
on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations by
Dr. Ivan S. Kerno, Assistant Secretary-General in charge of the
Legal Department ;
on behalf of the Government of Israel by Mr. Shabtai Rosenne,
Legal Adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ;
on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland by the Right Honourable Sir Hartley

719 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)

K. C., M. P., Attorney-General, et par M. G. G. Fitzmaurice,
C. M. G., deuxième conseillerjuridique au Foreign Office;

au. nom du Gouvernement de la République française, par
M. Charles Rousseau, professeur à la Faculté de droit de Paris,
conseiller juridique adjoint au ministère des Affaires étrangères.

Dans les communications qu'ils ont adressées à la Cour, certains
gouvernements ont contesté le pouvoir de celle-ci d'exercer en la
présente affaire sa compStence consultative.
Une première objection repoçe sur la considération que, lors-
qu'une réserve formuléepar un Etat au sujet de la Concention pour
la prévention et la répressiondu crime de génocidefait l'objet d'une
contestation, on se trouve en présence d'un différend et qu'afin
d'éviter de trancher ce différend, la Cour devrait s'abstenir de
répondre aux questions 1 et II. A cet égard la Cour peut se borner
à rappeler les principes qu'elle a énoncésdans son avis du 30 mars

1950 (C.1. J. Recueil 1950, p. 71). En principe, la réponse à une
demande d'avis ne doit pas êtrerefusée.La disposition permissive
de l'article 65 du Statut reconnaîtà la Cour le pouvoir d'apprécier
si les circonstances de l'espècesont telles qu'elles~doivent la déter-
miner à ne pas répondre à la demande d'avis. D'autre part, l'arti-
cle 68 du Statut lui reconnaît le pouvoir d'apprécier dans quelle
mesure les circonstances de chaque espèce doivent la déterminer
à appliquer à la procédure consultative les dispositions du Statut
applicables en matière contentieuse. L'objet de la présente demande
d'avis est d'éclairer lesNationsnies dans leur action propre. Il est
incontestable en effet que l'Assemblée générale,ui a élaboréet voté
la Convention sur le génocide,et le Secrétaire général,dépositaire

des instruments deratification et d'adhésion,ont intérêtàconnaître
les effets juridiques des réserves apportées à cette Convention et
plus particulièrement ceux des objections auxdites réserves.

Dans un ordre d'idées analogue, il a étéalléguéque la demande
d'avis constituerait une ingérence inadmissible de la part de
l'Assemblée générale et de la part d'Etats restésjusqulici étrangers
à la Convention dans l'interprétation de celle-ci, les Etats parties
à la Convention ayant seulsle droit de l'interpréter ou d'en solliciter
l'interprétation. Il y a lieu d'observer cet égard que, non seule-
ment l'Assemblée généralea pris l'initiative de la Convention sur

le génocide, en a arrêtéles termes et l'a ouverte à la signature et
à l'adhésion des Etats, mais, que des dispositions expresses de la
Conventio~? (articles -XI et XVI) associent l'Assemblée générale
à la vie de celle-c; enfin, que l'Assemblée générale s'y est en fait
associée en s'efforçant d'obtenir l'adoption de la Convention par
un nombre d'États aussi grand que possible. Dèslors, on ne saurait
8Shawcross, K.C., M.P., Attorney-General, and by Mr. G. G.
Fitzmaurice, C.M.G., Second Legal Adviser to the Foreign Office ;

on behalf of the Govemment of the French Republic by
M. Charles Rousseau, Professor at the Faculty of Law in Paris,
Assistant Legal Adviser of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the'communications which they have addressed to the Court,
certain governments have contended that the Court is not corn-
petent to exercise its advisory functions in the present case.
A first objection is founded on the argument that the making of
an objection to a reservation made by a State to the Convention
on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

constitutes a dispute and that, in order to avoid adjudicating on
that dispute, the Court should refrain frorn replying to Questions 1
and II. In this connection, the Court can confine itself to recalling
the principles which it laid down in its Opinion ofRlarch 3oth, 1950
(I.C.J. Reports 1950, p. 71). A reply to a request for an Opinion
should not, in principle, be refused. The permissive provision of
Article 65 of the Statute recognizes that the Court has the power to
decide whether the circumstances of a particular case are such as
to lead the Court to decline to reply to the request for an Opinion.
At the same time, Article 68 of the Statute recognizes that the
Court has the power to decide to what extent the circumstances
of each case must lead it to apply to advisory proceedings the pro-
visions of the Statute which apply in contentious cases. The object
of this request for an Opinion is to guide the LTnitedNations in
respect of its own action. It is indeed beyond dispute that the
General Assernbly, which drafted and adopted the Genocide Con-

vention, and the Secretary-General, who is the depositary of the
instruments of ratification and accession, have aninterest in knowing
the legal effects of reservations to that Convention and more
particularly the legal effects of objections to such reservations.
Following a similar line ;argument, it has been contended that
the request for an opinion would constitute an inadmissible inter-
ference by the General Assembly and by States hitherto strangers
to the Convention in the interpretation of that Convention, as only
States which are parties to the Convention are entitled to interpret
it or to seékan interpretation of it. Itmust be pointed out in this
connection that, not only did the General Assembly takethe initiative
in respect of the Genocide Convention, draw up its terrns and open
it for signature and accession by States, but that express provisions
of the Convention (Articles XI and XVI) associate the General
Assembly with the life of the Convention ; and finally, that the
General Assembly actually associated itself with it by endeavouring

to secure the adoption of the Convention by as great a number of
8douter que la détermination exactedes conditions de participation
à la Convention constitue pour les Nations Unies un intérêpt ropre
et permanent qui n'a pas disparu du fait de l'entréeen vigueur
de la Convention. Le pouvoir de l'Assemblée générad le demander
un avis consultatif à la Cour ne porte d'ailleurs aucune atteinte
au droit à l'interprétation de la Convention qui appartient en
propre aux États qui y sont devenus parties. Il en est indépendant
et s'exerce parallèlement à lui. Au surplus, les États partiesà la
Convention ont la faculté de saisir la Cour par la voie indiquée
à l'article IX de la Convention.

Une autre objection a étéavancée contre l'exercice de la
compétence consultative : elle est déduite de l'article IX de la
Convention sur le génocidequi dispose que les différendsrelatifs
à l'interprétation, l'application ou l'exécution deladite Convention
seront soumis à la Cour internationale de Justicà la requête d'une
partie au différend.Il a éprétenduqu'il n'existeen l'espèceaucun
différend et, en conséquence,que l'effet de l'article IX serait
d'enlever à la Cour non seulement toute compétencecontentieuse,
mais encoretout pouvoir de seprononcer par voied'avis.La Courne
peut accepter cette manièrede voir. L'existenced'uneprocédurede
règlement des différendst,elle que cellequi est prévàel'article IX,
n'est en soi aucunement exclusive d'une procédure consultative,
l'article6 de la Charte accordant en termes généraux àl'Assemblée
générale et au Conseilde Sécuritéla facultéde demander àla Cour
internationale de Justice un avis consultatif «sur toute question
juridiques. D'autre part, l'article IX présuppose pour son applica-
tion la qualité de ((parties contractantes ); on ne saurait donc
pas s'en prévaloir contre une demande d'avis qui a précisément
pour objet de fixer, au regard des réserveset des objectionsqu'elles
soulèvent,les conditions de participationà la Convention.
En conclusion,la Cour estime qu'aucune des objections énoncées
ci-dessus à l'exercice de sa fonction consultative n'est fondée.

La Cour observe que les trois questions qui lui sont soumises
pour avis présentent certains caractères communs.
Elles sont toutes trois expressément limitées,par les termes de
la résolution de l'Assemblée générale, à la Convention pour la
préventionet la répressiondu crime de génocide,la même résolution
invitant la Commissiondu droit international àétudierla question
généraledes réserves aux conventions multilatérales aux deux
points de vue de la codification et du développement progressif
du droit internatiônal. Lesquestions ayant ainsi un objet nettement
défini,les réponsesque la Cour est appelée à y faire sont néces-
sairement et strictement limitées à ladite Convention. La Cour
recherchera ces réponses dans les principes de droit relatifs à
l'interprétation de l'intention des parties dans les conventions
multilatérales.States as possible. III these circumstances, there can be no doubt
that the precise determination of the conditions for participation
in the Convention constitutes a permanent interest of direct concern
to the United Nations which has not disappeared with the entry

into force of the Convention. Moreover, the power of the General
Assembly to request an Advisory Opinion from the Court in no way
impairs the inherent right of States parties to the Convention in
the matter of its interpretation. This right is independent of the
General Assembly's power and is exercisable in a parallel direction.
Furthermore, States which are parties to the Convention enjoy the
faculty of referring the matter to the Court in the manner provided
in Article IX of the Convention.
Another objection has been put forward to the exercise of the
Court's advisory jurisdiction : it is based on Article IX of the
GênocideConvention which provides that disputes relating to the
interpretation, application of fulfilment of that Convention shall
he subniitted to the International Court of Justice at the request
of any of the parties to the dispute. It has been contended that
tliere exists no dispute in the present case and that, consequently,
the effect of Article IX is to deprive the Court, not only of any
coritentious jurisdiction, but also of any power to give an Advisory
Opinion. The Court cannot share this view. The existence of a

procedure for the settlement of disputes, such as that provided by
Article IX, does not in itstlf exclude the Court's advisory juris-
diction, for Article 96 of the Charter confers upon the General
Assembly and the Security Council in general terms the right to
request this Court to give an Advisory Opinion "on any legal ques-
tion". Further, Article IX, before it can be applied, presupposes
the status of "contracting parties" ; consequently, it cannot be
invoked against a request for an Opinion the very object of which
is to determine, in relation to reservations and objections thereto,
the conditions iri which a State can become a party.
In conclusion, the Court considers that none of the above-stated
objections to the exercise of its advisory function is well founded.

Tlie Court observes that the three questions which have been
referred to it for an Opinioii have certain conimon characteristics.
Al1 three questions are expressly limited by the terms of the
Kesolutiori of the General Assembly to the Convention on the
Prevention and Puiiishmerit of the Crime of Genocide, and the same
Resolutiori invites the International Law Commission to study the

general question of reservations to multilateral conventions both
fromthe point of view of codification and from that of the progres-
sive development of international law. The questions thus having
a clearly defined object, the replies which the Court is called upon
to give to them are necessai-ilyand strictly limited to that Converi-
tion. The Court will seek these replies in the rules of law relating
to the effect to be given to the intention of the parties to multi-
lateral conventions.
9 D'autre part, les trois questionsprésentent un caractère purement
abstrait. Elleçne visent ni les réservesqui, en fait,ont été apportées
par certains Etats à la Convention, ni les objections qui ont été
faites par d'autres États à ces réserves. Elles ne se réfèrent même
pas aux réserves qui, éventuellement, pourraient être formulées
relativement à tel ou tel article, non plus qu'aux objections que
ces réservespourraient éventuellement soulever.
La question 1 est conçue dans les termes suivants :

((é étatqui a formuléla réservepeut-il êtreconsidéré comme
partie à la Convention aussi longtemps qu'il maintient sa réserve
si une ou plusieurs parties à la Convention font une objection à
cette réserve,les autres parties n'en faisant ?a))

La Cour observe que cette question a trait non à la possibilité
d'apporter des réserves à la Conyention sur le génocide, mais
uniquement au point de savoir si 1'Etat contractant qui a formulé
une réserve peut, tant qu'il la maintient, être considérécomme
partie à la Convention, alors qu'il y a divergence de vues au sujet
de cette réserve entre les parties contractantes, les unes acceptant
ladite réserve,les autres s'y-refusant.
Il est bien établi qu'un Etat ne peut, dans ses rapports conven-
tionnels, êtreliésansson consentement et qu'en conséquenceaucune
réservene lui est opposable tant qu'il n'a pas donné sonassentiment.
On peut également considérer comme un principe reconnu que
toute convention multilatérale est le fruit d'un accord librement
intervenu sur ses clauses et qu'en conséquenceil ne peut appartenir
à aucun des contractants de détruire ou de compromettre, par

des décisions unilatérales ou par des accords particuliers, ce qui
est le but et la raison d'êtrede la convention. C'est à ce principe
que se rattachait la notion de l'intégritéde la convention telle
qu'elle a étéadoptée, notion qui, dans son acception traditionnelle,
a conduit à ne reconnaître une réserve quelconque comme valable
que si elle est acceptée par tous les contractants sans exception
comme elle l'eût éte si elle avait été exprimée au cours de la
négociation.
Cette conception, directement inspirée de la notion du contrat,
conserve une valeur de principe indéniable. En ce qui concerne la
Convention sur le génocide,il y a lieu, toutefois, de faire état d'un
ensemble de circonstances qui ont pour résultat d'en assouplir les
applications. Parmi ces circonstances, il convient de relever le
caractère nettement universel des Nations Unies sous les auspices

desquelles la Convention a étéconclue etla très large participation
que l'article XI de la Convention a entendu organiser. La très
large participation à des conventions de ce genre a déjà entraîné
une flexibilité plus grande dans.la pratique internationale des
conventions multilatérales. Un usage plus général desréserves,
une part très large faite à l'assentiment tacite aux réserves, l'exis-
tencedepratiques qui vont jusqu'à admettrequel'auteur deréserves The three questions are purely abstract in character. They refer
neither to the reservations which have, in fact, been made to the
Convention by certain States, nor to the objections which have
been made to such reservations by other States. They do not
even refer to the reservations which may in future be made in
respect of any particular article;nor do they refer to the objections

to which these reservations might give rise.
Question 1 is framed in the following terms :
"Can the reserving State be regarded as being a party to the
Conventionwhile still maintaining its reservation if the reservation
is objected to by one or more of the parties to the Convention
but not by others?"

The Court observes that this question refers, not to the possi-
bility of making reservations to the Genocide Convention, but
solely to the question whether a contracting State which has made
a reservation can, while still maintaining it, be regarded as being
a party to the Convention, when there is a divergence of views
between the contracting parties concerning this reservation, some
accepting the reservation, others refusing to accept it.
It is well established that in its treaty relations a State cannot
be bound without its consent, and that consequently no reser-
vation can be effective against any State without its agreement
thereto. It is also a generally recognized principle that a multi-

lateral convention is the result of an agreement freely concluded
upon its clauses and that consequently none of the contracting
parties is entitled to frustrate or impair, by means of unilateral
decisions or particular agreements, the purpose and raison d'être
of the convention. To this principle was linked the notion of the
integrity of the convention as adopted, a notion which in its tradi-
tional concept involved the proposition that no reservation was
valid unless it was accepted by al1the contracting parties without
exception, as would have been the case if it had been stated during
the negotiations.

This concept, which is directly inspired bythe notion of contract,
is of undisputed value as a principle. However, as regards the
Genocide Convention, it is proper to refer to a variety of circum-
stances which would lead to a more flexible application of this
principle. Among these circumstances may be noted the clearly
universal character of the United Nations under whose auspices the
Convention was concluded, and the very wide degree of partici-

pation envisaged by Article XI of the Convention. Extensive
participation in conventions of this type has already given rise to
greater flexibility in the international practice concerning multi-
lateral conventions. More general resort to reservations, very great
allowance made for tacit assent to reservations, the existence of
practices which go so far asto admit that the author of reservationsécartéespar certains contractants est néanmoins considéré comme
partie à la convention dans ses rapports avec ceux d'entre eux qui
les ont acceptées, ce sont là autant de manifestations d'un besoin
nouveau d'assouplissement dans le jeil des conventions multi-
latérales.
11y a lieu de relever également que la Convention sur le génocide,
si elle a étéfinalement approuvée à l'unanimité, est néanmoins le
résultat d'une série de votes pris à la majorité. Or, le principe

majoritaire, s'il facilite la conclusiones conventions multilatérales,
peut rendre nécessairepour certains Etats de formuler des réserves.
Cette observation est confirméepar le nombre élevé des réserves
qui ont été apportées ces derniers temps aux coriventions
multilatérales.
Dans cet état de la pratique internationale, on ne saurait certaine-
ment pas conclure de l'absence dans une convention multilatérale
d'un article relatif aux réserves à l'interdiction pour les États
contractants d'y apporter certaines réserves. Il faut également
tenir compte du fait que l'absence d'un tel article ou mêmela
décision de ne pas insérer un tel article peut s'expliquer par le

désirde ne pas inviter à multiplier les réserves. Le caractère d'une
convention multilatérale, son objet, ses dispositions, son mode
d'élaboration et d'adoption sont autant d'élémentsqui doivent
être pris en considération pour apprécier, dans le silence de la
convention, la possibilité de formuler des réserves ainsi que pour
en apprécier la régularitéet les effets.
S'il est exact qu'au cours des travaux préparatoires il a été
décidéde ne pas insérer un article spécial relatif aux réserves, il
est non moins vrai qu'à des stade: successifs de l'élaboration de
la Convention la faculté pour les Etats de formuler des réserves
a étéenvisagée. C'estainsi que dans les commentaires sur le projet
de Convention élaborSpar le Secrétaire général,on relèvele passage

suivant :((....I) Il semble que des réserves d'une portée générale
n'ont pas leur place dans une convention de ce genre, qui vise non
les intérêtsparticuliersd'un Etat, mais la préservation d'un élément
d'ordre international ...; 2) peut-être, au cours de la discussion
à l'Assembléegénérale,apparaîtra-t-il possible d'admettre certaines
réservesd'une portée limitée. 1)
Plus décisives encore à cet égard sont les discussions sur les
réserves à la Sixième Commission au cours des séances (~er et
2 décembre 1948) qui ont précédé immédiatement l'adoption par
l'Assemblée généralede la Convention sur le génocide. Certains
délégués yont clairemerit annoncé que leur gouvernement ne
pourrait signer ou ratifier la Convention que sous certaines réserves.

Au surplus, la faculté d'apporter des réserves à la Convention
parait. bien implicitement admise par les termes mêmes de la
question 1.
La Cour reconnaît ainsi qu'une entente s'est formée au sein de
l'Assemblée généralequant à la faculté d'apporter des réserveswhich have been rejected by certain contracting parties is neverthe-
less to be regarded as a party to the convention in relation to

those contracting parties that have accepted the reservations-al1
these factors are manifestations of a neur need for flexibility in
the operation of multilateral conventions.
It must also be pointed out that although the Genocide Conven-
tion was finally approved unanimously, it is nevertheless the result
of a series of majority votes. The majority principle,while facilitating
the conclusion of multilateral conventions, may also make it neces-
sary for certain States to make reservations. This observation is
confirmed by the great number of reservations which have been
made of recent years to multilateral conventions.

In this state of international practice, it could certainly not be
inferred from the absence of an article providing for reservations
in a multilateral convention that the contracting States are pro-

hibited from making certain reservations. Account should also be
taken of the fact that the absence of such an article or even the
decision not to insert such an article can be explained by the deçire
not to invite a multiplicity of reservations. The character of a multi-
lateral convention, its purpose, provisions, mode of preparation and
adoption, are factors which must be considered in determining,
in the absence of any express provision on the subject, the possi-
bility of making reservations, as well as their validity and effect.

Although it was decided during the preparatory work not to
insert a special article on reservations, it is none the less true that
the faculty for States to make reservations was contemplated at
successive stages of the drafting of the Convention. In this con-
nection, the following passage may be quoted from the comments

on the draft Convention prepared by the Secretary-General :"....(1)
It would seem that reservations of a general scope have no place
in a convention of this kind which does not deal with the private
interests of a State, but with the preservation of an element of
international order ...; (2) perhaps in the course of discussion in
the General Assembly it will be possible to allow certain limited
reservations."
Even more deciside in this connection is the debate on reser-
vations in the Sixth Committee at the meetings (December 1st and
znd, 1948) which immediately preceded the adoption of the Geno-
cide Convention by the General Assembly. Certain delegates clearly
announced that their governments could only sign or ratify the
Convention subject to certain reservations.
Furthermore, the faculty to make reservations to the Con-
vention appears to be implicitly admitted by the very ternis of

Question 1.
The Court recognizes that an understanding was reached
within the General Assembly on the faculty to make reservationsà la Convention sur le génocideet qu'il est permis d'en conclure
qu'au moment d'y devenir parties les États y ont donnéleur assen-
timent. Il reste à déterminer le caractère des réserves qui peuvent
êtreformulées ainsi que le caractère des objections qui peuvent
y êtreopposées.
La réponse à ces questions doit être cherchée dans les traits
particuliers que présentela Convention sur le génocide. Les origines
et le caractère de la Convention, les fins poursuivies par l'Assemblée
généraleet par les parties contractantes, les rapports que présentent
les dispositions de la Convention entre elles et avec ces fins, four-
nissent des élémentsd'interprétation de la volonté de l'Assemblée
généraleet des parties. Les origines de la Convention révèlent
l'intention des Nations Unies de condamner et de réprimer le
génocide comme «un crime de droit des gens »impliquant le refus

du droit à l'existence de groupes humains entiers, refus qui boule-
verse la conscience humaine, inflige de grandes pertes à l'humanité,
et qui est contraire à la fois à la loi morale et àl'esprit et aux fins
des Nations Unies (résolution 96 (1) de l'Assemblée générale,
II décembre 1946). Cette conception entraîne une première consé-
quence :les principes qui sont à la base de la Convention sont des
principes reconnus par les nations civilisées comme obligeant les
États même en dehorsde tout lien conventionnel. Une deuxième
conséquenceest le caractère universel à la fois de la condamnation
du génocideet de la coopération nécessaire (pour libérerl'humanité
d'un fléauaussi odieux »(préambule de la Convention). La Conven-
tion surle génocidea donc étévoulue tant par l'Assemblée générale
que par les parties contractantes comme une convention de portée

nettement universelle. En fait, elle fut approuvée, le 9 décembre
1948, par une résolutionquifut votée unanimement par rlnquante-
six États.
Les fins d'une telle convention doivent également êtreretenues.
La Convention a étémanifestement adoptée dansun but purement
humain et civilisateur. One ne peut mêmepas concevoir une conven-
tion qui offriraitun plus haut degréce double caractère, puisqu'elle
vise d'une part à sauvegarder l'existence mêmede certains groupes
humains, d'autre part à confirmer et à sanctionner les principes
de morale les plus élémentaires.Dans une telle convention, les,
États contractants n'ont pas d'intérêtspropres ; ils ont seulement
tous et chacun, un intérêtcommun, celui de préserver les fins
supérieures qui sont la raison d'êtrede la convention. Il en résulte

que l'on ne saurait, pour une convention de ce type, parler d'avan-
tages ou de désavantages individuels des États, non plus que d'un
exact équilibrecontractuel àmaintenir entre les droits et lescharges.
La considération des fins supérieuresde la Convention est, en vertu
de la volonté commune des parties, le fondement et la mesure de
toutes les dispositions qu'elle renferme.
Appliquées à la question des réserves et plus particulièrement
des effets des objections aux réserves,ces considérations conduisent
aux conclusions suivantes.

12to the Genocide Convention and that it is permitted to conclude
therefrom that States becoming parties to the Convention gave

their assent thereto. It must now determine what kind of reser-
vations may be made and what kind of objections may be taken to
them.
The solution of these problems must be found in the special
characteristics of the Genocide Convention. The origins and char-
acter of that Convention, the objects pursued by the General
Assembly and the contracting parties, the relations which exist
between the provisions of the Convention, inter se, and between
those provisions and these objects, furnish elements of interpret-
ation of the will of the General Assembly and the parties. The
origins of the Convention show that it was the intention of the
United Nations to condemn and punish genocide as "a crime under
international law" involving a denial of the right of existence of
entire human groups, a denial which shocks the conscience of
mankind and results in great losses to humanity, and which is
contrary to moral law and to the spirit and aims of the United
Nations (Resolution 96 (1)of the General Assembly, December 11th
1946). The first consequence arising from this conception is that
the principles underlying the Convention are principles which are
recognized by civilized nations as binding on States, even without

any conventional obligation. A second consequence is the uni-
versa1 character both of the condemnation of genocide and of the
CO-operationrequired "in order to liberate mankind from such an
odious scourge" (Preamble to the Convention). The Genocide
Convention was therefore intended by the General Assembly and
by the contracting parties to be definitely universal in scope. It
was in fact approved on December gth, 1948, by a resolution which
was unanimously adopted by fifty-six States.
The objects of such a convention must also be considered. The
Convention was manifestly adopted for a purely humanitarian and
civilizing purpose. It is indeed difficult to imagine a convention
that might have this dual character to a greater degree, since its
object on the one hand is to safeguard the very existence of certain
human groups and on the other to confirm and endorse the most
elementary principles of morality. In such a convention the con-
tracting States do not have any interests of their own; they merely
have, one and au, a common interest, namely, the accomplishment
of those high purposes which arethe raisond'êtro ef the convention.
Consequently, in a convention of this type one cannot speak of

individual advantages or disadvantages to States, or of the main-
tenance of a perfect contractual balance between rights and duties.
The high ideals which inspired the Convention provide, by virtue
of the common will of the parties, the foundation and measure of
al1 its provisions.
The foregoing considerations, when applied to the question of
reservations, and more particularly to the effects of objections to
reservations, lead to the following conclusions.24 APIS DU 28 V 15 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)

L'objet et le but de la Conventio? sur le génocide impliquent
chez l'Assembléegénéraleet chez les Etats quil'ont adoptée l'inten-
tion d'y voir participer le plus grand nombre possible d'Etats.
L'exclusion complète de la Convention d'un ou de plusieurs Etats,
outre qu'elle restreindrait le cercle de son application, serait une
atteinte à l'autorité des principes de morale et d'humanité qui sont
à sa base. On ne conçoit pas que les contractants aientpu facilement
admettre qu'une objection à une réserve mineure puisse produire
un tel résultat. Mais on pourrait moins encore prêter aux contrac-
tants la pensée d'avoir sacrifiéà la vaine recherche du nombre des
participants les fins mêmesde la Convention. L'objet et le but de
celle-ci assignent ainsi des limites tantà la liberté d'apporter des

réserves qu'à celle d'y objecter.Il en résulte que c'est la compati-
bilité de la réserve avec l'objet et le but de la Convention qui doit
fournir le critère de !'attitude de 1'Etat qui joint une réserve à
son adhésion et de 1'Etat qui estime devoir y faire une objection.
Telle est la norme de conduite qui doit guider chaque Etat dans
l'appréciation qu'il lui appartientde faire individuellement et pour
son propre compte de la régularité d'une réserve.

Toute autre conception conduit soit à faire accepter des réserves
destructives des fins que l'Assemblée généraleet les parties contrac-
tantes se sont assignées, soit à reconnaître aux États parties à la
Convention le pouvoir d'exclure de celle-ci l'auteur d'une réserve
même mineure, parfaitement compatible avec ces fins.

Il a étésoutenu cependant que tout État ayant qualité pour
devenir partie à la Convention sur le génocide peut le devenir tout
en y apportant, à volonté et en vertu de sa souveraineté, n'importe
quelle réserve. La Cour estime que ce point de vue ne peut être
retenu. Il est manifeste qu'une application aussi extrème de l'idée
de la souveraineté étatique pourrait conduire à une complète
méconnaissance de l'objet et du but de la Convention.
En sens inverse, il a étésoutenu qu'il existe une règle de droit
international selon laquelle l'effet de toute réserveserait subordonné
à l'assentiment exprès ou tacite de toutes les parties contractantes.
Cette théorie s'appuie essentiellement sur une conception contrac-
tuelle de l'absolue intégrité de la convention telle qu'elle a été
adoptée. Cette conception ne saurait toutefois prévaloir si, compte
tenu du caractère de la convention, de son objet, de son mode
d'adoption, il peut être établi que les parties ont entendu, en

admettant la faculté d'apporter des réserves, y déroger.
Il ne semble pas d'ailleurs quela conception de l'absolue intégrité
se soit traduite en une règle de droit international. Le rôle consi-
dérable que l'assentiment tacite a toujours joué dans l'effet qui a
étéreconnu aux réserves ne permet guère d'affirmer l'existence The object and purpose of the Genocide Convention imply that
it was the intention of the GeneralAssembly and of the States which
adopted it that as many States as possible should participate.
The complete exclusion from the Convention of one or more States

would not only restrict the scope of its application, but would
detract from the authority of the moral and humanitarian prin-
ciples which are its basis. It is inconceivable that the contracting
parties readily contemplated that an objection to a minor reser-
vation should produce such a result. But even less could the con-
tracting parties have intended to sacrifice the very object of the
Convention in favour of a vain desire to secure as many participants
as possible. The object and purpose of the Convention thus limit
both the freedom of making reservations and that of objecting to
them. It follows that it is the compatibility of a reservation with
the object and purpose of the Convention that must furnish the
criterion for the attitude of a State in making the reservation
on accession as well as for the appraisal by a State in objecting
to the reservation. Such is the rule of conduct which must guide
every State in the appraisal which it must make, individually and
from its own standpoint, of the admissibility of any reservation.
Any other view would lead either to the acceptance of reser-

vations which frustrate the purposes which the General Assembly
and the contracting parties had in mind, or to recognition that
the parties to the Convention have the power of excluding from
it the author of a reservation, even a minor one, which may be
quite compatible with those purposes.
It has nevertheless been argued that any State entitled to become
a party to the Genocide Convention may do so while making
any reservation it chooses by virtue of its sovereignty. The Court
cannot share this view. It is obvious that so extreme an application
of the idea of State sovereignty could lead to a complete disregard
of the object and purpose of the Convention.

On the other hand, it has been argued that there exists a rule of
international law subjecting the effect of a reservation to the express
or tacit assent of al1 the contracting parties. This theory rests
essentially on a contractual conception of the absolute integrity of
the convention as adopted. This view, however, cannot prevail if,

having regard to the character of the convention, its purpose and
its mode of adoption, it can be established that the parties intended
to derogate from that rule by admitting the faculty to make reser-
vations thereto.
Itdoes not appear, moreover, that the conception of the absolute
integrity of a convention has been transformed into a rule of inter-
national law. The considerable part which tacit assent has always
played in estimating the effect which is to-,be given to reservations25 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)

d'une telle règle, fixant avec une précisionsuffisante les effets des
objections élevéescontre les réserves.En fait, les exemples d'objec-
tions élevéescontre les réservessemblent trop rares dansla pratique
internationale pour avoir pu y donner naissance. On ne saurait
reconnaître cet effet au rapport qui fut adopté en la matière par
le Conseil de la Société desNations le 17 juin 1927. Tout au plus
peut-on voir dans la recommandation émise à cette date par le
Conseil le pont de départ d'une pratique administrative qui, après
avoir étéobservée par le Secrétariat de la Sociétédes Nations,
s'est en quelque sorte imposéepar la force des choses au Secrétaire
général desNations Unies en sa qualité de dépositaire des conven-
tions conclues sous les auspices de la Société.Mais on ne saurait
conclure que le problème juridique de l'effet des objections aux
réservesait ainsi requ une solution. L'opinion du Secrétaire général

des Nations Unies lui-mêmese trouve consigné dans le passage
suivant de son rapport en date du 21 septembre 1950 : ((11est
universellement reconnu que le consentement des autres gouverne-
ments intéressésdoit êtreobtenu avant qu'ils ne puissent êtreliés
par une réserve, mais il n'y a unanimit6 ni sur la procédure que
doit suivre le dépositaire pour obtenir le consentement requis, ni
sur l'effet juridique de l'objection qu'un État formule contre une
réserve.»
On peut toutefois se demander si l'Assembléegénéraledes Nations
Unies, en approuvant la Convention sur le génocide,ne s'est pas
tacitement référéeà la pratique selon laquelle le Secrétaire général,
dans l'exercice de ses fonctions de dépositaire, ne considérait une
réserve comme acceptée définitivementque lorsqu'il était établi
qu'aucun des autres États contractants n'y faisait objection. Si
tel était le cas, il pourrait êtresoutenu que l'intention implicite des
parties contractantes aurait étéde subordonner l'efficacité de
n'importe quelle réserveà la Convention sur le génocideà l'assenti-
ment de toutes les parties.

La Cour ne croit pas que cette façon de concevoir la situation
corresponde à la réalité.11convient d'observer d'abord que l'exis-
tence d'une pratique administrative n'est pas en soi un élément
concluant pour apprécier la conception que les États contractants
à la Convention sur le génocideont pu seformer des droits et devoirs
ui en résultent. 11 faut relever également l'existence parmi les
1 tats américains, membres à la fois des Nations Unies et de lJOrga-
nisation des États américains, d'une pratique divergente qui va
jusqu'à permettre à un État auteur de réserves de devenir partie
quelle que soit la nature des réserves formulées oudes objections
opposéesà celles-ci par d'autres États contractants. Les travaux
préparatoires de la Convention ne contiennent aucune indication
qui autoriseraità dire que les contractants se sont implicitement
référésà une pratique déterminée. Unetelle indication ne se trouve
pas davantage dansl'attitude subséquente des États contractants :
ni les réserves formuléespar certains Etats, ni les positions prisesOPIN. OF 28 V 51 (RESERVATIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 25
scarcely permits one to state that such a rule exists, determining
with sufficient precision the effect of objections made to reser-

vations. In fact, the examples of objections made to reservations
appear to be too rare in international practice to have given rise
to such a rule. It cannot be recognized that the report which was
adopted on the subject by the Council of the League of Nations on
June 17th, 1927, has had this effect. At best, the recommendation
made on that date by the Council constitutes the point of departure
of an administrative practice which, after being observed by the
Secretariat of the League of Nations, imposed itself, so to speak,
in the ordinary course of things on the Secretary-General of the
United Nations in his capacity of depositary of conventions con-
cluded under the auspices of the League. But it cannot be concluded
that the legal problem of the effect of objections to reservations has
in this way been solved. The opinion of the Secretary-General of
the United Nations himself is embodied in the following passage of

his report of September z~st, 1950 :"While it is universally recog-
nized that the consent of the other governments concerned must
be sought before they can be bound by the terms of a reservation,
there has not been unanimity either as to the procedure to be
followed by a depositary in obtaining the necessary consent or as
to the legal effect of a State's objecting to a reservation."
It may, however, be asked whether the General Assembly of the
United Nations, in approving the Genocide Convention, had in
mind the practice according to which the Secretary-General, in
exercisinghis functions as a depositary, did not regard a reservation
as definitively accepted until it had been established that none of
the other contracting States objected to it. If this were the case,
it might be argued that the implied intention of the contracting
parties was to make the effectiveness of any reservation to the

Genocide Convention conditional on the assent of all the parties.

The Court does not consider that this view corresponds to reality.
It must be pointed out, first of all, that the existence of an adminis-
trative practice does not in itself constitute a decisive factor in
ascertaining what views the contracting States to the Genocide
Convention may have had concerning the rights and duties result-
ing therefrom. It must also be pointed out that there existed among
the American States members both of the United Nations and of
the Organization of American States, a different practice which
goes so far as to permit a reserving State to become a party irre-
spective of the nature of the reservations or of the objections raised
by other contracting States. The preparatory work of the Conven-
tion contains nothing to justify the statement that the contracting

States implicitly had any definite practice in mind. Nor is there
any such indication in the subsequent attitude of the contracting
States : neither the reservations made by certain States nor the
position adopted by other States towards those reservations permit
14 26 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)

par d'autres États àl'égardde cesréservesne permettent de conclure
à l'existence d'un assentiment à l'une ou à l'autre pratique.
Enfin, et du point de vue général dela priorité dont jouirait une
pratique donnée,il n'est pas sans intérêtde relever que les discus-
sions qui ont eu lieu à la Sixième Commission de la cinquième
session de l'Assemblée généralerelativement aux réserves aux
traités multilatéraux témoignent d'un profonde divergence de
vues, certaines délégationsse montrant attachées à la conception
de l'absolue intégritédu traité, les autres manifestant leur préfé-
rence pour une pratique plus souple propre à favoriser la parti-

cipation d'un plus grand nombre d'États.
11résulte des considérations qui précèdentque la question 1, en
raison de son caractère abstrait, n'est pas susceptible de recevoir
une réponse absolue. L'appréciation de toute réserve et des effets
des objections qui peuvent y êtrefaites dépend de circonstances
particulières à chaque espèce.

La Cour ayant répondu à la première question, passe à l'examen
de la question II ainsi conçue :
(En cas de réponseaffirmative à la première,question,quel est
l'effetde cette réservedans les relations entre 1'Etat qui a forrnulé
la réserveet:
a) les parties qui ont fait une objectiànla réserve?
b) cellesqui l'ont acceptée?))

Les considérations qui sont à la base de la réponse faite par la
Cour à la question 1 sont pour une large part également applicables
ici. Ainsi qu'il a étédit ci-dessus, l'appréciation de la régularité de
la réserveappartient à chaque État partie à la Convention, celui-ci
exerçant ce droit individuellement et pour son propre compte.

Comme, d'autre part, aucun Etat ne peut être liépar une réserve
à laquelle il n'a pas consenti, il en résulte nécessairement qu'en
fait chaque État quifait objection àune réserve, s'inspirant de son
appréciation personnelle de celle-ci dans les limites du critère de
l'objet et du but énoncé ci-dessus,peut ou non considérer l'État
qui a formuléla réserve comme partie à la Convention. Une telle
d-ision n'aura normalement d'effet que dans les rapports entre
1'Etat qui a fait la réserve et celui qui y a fait objection ; elle
pourrait toutefois, comme il sera dit plus loin, viser à l'exclusion
complète de la Convention dans l'hypothèse où elle viendrait à se
traduire par une prise de position sur le plan juridictionnel.

Les inconvénients qu'entraîne cette divergence éventuelle de
vues - et auxquels un article relatif à l'usage des réservesaurait
pu obvier - sont réels, ilssont atténués par l'obligation commune
des Etats contractants de s'inspirer, dans leur jugement, de la
compatibilité ou de l'incompatibilité de toute réserve avec l'objetOPIN. OF 28 V 51 (RESERV.~TIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 26

the conclusion that assent to one or the other of these practices
had been given. Finally, it is not without interest to note, in
view of the preference generally said to attach to an established
practice, that the debate on reservations to multilateral treaties
which took place in the Sixth Committee at the fifth session of
the General Assembly reveals a profound divergence of views, some
delegations being attached to the idea of the absolute integrity of
the Convention, others favouring a more flexible practice which
would bring about the participation of as many States as possible.

It results from the foregoing considerations that Question 1,
on account of its abstract character, cannot be given an absolute
answer. The appraisal of a reservation and the effect of objections
that might be made to it depend upon the particular circumstances
of each individual case.

Having replied to Question 1, the Court will now examine Ques-
tion II, which is framed as follows :
"If the answer to Question 1 is in the affirmative, what is the
effect of the reservation as between the reserving State a:d

(a) the parties which object to the reservatio?
(b) those which accept it?"
The considerations which form the basis of the Court's reply to
Question 1are to a large extent equally applicable here. As has been
pointed out above, each State which is a party to the Convention

is entitled to appraise the validity of the reservation. and it exer-
cises this right individually and from its own standpoint. As no
State can be bound by a reservation to which it has not consented,
itnecessarily follows that each State objecting to it will or wiUnot,
on the basis of its individual appraisal within the limits of the
criterion of the object alid purpose stated above, consider the
reserving State to be a party to the Convention. In the ordinary
course of events, such a decision will only affect the relationship
between the State making the reservation and the objecting
State ; on the other hand, as will be pointed out later, such a deci-

sion might aim at the complete exclusion from the Convention
in a case where it was expressed by the adoption of a position on
the jurisdictional plane.
The disadvantages which result from this possible divergence of
views-which an article concerning the making of reservations
could have obviated-are real ; they are mitigated by the common
duty of the contracting States to be guided in their judgment by
the compatibility or incompatibility of the reservation with the

1527 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)

et le but de la Convention. Il faut évidemment supposer chez les
contractants la volonté de préserver de toute façon ce qui est
essentiel aux fins de la Convention ; si cette volontévenait à faire
défaut, il est bien clair que la Convention elle-même setrouverait
ébranléedans son principe comme dans son application.
Il se peut que la divergence de vues entre les parties sur la régula-
rité d'une réservereste en fait sans suite. Il sepeut, au contraire,
que certaines parties, tenant pour incompatible avec le but de la
Convention l'assentiment donné par d'autres parties à une réserve,

se décident à prendre position sur le plan juridictionnel au sujet
de cette divergence et à poursuivre le règlement du différend ainsi
né,soit par compromis, soit par la voie indiquée à l'article IX de
la Convention.

Il se peut enfin qu'un État, sans prétendre qu'une réserve est
imcompatible avec l'objet et le but de la Convention, y fasse néan-
moins objection, mais qu'une entente entre lui et l'État qui a
formuléla réserveait pour effet de mettre la Convention en vigueur
entre eux, à l'exclusion des clauses affectéespar la réserve.

Telle étantlasituation, la tâche du Secrétaire générasle trouverait
simplifiée,celle-ciseréduisant àaccueillirlesréserveset lesobjections

et à en faire la notification.

La question III est ainsi conçue :

(En ce qui concernela réponse à la question 1, quel serait l'effet
juridique d'une objection à une réservesi cette objection est faite
par :
a) Un sjgnataire qui n'a pas encoreratifiéla conventio?
b) Un Etat qui a le droit de signer ou d'adhérer,mais qui ne
l'a pas encorefai? 1)

La Cour constate que les termes de cette question la rattachent
à la question 1. Ce rattachement est considérépar certains États
comme présupposant une réponse négative à cette dernière.
La Cour estime cependant que la question III pourrait se poser
dans tous les cas. Mêmedans le cas où la réponse à la question 1
ne tendrait pas à exclure du cercle des parties à la Convention
l'État qui a fait une réserveàlaquelle un autre État a fait objection,
il n'en demeure pas moins qu'entre l'État qui a fait la réserve et
celui qui y a fait objection la Convention n'entre pas en vigueur.
Avec cet effet juridique, mêmeréduit, de l'objection, il y aurait
toujours lieu de se demander si les États visés sous litt. a) et b)
de la question III ont titre pour déterminer, par leur objection,

pareil résultat.
Dans une vue extrêmedu droit desdits États, on semble estimer
que ces deux catégories d'États ont un droit de devenirparties à
16object and purpose of the Convention. It must clearly be assumed
that the contracting States are desirous of preserving intact at
least what is essential to the object of the Convention ; should

this desire be absent, it is quite clear that the Convention itself
would be impaired both in its principle and in its application.
It may be that the divergence of views between parties as to
the admissibility of a reservation will not in fact have any conse-
quences. On the other hand, it may be that certain parties who
consider that the assent given by other parties to a reservation is
incompatible with the purpose of the Convention, will decide to
adopt a position on the jurisdictional plane in respect of this diver-
gence and to settle the dispute which thus arises either by special
agreement or by the procedure laid down in Article IX of the
Convention.
Finally, it may be that a State, whilst not claiming that a reser-
vation is incompatible with the object and purpose of the Conven-
tion, will nevertheless object to it, but that an understanding
between that State and the reserving State will have the effect

that the Convention will enter into force between them, except
for the clauses affected by the reservation.
Such being the situation, the task of the Secretary-General
would be simplified and would be confined to receiving reservations
and objections and notifying them.

Question III is framed in the following terms

"What would be the legal effect as regards the answer to Ques-
tion1 if an objectionto a reservation is made:

(a) By a signatory which has not yet ratifie?
(b) By a State entitled to sign or accede but which has not yet
done so 7"

The Court notes that the terms of this question link it to Ques-
tion 1.This link is regarded by certain States as presupposing a
negative reply to Question 1.
The Court considers, however, that Question III could arise in
any case. Even should the reply to Question 1 not tend to exclude,
from being a party to the Convention, a State wliich has made a
reservation to which another State has objected, the fact remains
that the Convention does not enter into force as between the reserv-
ing State and the objecting State. Even if the objection has this
reduced legal effect, the question would still arise whether the
States mentioned under (a) and (b) of Question III are entitled to
bring about such a result by their objection.

An extreme view of the right of such States woiild appear to 3e

that these two categories of States have a right to becomeparties to
16la Convention et qu'à ce titre ils auraient, de mêmeque tout État
partie à la Convention, le droit de faire objection à des réserves
ayanf plein effet juridique, c'est-à-dire l'exclusion de la Convention
de 1'Etat qui a fait la réserve.En leur refusant ce droit, dit-on, on
les obligerait soità renoncer entièrement à leur droit de participer
à la Convention, soità devenir partie à ce qui est en fait une conven-
tion différente. Ce dilemme ne correspond pas à la réalité, les
États en question ayant toujours la faculté d'être partie à la
Convention dans leurs rapports avec d'autres contractants.
Dès l'ouverture de la Convention sur le génocide à la signature,
tout Membre des Nations Unies et tout Etat non membre auquel

l'Assembléegénéraleavait adressé une invitation à la signature
avaient le droit d'êtrepartie à la Convention. Deux procédés
étaient possibles pour atteindre cette fin :soit la signature, depuis
le g décembre1948jusqu'au 31 décembre1949,suivie de ratification,
soit l'adhésionà partir du lerjanvier 1950 (articleXI de la Conven-
tion). La Cour relèveque le droit de devenir partie à la Convention
ne traduit pas une notion bien définie. Onne conçoit pas qu'avant
l'exercice de l'une ou de l'autre des deux facultés prévues pour être
partie à la Convention, un État, eût-il participé à l'élaboration de
celle-ci, puisse exclure un autre Etat. Ne possédant aucun droit
qui puisse dériver de la Convention, cet État ne peut tirer une
telle faculté de la qualité de Membre des Nations Unies ou de
l'invitation à signerà lui adresséepar l'Assembléegénérale.

Le cas d'un État signataire est différent. Sans entrer dans
l'examen de la portéejuridique de la signature dans les conventions
internationales, portée essentiellement variable, suivant les cas,
la Cour estime que la signature constitue la première étape dans
la participation à la Convention.
Il est évident que sans la ratification, la signature ne rend pas
l'État ~ignataire~partie à la Convention ; elle établit néanmoins
au profit de cet Etat un statut provisoire. Ce statut peut diminuer
en force et importance après l'entréeen vigueur de la Convention.
Mais tant avant qu'après cette entrée en vigueur, ce statut autori-
serait, en matière d'objection, un traitement plus favorable aux
Etats signataires qu'à ceux qui n'ont ni signéni adhéré.

En effet, à la différence deces derniers, les États signataires ont
procédéà. une partie des actes nécessaires à l'exercice du droit

dJEtre partie. En attendant la ratification, le statut provisoire créé
par la signature confère aux signataires qualité pour formuler au
titre conservatoire des objections ayant elles-mêmesun caractère
provisoire. Celles-ci'tomberaient si la signature n'était pas suivie
de ratification ou elles deviendraient définitivesavec la ratification.the Convention, and that by virtue of this right they may object
to reservations in the same way as any State which is a party to
the Convention with full legal effect, i.e. the exclusion from the

Convention of the reserving State. By denying them this right, it
issaid, they would be obliged either to renounce entirely their right
of participating in the Convention, or to become a party to what is,
in fact, a different convention. The dilemma does not correspond to
reality, as the States concerned have always a right to be parties
to the Convention in their relations with other contracting States.
From the date when the Genocide Convention was opened for
signature, any Member of the United Nations and any non-member
State to which an invitation to sign had been addressed by the
General Assembly, had the right to be a Party to the Convention.
Two courses of action were possible to this end : either signature,
from December 9th, 1948, until December pst, 1949, followed by
ratification, or accession as from January ~st, 1950 (Article XI of
the Convention). The Court would point out that the right to
become a party to the Convention does not express any very clear
notion. It is inconceivable that a State, even if it has participated in
the preparation of the Convention, could, before taking one or the
other of the two courses of action provided for becoming a party
to the Convention, exclude another State. Possessing no rights bvhich

derive from the Convention, that State cannot claim such a right
from its status as a Member of the United Nations or from the
invitation to sign which has been addressed to it by the General
Assembly .
The case of a signatory State is different. Without going into
the question of the legal effect of signing an international convention,
which necessarily varies in individual cases, the Court considers
that signatureconstitutes a first step to participationin the Conven-
tion.
It is evident that without ratification, signature does not make
the signatory State a party to the Convention ; nevertheless, it
establishes a provisional status in favour of that State. This status
may decrease in value and importance after the Convention enters
into force. But, both before and after the entry into force, this
status would justify more favourable treatment being rneted out
to signatory States in respect of objections than to States which
have neither signed nor acceded.
As distinct from the latter States, signatory States have taken
certain of the steps necessary for the exercise of the right of being
a party. Pending ratification, the provisional status created by

signature confers upon the signatory a right to formulate as a
precautionary measure objections which have themselves a provi-
sional character. These would disappear if the signature were not
followed by ratification, or they would become effective on rati-
fication. Jusqu'à cette ratification, l'objection faite par un État signataire
ne saurait donc produire un effet juridique immédiat en ce qui
concerne 1'Etat qui a fait la réserve. Elle aurait simplement pur
conséquencede fixer et de proclamer l'attitude éventuelle de1'Etat
signataire lorsqu'il serait devenu partie la Convention.
L'intérêtjuridique que poursuit 1'Etat signataire en faiçant
objection à la réserve serait ainsi amplement sauvegardé. L'Etat
qui a fait la réserve aurait étéaverti que, dès que les exigences
d'ordre constitutionnel ou autre qui ont pu motiver le retard
de la ratification auraientété satisfaites, il serait en présenced'une
objection valable qui doit sortir son plein effet juridique, et il
aurait en conséquence à examiner, dès l'énoncé de l'objection, le

maintain ou le retrait de la réserve.Dans ces conditions, il importe
peu que la ratification intervienne dans un délaiplus ou moins long.
La situation qui en résulterait serait toujours celle d'une ratification
accompagnéed'une objection àla réserve.Si la ratification n'inter-
venait pas, l'avertissement aurait simplement étévain.

Par ces motifs,
LACOUR EST D'AVIS,

En ce qui concerne le Convention pour la prévention et la répres-
sion du crime de génocide,dans l'hypothèse du dépôt par un Etat
d'un instrument de ratification ou d'adhésioncontenant une réserve
formulée soit au moment de la ratification ou de l'adhésion, soit
au moment de la signature suivie de ratification,

Sur la questionI :

par sept voix contre cinq,

que l'État qui a formuléet maintenu une réserve à laquelle une
ou plusieurs partiesàla Convention font objection, les autres parties
n'en faisant pas, peut êtreconsidéré commepartie à la Convention
si ladite réserve est compatible avec l'objet et le but de celle-ci ;
il ne peut l'êtredans le cas contraire.

Sur la questionII :

par sept voix contre cinq,
a) que si une partie à la Convention fait objection à une réserve
qu'elle estime n'êtrepas compatible avec l'objet et le but de la

Convention, elle peut, en fait, considérer 1'Etat qui a formulé
cette réservecomme n'étant pas partie àla Convention ;
b) que si, au contraire, une partie accepte la réserve commeétant
compatible avec l'objet et le but de la Convention, elle peut, en

18 Until this ratification is made, the objection of a signatory State
can therefore not have an immediate legal effect in regard to the
reserving State. It would merely express and proclaim the eventual
attitude of the signatory State when it becomes a party to the

Convention.
The legal interest of a signatory State in objecting to a reserva-
tion would thus be amply safeguarded. The reserving State would
be given notice that as soon as the constitutional or other pro-
cesses, which cause the lapse of time before ratification, have
been completed, it would be confronted with a valid objection
which cames full legal effect and consequently, it would have to
decide, when the objection is stated, whether it wishes to maintain
or withdraw its reservation. In the circumstances, it is of little
importance whether the ratification occurs within a more or less
long time-limit. The resulting situation will always be that of a
ratification accompanied by an objection to the reservation. In
the event of no ratification occurring, the notice would merely
have been in vain.

For these reasons,

In so far as concerns tlie Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in the event of a State
ratifying or acceding to the Convention subject to a reservation
made either on ratification or on accession,or on signature followed
by ratification,

On QuestionI :

by seven votes to five,

that a State which has made and maintained a reservation which
has been objected to by one or more of the parties to the Conven-
tion but not by others, can be regarded as being a party to the
Convention if the reservation is compatible with the object and
purpose ofthe Convention ;otherwise, that State cannot be regarded
as being a party to the Convention.

On QuestionII :

by seven votes to five,
(a) that if a party to the Convention objects to a reservation
which it considers to be incompatible with the object and purpose
of the Convention, it can in fact consider that the reserving State
is not a party to the Convention ;

(b) that if, on the other hand, a party accepts the reservation
as being compatible with the object and purpose of the Convention,
1830 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A COXVENTION GÉNOCIDE)

fait, considérer l'État qui a formulé cette réserve comme étant
partie à la Convention ;

Sur la questionIII

par sept voix contre cinq,
a) qu'une objection à une réserve faite par un État signataire
qui n'a pas encoreratifié la Convention ne peut avoir l'effet juridique
indiqué dans la réponse à la question 1 que lors de la ratification.
Jusqu'à ce moment, elle sert seulement à avertir les autres Etats
de l'attitude éventuelle de1'Etat signataire;

b) qu'une objection à une réservefaite par un État qui a le droit
de signer ou d'adhérer mais qui ne l'a pas encore fait ne produit
aucun effet juridique.

Fait en français et en anglais, le texte français faisant foi, au
Palais de la Paix, à La Haye, le vingt-huit mai mil neuf cent
cinquante et un, en deux exemplaires, dont l'un restera déposé
aux archives de la Cour et dont l'autre sera transmis au Secrétaire

général des Nations Unies.

Le Président de la Cour,

(Signé) BASDEVANT.

Le Greffier de la Cour,

(Signé) E. HAMBRO.

M. GUERREROV , ice-Président, Sir Arnold MCNAIR,M. READ
et M. Hsu Mo, juges, tout en admettant que la Cour est compétente
en l'espèce, déclarent ne pas pouvoir se rallierà l'avis de la Cour
et, se prévalant du droit que leur confèrent les articles 57 et 68
du Statut, joignent audit avis l'exposé commun de leur opinion
dissidente.

M. ALVAREZj,uge, déclarant ne pas pouvoir se rallier à l'avis
de la Cour et se prévalant du droit que lui confèrent les articles 57
et 68 du Statut, joint audit avis l'exposéde son opinion dissidente.

(Paraphé) J. B.

(Paraphé) E. H.it can in fact consider that the reserving State is a party to the
Convention ;

On Question III :

by seven votes to five,
(a) that an objection to a reservation made by a signatory State

which has not yet ratified the Convention can have the legal effect
indicated in the reply to Question 1 only upon ratification. Until
that moment it merely serves as a notice to the other State of the
eventual attitude of the signatory State ;
(b) that an objection to a reservation made by a State which is
entitled to sign or accede but which has not yet done so, is without
legal effect.

Done in French and English, the French text being authoritative,
at the Peace Palace, The Hague, this twenty-eight day of May,
one thousand nine hundred and fifty-one, in two copies, one of
which will be placed in the archives of the Court and the other
transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

(Signed) BASDEVANT,

President.

(Signed) E. HAMBRO,
Registrar.

Vice-President GUERREROJ,udges Sir Arnold RICNAIR,READ
and Hsu Mo, while agreeing that the Court has competence to
give an Opinion, declare that they are unable to concur in the

Opinion of the Court and have availed themselves of the nght
conferred onthem by Articles 57 and 68of the Statute and appended
to the Opinion the common statement of their dissenting opinion.
Judge ALVAREZd , eclaring that he is unable to concur in the
Opinion of the Court, has availed himself of the right conferred
on him by Articles 57 and 68 of the Statute and has appended to
the Opinion the statement of his dissenting opinion.

(Initialled)J. B.
(Initialled) E. H. ANNEXE

LISTE DES DOCUMENTS SOUMIS A LA COUR

1.- PI~~CES DÉPOSÉES AU COURS DE LA PROCEDURE ÉCRITE

a) Documents joints à la requête(article 65, par. 2, du Statut)

a - Inscription de la question à Z'ordredu jour
(Compte rendu des débats)
I. Comptes rendus du Bureau : 69meséance.
Idem, 7omcséance.

2. Compte rendu de l'Assembléegénérale : 285meséance plénière.

- Inscription à Z'ordredu jour (documents)
3. Adoption de l'ordre du jour de la 5meSession et répartition entre les
Commissions des différents points de l'ordre du jour : Rapport du
Bureau (extrait).
4. Attribution des points de l'ordre du jour de la 5- Session :Lettre

du 26 septembre 1950 du Président de l'Assembléeau Président
de la 6me Commission (extrait).
II) EXAMEN DE LA QUESTION A LA 6me COMMISSION ET A L'ASSEMBLÉE
(COMPTES RENDUS DES DÉBATS)

6me Commission :
5. 217- séance.

6. 218meséance.
7. 219meséance.
8. 220me séance.

g. 221me séance.
IC. 2~2~0 séance.
II. 223meséance.

12. 224meséance.
13. 225meséance.

14. Rectificatif au compte rendu analytique des 217me, 221me, 222me
et 225meséances.
Assembléegénéral e
15. 305meséance plénière.

45 ANNEX

LIST OF DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE COURT

1.-DOCUMEKTS SUBMITTED DURING THE WRITTEN PROCEEDINGS

(a) Documents transmitted with the Request (Article 65, para. 2, of
the Statute)

(1) RECORDS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 5,TH SESSION

a--Inclusion of theItem in theAgenda (Records of the proceedings)

I. Records of the General Committee : 69th meeting.
Idem, 70th meeting.

2. Records of the General Assembly :285th plenary meeting.
p-Inclusion of the Item in the Agenda (documents)

3. Adoption of the Agenda of the 5th Session and allocation of items
to Committees : Report of the General Committee (extract).

4. Allocation of items on the Agenda of the 5th Session :Letter dated
Septenlber 26th, 1950, from the President of the General Assembly
to the Chairman of the 6th Committee (extract).

(11) DISCUSSION IN THE TH COMMITTEE AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(RECORDS OF THE PROCEEDINGS)

6th Committee :
5. 217th meeting.
6. 218th meeting.

7. 219th meeting.
8. 220th meeting.

g. zz~st meeting.
IO. zzznd meeting.
II. ~~3rdmeeting.

12. 224th meeting.
13. 225th meeting.
II. Corrections to the summary records of the 221st, ~~2ndand 225th
meetings.

GeneralAssembly :
15. 305th plenary meeting.

45III)EXAMEN DE LA QUESTION A LA 6me COMMISSION ET A L'ASSEMBLÉE
(DOCUMENTS)
16. Rapport du Secrétaire général à l'Assemblée(première phase).

17. États-unis d'Amérique : prôjet de résolution.
18. États-unis d'Amérique :projet de résolution revisé.

19. Royaume-Uni :amendements au projet de résolution desÉtats-unis.

20. Uruguay: amendements au projet de résolution des États-unis.

21. Mémorandum présentépar l'Uruguay.
22. France : amendements au projet de résolution des États-Unis.

23. Iran.: amendements au projet de résolution des États-unis.

24. Chili :amendement au projet de résolution amendépar l'Uruguay.
25. Suède : amendements aux amendements du Royaume-Uni au
projet de résolution des Etats-Unis.

26. Note du Secrétaire général.
27. Note du Secrétaire général(additif).

28. Égypte, France, Grèce, Iran, Royaume-Uni : projet de résolution
commun.
29. Belgique, Danemark, Norvège, Pays-Bas et Suède : amendements
au projet de résolution présenté en communpar l'Egypte, la France,
la Grèce, l'Iran et le Royaume-Uni.

30. Belgique, Chili, Danemark, Égypte, États-unis, France, Grèce,
Iran, Norvège, Pays-Bas, Royaume-Uni, Suède, Uruguay : projet
de résolution remplaçant les documents ci-dessus.
31. Union des Républiques soviétiques socialistes : amendements au
projet de résolution,présentéen CO-mmund , e la Belgique, du Chili,
du Danemark, de lJEgypte, des Etats-Unis, de la France, de la
Grèce, de l'Iran, de la Norvège, des Pays-Bas, du Royaume-Uni,
de la Suède et de l'Uruguay.

32. Rapport de la 6meCommission à l'Assemblée(phase finale).

33. Belgique, Chili, Danemark, Égypte, États-unis, France, Grèce,Iran,
Norvège, Pays-Bas, Royaume-Uni, Suède, Uruguay :amendements
au projet de résolution présentépar la 6meCommission.

34. Résolutionadoptée par l'Assemblée à sa 305meséancedu 16novem-
bre 1950.(III)DISCUSSION IN THE TH COMMITTEE AND THE GENERAL ASSEMRLY
(DOCUMENTS)

16. Report of the Secretary-General to the Assembly (first phase).

17.United States of America :draft resolution.
18.United States of America :revised draft resolution.
19.United Kingdom :amendments to the draft resolution submitted by
the United States of America.

20. uruguay : amendments to the draft resolution submitted by the
United States of America.
21. Uruguay : memorandum.

22.France : amendments to the draft resolution submitted by the
United States of America.
23.Iran :amendments to the draft resolution submitted by the United
States of America.
24.Chile : amendment to the draft resolution amended by Uruguay.

25. Sweden : amendment to the United Kingdom amendments to the
draft resolution submitted by the United States of America.
26. Note by the Secretary-General.

27.Note by the Secretary-General (addendum).
28.Egypt, France, Greece,Iran, United Kingdom :joint draft resolution.

29. Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden :amendment to
the joint draft resolution submitted by Egypt, France, Greece, Iran,
United Kingdom.
30. Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Nether-
lands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America,
Umguay : joint draft resolution replacing the foregoing documents.

31.Union of Soviet Socialist Republics : amendment to the joint draft
resolution of Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran,
Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of
America and Uruguay.

32.Report of the Sixth Committee to the General Assembly (final
phase).
33.Belgium, Chile,Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Netherlands,
Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America,
Uruguay: amendment to the draft resolution submitted by the
Sixth Committee.

34. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly at its 305th plenary
meeting on 16 November, 1950. b) Documents annexés A l'exposéécrit

No du document
anglaisannefrançais

PREMIÈRE PARTIE. - NOTIFICATION PAR LE
SECRÉTAIR EÉNÉRAL DU DÉPÔT DE VINGT INSTRU-
MENTS DE RATIFICATION OU D'ADHÉSION :

1. Notification (19 octobre 1950) I 4
II. Procès-verbal (14 octobre 1950) 2 2
III. Corrigendum à la notification(~enovembre

1950) 3 5
DEUXIÈME PARTIE. - NOTIFIC.4TIONS DE &SERVES
PAR LE SECRÉTAIR EÉNÉRAL :

1. Notifications de réserves présentées à la
signature de l'Union des Républiques
socialistes soviétiques:
A. Kotification aux États qui n'avaient pas
encore ratifié ou adhéré :

I. Notification (30 décembre 1949) 6
2. Procès-verbal de signature (16décem-
bre 1949) 7

3. C.omgendum à la notification
(13 janvier 1950) 8
B. Notification aux États ayant déjà
ratifi:

I. Notification (30 décembre 1949) 12
2. Procès-verbal de signature (16décem-
bre 1949) 7

C. Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint à
l'Union des Républiques socialistes
soviétiques (13 janvier 1950) 13
II. ~otifications de réserves présentées à la
signature par la Biélorussie :

A. Notification aux États n'ayant pas
encore ratifié ou adhéré :
I. Notification (30 décembre 1949) 14
2. Procès-verbal de signature (16décem-

bre 1949) 15
13.Notification aux États ayant déjà
ratifi:
I. Notification (30 décembre 1949) I8

2. Procès-verbal de signature (16décem-
bre 1949) 1.5
47 (b) Documents annexed to the written statement
Annexed document
number
English French

PART ONE.-NOTIFICATION BY THE SECRETARY-
GENERAL OF THE DEPOSIT OF TWENTY INSTRU-
MENTS OF RATIFIC.4TION OR ACCESSION :

1. Notification (19 October, 1950) I 4
II. Procès-verbal (14 October, 1950) 2 2
III. Corrigendum to notification (1 November,

1950) 3 5
PARTTwo.-NOTIFICATIONS BY THE SECRETARY-
GENERAL OF RESERVATIONS :

1. Notifications of reservations made at sig-
nature by the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (30 December, 1949) 6
2. Procès-verbal of signature (16 Decem-

ber, 1949) 7
3. Corrigendum to notification (13Janu-
ary, 1950) 8
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified:

I. Notification (30 December, 1949) 12
2. Procès-verbal of signature (16 Decem-
ber, 1949) 7

C. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
tothe Union of SovietSocialistRepublics
(13 Januav. 1950) 13
II. Notifications of reservations made at sig-
nature by the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist
Republic :

A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (30 December, 1949)
14
2. Procès-verbal of signature (16 Decem-
ber, 1949) 15
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified:

1. Notification (30 December, 1949) Iô
2. Procès-verbal of signature (16 Decem-

ber, 1949) 1559 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNO(::IDE)
No (lu document
annexé
anglais français
C. Lettre du Secrétaire généraa ldjoint à la
Biélorussie (13 janvier 1950) 19

III. Notification de réserves présentées à la
signature par l'Ukraine :
A. Notification aux États qui n'avaient pas
encore ratifié ou adhéré :
I. Notification (29 décembre 1949) 20
2. Procès-verbal de signature (16décem-
bre 1949) 2 1
3. Comgendum à la notification
(13 janvier 1950) 8

B. Notification aux États ayant déjà
ratifié:
I. Notification (30 décembre 1949) 24
2. Procès-verbal de signature (16décem-
bre 1949) 21
C. Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint à
l'Ukraine (13 janvier 1950) 25

IV. Notifications de réserves présentées à la
signature par la Tchécoslovaquie :
A. Notification aux États n'ayant pas
encore ratifié ou adhéré :

I. Notification (29 décembre 1949)
2. Procès-verbal de signature (28décem-
bre 1949)
B. Notification aux États ayant déjà
ratifié ou accédé :
I. Notification (30 décembre 1949)
2. Procès-verbal de signature (28décem-

bre 1949)
C. Lettre du Secrétaire généraa ldjoint A la
Tchécoslovaquie (13 janvier 1950)
V. Notification de réservesdans l'instrument de
ratification des Philippines :

A. Notification aux États n'ayant pas
encore ratifié ou adhéré :
I. Notification (21 juillet 1950)
2. Instrument de ratification
B. Notification. aux États ayant déjà
ratifié ou adhéré :

I. Notification (31 juillet 1950)
2. Instrument de ratification
48 Annexednumbercument
Engliçh French

C. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist
Republic (13 Janua-, 1950) 19

III. Notification ofreservationsmade at signature
by the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (29 December, 1949) 20 22
2. Procès-verbalof signature (16 Decem-
ber, .1949) 2 1 23
3. Corngendum to notification (13 Janu-
ary, 1950) 8 IO
B. Notification to States which had already

ratified :
I. Notification (30 December, 1949)
2. Procès-verbalof signature (16 Decem-
ber, 1949)

C. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to the Ukrainian Soviet SocialistRepublic
(13 January, 1950)

IV. Notifications of reservations made at sig-
nature by Czechoslovakia :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (29 December, 1949)
2. Procès-verbalof signature (28 Decem-
ber, 1949)
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (30 December, 1949)
2. Procès-verbalof signature (28 Decem-
ber, 1949)

C.. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to Czechoslovakia (13 January, 1950)
V. Notifications of reservations in the instru-

ment of ratification of the Philippines :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (21 July, 1950)
2. Instrument of ratification

B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (31 July, 1950)
2. Instrument of ratification No du document
annexé
anglais français
C. Lettre du Conseiller généralet Direc-
teur principal aux Philippines (31juillet
1950) 38

VI. Notifications de réserves dans l'instrument
d'adhésion de la Bulgarie :
A. Notification aux États n'ayant pas
encore ratifié ou adhéré :

I. Notification (3 août 1950) 39
2. Instrument d'adhésion 40
B. Notification aux États ayant déjà
ratifié ou adhéré :

I. Notification (3 août 1950) 43
2. Instrument d'adhésion 40
C. Lettre du Conseiller généralet Directeur
principal à la Bulgarie (3 août 1950)

VII. Notifications de réserves dans l'instrument
d'adhésion de la Roumanie :

A. Nencore ratifié ou adhérés : n'ayant pas

I. Notification (21 novembre 1950) 46
2. Réserves de la Roumanie 47
B. Notification aux États ayant déjà
ratifié ou adhéré :

I. Notification (21 novembre 1950) 50
2. Réserves de la Roumanie 47

VIII. Notifications de réserves dans l'instrument
d'adhésion de la Pologne :
A, Notification aux États n'ayant pas
encore ratifié ou adhéré :

I. Notification (29 novembre 1950) 52 54
2. Instrument d'adhésion 53 55
B. Notification aux États ayant déjà
ratifié ou adhéré :
I. Notification (18 décembre 1950) 56 57
2. Instrument d'adhésion 53 55

C. Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint à
la Pologne (7décembre1950) 57 a

IX. Notifications de réception de l'instrument
de ratification de la Tchécoslovaquie
maintenant ses réserves :
49OPIK. OF 28 V 51 (RESERVATIONS TO GEKOCIDE CO~;VENTION) 60

Annexed document
number
English French
C. Letter of the General Counsel and Prin-
cipal Director to the Philippines (31July,

1950) 38

VI. Notifications of reservations in the instru-
ment of accession of Bulgaria :
A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (3 August, 1950) 39
2. Instrument of accession 40
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (3 August, 1950) 43
2. Instrument of accession 40

C. Letter of the General Counsel and Prin-
cipal Director to Bulgaria (3August, 1950)

VII. Notifications of reservations in the instru-
ment of accession of Romania :

A. Notification to States which had not yet
ratified or acceded .
I. Notification (21 November, 1950) 46
2. Reservations of Romania
47
B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :

I. Notification (21 November, 1950) 50
2. Reservations of Romania 47

VIII. Notifications of reservations in the instru-
ment of accession of Poland :
A. Notification to States which had not yet

ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (29 November, 1950) 52
2. Instrument of accession 53

B. Notification to States which had already
ratified or acceded :
I. Notification (18 December, 1950) 56
2. Instrument of accession
53
C. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to Poland (7 December, 1950) 57a

IX. Notifications of receipt of instrument of rati-
fication of Czechoslovakia maintaining
reservations : No du document
annexé
anglais français
A. Notification à tous les États intéressés
(5janvier 1951) 58 59
B. Lettre du Secrétaire généraa ldjoint àla
Tchécoslovaquie (12 janvier 1951) 60

TROISIÈME PARTIE . INVITATION AUX ÉTATS NON
MEMBRES DE DEVENIR PARTIES, CONTENANT
NOTIFICATIONS DE RÉSERVES :

1. Lettre à l'Indonésie :
6I
A. Lettre (27 mars 1950)
B. Annexes à la lettre:
I. Procès-verbal de signature de
1'U.R. S. S. (16 décembre 1949)
7
2. Procès-verbal de signature de la Biélo-
russie (16 décembre 1949) 13
3. Procès-verbal de signature de
l'Ukraine (16 décembre 1949) 18

4. Procès-verbal de signature de la Tché-
coslovaquie (28 décembre 1949) 23

II. Lettre au Liechtenstein :
A. Lettre (IO avril 1950)
B. Annexes à la lettre (identiques aux
annexes à la lettre à l'Indonésie)

III. Lettre au Viet-Nam, au Cambodge et au
Laos :

A. Lettre (31 mai 1950)
B. Annexes à la lettre (identiques aux
annexes à la lettre au Liechtenstein)

IV. Lettre àla République fédéraled'Allemagne:
A. Lettre (20 décembre 1950) 64

B. Annexes à la lettre
(Identiques aux annexes à la lettre à
l'Indonésie)
Annexes supplémentaires :
I.Instrument de ratification des Phi-
lippines 33

2.Instrument d'adhésionde la Bulgarie 40
3. Réserves de la Roumanie 47
4. Instrument d'adhésion dela Pologne 53

50 Annexed document
number
English French
A. Notification to al1 States concerned

(5 January, 1951) 58 59
B. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
to Czechoslovakia (12 January, 1951) 60

PARTTHREE.-INVITATION TO NON-MEMBE STATES
TO BECOME PARTIES, CONTAINING NOTIFICATIONS
OF RESERVATIONS :
1. Letter to Indonesia

A. Letter (27 March, 1950) 61
B. Annexes to letter:

I. Procès-verbal of signature of the
U.S.S.R. (16 December, 1949) 7
2. Procès-verbaolf signature ofthe Byelo-
russian S.S.R. (16 December, 1949) 13
3. Procès-verbaolfsignature ofthe Ukrai-
nian S.S.R. (16 December, 1949) 18

4. Procès-verbalof signature of Czecho-
slovakia (28 December, 1949) 23

II. Letter to Liechtenstein :
A. Letter (IO April, 1950)
B. Annexes to letter
(Identical with annexes to letter to
Indonesia)

III. Letter to Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos :

A. Letter (31 May, 1950)
B. Annexes to letter
(Identical with annexes to letter to
Liechtenstein)

IV. Letter to the Federal Republic of Germany :
A. Letter (20 December, 1950) 64

B. Annexes to letter
(Identical witli anQexesto letter to Indo-
nesia with the addition of the followin:)

I.Instrument of ratification of the Phi-
lippines 33
2. Instrument of accession of Bulgaria 40

3. Reservations of Romania 47
4. Instrument of accession of Poland 53 No du document
annexé
anglais français

QUATRIÈME PARTIE -. CORRESPONDAN RCEEATIVE
AU DÉSACCORD EXPRIMÉ P.4R LES GOUVERNE-
MENTS OU AUX OBJECTIONS AUX RÉSERVES PRÉ-
CITÉES :

1. Cqrrespondance relative à la position de
IJEquateur :

A. Note circulaire (5 mai 1950) 65 69
B. Annexes à la circulaire :

1. Note de l'Équateur (IO février1950) 66 70
2. Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint à

1'Equateur (21 mars 1950) 67 71
3. Note de l'Équateur (31 mars 1950) 68 72

C. Note de l'Équateur (16 août 1950) 73

II. Correspondance relative à la position de
l'Union des Républiques socialistes soviéti-
ques :
A. Lettre de l'Union des Républiques socia-
listes soviétiques (2mars 1950)
71
B. Lettre du Secrétaire général (23 mars
1950) 75

C. Lettre de l'Union des Républiques socia-
listes soviétiques(IO octobre 1950) 76

III. Correspondance relative à la position du
Guatemala :
A. Note circulaire (2 août 1950) 77 81

B. Annexes à la circulaire :

I. Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint
au Guatemala (19 janvier 1950) 78 82

2. Note du Guatemala (16 juin 1950) 79 83
3. Lettre du Conseiller généralet Direc-
teur principal au Guatemala (14 juillet

1950) 80 84
C. Note circulaire (7septembre 1950) 85 87

D. Annexe ô la circulaire :
Note du Guatemala (31 juillet 1950) 86 88

E. Note circulaire (18 octobre 1950) 89 91
F. Annexe à la circulaire :

Note du Guatemala (26 septembre
1950) 90 9- Annexed document
number
English French

GART FOUR.-CORRESPONDENC EONCERNING EX-
PRESSION BY GOVERKMEKTS OF DISAGREEXEXT
WITH, OR OBJECTION TO, THE FOREGOISG RESERV-
ATIONS :
1. Correspondence concerning the position of

Ecuador :
-4. Circular note (5 May, 1950)

B. Annexes to circular note :

I. Note of Ecuador (IO February, 1950)
2. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-
General to Ecuador (21 March, 1950)
3. Note of Ecuador (31 March, 1950)

C. Xote of Ecuador (16 August, 19j0)

II. Correspondence concerning the position of
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics :

A. Letter of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (2 Rlarch, 1950) 74
B. Letter of the Secretary-General (23 March,

1950) 75
C. Letter of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (IO October, 1950) 76

III. Correspondence concerning the position of
Guatemala :
A. Circular note (2 August, 19j0)
-//
B. Annexes to circular note :

I. Letter of the Assistant Secretarÿ-
General to Guatemala (19 Janiiary,
1950) 7s
2. Note of Guatemala (16 June, 1950) 79
3. Letter of the General Counsel and
Principal Director to Guatemala

(14 Jul~, 1950) so
C. Circular note (7 September, 1950) 85

D. Annex to circular note :
Note of Guatemala (31 July, Igjo) SG

E. Circular note (18 October, 1950) 89
F. Xnnex to circular note :
Yote of Guatemala (36 September.

19.50) 90 No du document
annexé
anglais français
IV. Lettres du Royaume-Uni :

A. Lettre du Royaume-Uni (31juillet 1950) 93

B. Lettre du Royaume-Uni (30 septembre
1950) 94
C. Lettre du Royaume-Uni (6 décembre

1950) 95
V. Correspondance relative à la position de
l'Australie:

A. Note circulaire (4 octobre 1950) 96 98
B. Annexe à la circulaire:

Lettre de l'Australie (26 septembre
1950) 97 99
C. Note circulaire (II décembre 1950) 100 102

D. Annexe à la circulaire:
Lettre de l'Australie (15 novembre
1950) IO1 103
E. Lettre des Philippines (15 décembre
1950) 104

1. Lettre au Panama (13 janvier 1950) 105
II. Lettre au Guatemala (19 janvier 1950) 78 82

III. Lettre à Israël (15 mars 1950) 106
IV. Lettre à Monaco (IO avril 1950) 107
V. Lettre au Royaume hachimite de
Jordanie (4 mai 1950) 108

VI. Lettre au Libéria (19 juin 1950) 109
VII. Lettre à l'Arabie saoudite (21 juillet

1950) II0
?'III. Lettre à la Turquie (7 août 1950) III
IX. Lettre au Viet-Nam (30 août 1950)

X. Lettre à la Yoiigoslavie (7 septembre
1950) 113
XI. Lettre au Salvador (6 octobre 1950) II4
XII. Lettre à Ceylan (15 novembre 1950)
II5
XIII. Lettre au Cambodge (15novembre 1950) 116
52 Annexed document
EnglishumberFrench

IV. Letters from the United Kingdom :
A. Letter of the United Kingdom (31 July.
1950) 93

B. Letter of the United Kingdom (30 Sep-
tember, 1950) 94
C. Letter of the United Kingdom (6Deceni-
ber, 1950) 95

V. Correspondence conceming the position of
Australia :

A. Circular note (4 October, 1950) 96 9s
B. Annex to circular note :

Letter of Australia (26 September,
1950) 97 99
C. Circular note (II December, 1950) 100 102

D. Annex to circular note :
Letter of Australia (15 November,
1950) IO1 103
E. Letter of the Philippines (15 December,

1950) 104
PART FIVE.-ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OS GOVERN-
MENTS R.4TIFYING OR ACCEDING, AFTER NOTICE OF
RESERVATIONS, WITHOUT COMMENT THEREON :

1. Letter to Panama (13 January, 1950) 105

II. Letter to Guatemala (19 January, 1950) 78 S2
III. Letter to Israel (15 March, 1950) 106

IV. Letter to Monaco (IO April, 1950) 107
V. Letter to Hashemite Jordan (4 May,
1950) 108
VI. Letter to Liberia (19 June, 1950)
109
VII. Letter to Saiidi Arabia (21 July, 1950) IIO

VIII. Letter to Turkey (7 August, 1950) III

IX. Letter to Viet Nam (30 August, 1950) 112
X. Letter to Yugoslavia (7September, 1950)
113

XI. Letter to El Salvador (6 October, 1950) II4
XII. Letter to Ceylon (15November, 1950)
II5
XIII. Letter to Cambodia (15November, 1950) 116

5264 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)
No du document
annexé
anglais français
XIV. Lettre à Costa-Rica (15novembre 1950) 117

XV. Lettre à la France (15 novembre 1950) 118
XVI. Lettre à Haïti (15 novenibre 1950) 119

XVII. Lettre à la Corée(15 novembre 1950) 120
XVIII. Lettre au Laos (12 janvier 1951) 121

1. Correspondancerelative à la position du
Salvador :

A. Note circulaire (25 november 1950) 122
B. Annexe à la circulaire:

Note du Salvador (27octobre 1950) 123
II. Correspondance relative à la position du

Viet-Nam :
A. Note circulaire (6 décembre 1950) 126
B. Annexe à la circulaire:

Lettre du Viet-ic'ain (3 novembre
1950) 127
C. Lettre du Viet-Nam (22 décembre
1950)

D. Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint
(12 janvier 1950)

III. Correspondance relative à la position de
la France :
A. Lettre de la France (6 décembre
1950)

B. Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint
(12 janvier 1951)

IV. Correspondance relative à la position du
Cambodge :
A. Lettre du Cambodge (6 décembre
1950)

B. Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint
(12 janvier 1951)

Projet de convention sur le crime de génocide
Communications reçues par le Secrétaire général

53 Annexed document
niimber
English French
XIV. Letter to Costa Rica (15 November,
1950) 117
118
XV. Letter to France (15 November, 1950)
XVI. Letter to Haiti (15 November, 1950) 119
120
XVII. Letter to Korea (15 November, 1950)
XVIII. Letter to Laos (12 January, 1951) 121

PART SIX.-REPLIES OF GOVERNMENTS TO THE

FOREGOING :
1. Correspondence concerning the position of
El Salvador :

A. Circular note (25 November, 1950) 122 124
B. Annex to circular note :
Note of El Salvador (27October, 1950) 123 125

II. Correspondence coricerning the position of
Viet Nam :

A. Circular note (6 December, 1950) 126 128
B. Annex to circular note :

Letter ofViet Nam (3November, 1950) 127 129

C. Letter of Viet Nam (22 December, 1950) 130

D. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
(12 January, 1951) 131

III. Correspondence concerning the position of
France :
A. Letter of France (6 December, 1950) 132

B. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
(12 January, 1951) 133

IV. Correspondence concerning the position of
Cambodia :
A. Letter of Cambodia (6December, 1950)
134

B. Letter of the Assistant Secretary-General
(12 January, 1951) 135

Draft Convention on the Crime of Genocide 136

Communications received by the Secretary-General 137
53 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)
65
No du document
annexé
anglais français
Observations des gouvernements sur le projet de
convention préparépar le Secrétaire généralet
communications d'organisations non gouverne-
mentales 138

Rapport du Comité spécialdu Génocide 139
Compte rendu analytique de la 26me séance du
Comitéspécial du génodice 140

Rapport de la Sixième Commission 141
Comitéspécialdu génocide :Clausesfinales 142

Compte rendu analytique de la 23me séance du
Comité spécial du génocide 143

Génocide. Projet de conveqtion et rapport du
Conseil économique et social. Amendement 144
Génocide. Projet de convention et rapport du
Conseil économique et social. Amendements 14.5

Cornpte rendu analytique de la 20me séance du
Comitéspécial du génocide 146
Compte rendu analytique de la 24me séance du
Comité spécialdu génocide 147

Génocide. Projet de convention et rapport du
Conseil économique et social. Amendements 148
U. R. S. S.:amendements au projet de convention
pour la prévention et la répression du crime de
génocide présentépar la Sixième Commission 149
R. S. S. d'Ukraine: amendement à la proposition
présentéepar le Royaume-Uni de compléter le
projet de convention sur le génocide par un
article nouveau étendant l'application de la
convention àtout temtoire à l'égardduquel un
Etat contractant exerce les fonctions d'autorité,
de direction et d'administration

Docun~ents officiels de la troisième Session de
l'Assembléegénérale, premièrepartie.
Séances plénières de l'Assemblée générale.
Comptes rendus analytiques des séances. 21 sep-
tembre-~~ décembre 1948
Documents officiels de la troisième Session de
l'Assembléegénérale, premièrepartie. Questions
juridiques. Sixième Commission. Comptes rendus
analytiques des séances.21 septembre-IO décem-
bre 1948 152

Idem. Annexer 153
54 Annexed document
number
English French
Comments by Governments on the Draft Conven-
tion prepared by the Secretariat. Communica-
tions froni non-governmental Organizations 138

Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide 139
Summary Record of the 26th meeting of the
Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide 140

Report of the Sixth Committee 141
The Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide : Final pro-
visions 142
Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide. Siimmary Record
of the 23rd meeting 143

Genocide. Draft Convention and Report of the
Economic and Social Council. Amendment 144
Genocide. Draft Convention and Report of the
Economic and Social Council. Amendments 145

Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide. Summary
Record of the 20th Meeting 146
Ad Hoc Committee on Genocide. Summary
Record of the 24th Meeting 147
Genocide. Draft Convention and Report of tlie
Economic and Social Council. Amendments
148
U.S.S.R. :amendments to the draft convention on
the prevention and punishment of genocide
proposed by the Sixth Committee 149
Ukrainian S.S.R.: amendment to the United
Kingdom proposa1 for the addition to the Draft
Convention on Genocide of a new article extend-
ing the application of the Convention to temto-
ries in regard to which any State performs the
functions of the governing and administering
authority
OfficialRecords of the Third Session of the General
Assembly. Part 1. Plenary Meetings of the
General Assembly. Summary Records of Meet-
ings. 21 September-12 December, 1948

Officia1Records of the Third Session of the General
Assembly. Part 1. Legal Questions. Sixth Com-
mittee. Summary Records of Meetings. 21 Sep-
tember-IO December, 1948

Idem. Annexes 1) Constitution de l'organisation internationale du Travail.

II) Conventions et reconlmandations 1919-1949 (volume contenant les
conventions et recommandations adoptées par la Conférence inter-
nationale du Travail de 1919 à 1949).
III) Correspondance officielle relative à la ratification de certaines
conventions internationales du travail.

a) Pologne

I. Lettre du 16 janvier 1920 du ministre du Travail de Pologne
au Directeur du B. 1.T.
2. Réponse du Directeur du B. 1. T. au ministre du Travail de
Pologne du IO juillet 1920.
3. Sommaire de la correspondance ci-dessus communiqué aux

Membres de l'organisation dans le c<Bulletin officiel du
Bureau international de Travail n.
b) Inde

I. Extrait d'une lettre du secrétaire d'État pour l'Inde au
Secrétaire général dela Sociétédes Nations du 12 juillet1921.

2. Extrait de la réponse du Secrétaire généralper interim de
la Sociétédes Xations au secrétaire d'Etat pour l'Inde du
22 juillet 1921.

3. Lettre du Directeur du Bureau international du Travail au
secrétaire d'Etat pour l'Inde du 24 septembre 1921.
c) Cuba

I. Lettre du Secrétaire généralde la Sociétédes Nations au
Directeur du Bureau international du Travail, II juillet1928.

2. Lettre du Directeur du B. 1. T. au Secrétaire généralde la
Société desSations du 31 juiilet1928.

3. Lettre du Secrétaire géneral de la Société desNations au
Directeur du B. 1.T. du 23 aoùt 1928.
4. Lettre du Directeur du B. 1. T. au sous-secrétaire d'État aux
Affaires étrangères de Cuba, 3 août 1928.

5. Lettre du Directeur du B. 1.T. zu secrétaire de l'Agriculture,
du Commerce et du Travail de Cuba du 3 août 1928.

6. Lettre du sous-secrétaire d'État aux Affaires étrangères de
Cuba au Directeur du B. 1. T., 20 février 1930.

d) Pérou
I. Résolution du Gouvernement péruvien du 6 mars 1936. B.-DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY THE INTERNATIONA LABOUR
ORGANIZ~~TION

(1) Constitution of the International Labour Organization.
(II) Conventions and recommendations 1919-1949 (volume containing
conventions and recommendations adopted by the International
Labour Conference from 1919 to 1949).
(III) Official correspondence concerning the ratification of certain
international labour conventions.

(a) Poland
I. Letter of June 16th, 1920, from the Minister of Labour
of Poland to the Director of the I.L.O.
2. Reply from the Director of the I.L.O. to the Minister of
Labour of Poland, Ju!y ~oth, 1920.

3. Summary of the above correspondence as communicated
to the Members of the Organization in the "Officia1Bulletin
of the International Labour Office".
(b) India
I. Extract from a letter from the Secretary of State for India
to the Secretary-General of the League ofNations, July ~zth,
1921.

2. Extract from the reply of the Acting Secretary-General of
the League of Nations to the Secretary of State for India
of July 22nd, 1921.
3. Letter from the Director of the International Labour Office
to the Secretary of State for India of September 24th, 1921.
(c) Cuba

I. Letter from the Secretary-General of the League of Nations
to the Director of the International Labour Office of
July r~th, 1928.
2. Letter from the Director of the I.L.O. to the Secretary-
General of the League of Nations of July 31st, 1928.
3. Letter from the Secretary-General of the League of Kations
to the Director of the I.L.O., August zgrd, 1928.
4. Letter from the Director ofthe I.L.O. tothe Under-Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, August 3rd, 1928.

5. Letter from the Director of the I.L.O. to the Secretary
for Agriculture, Commerce and Labour of Cuba of
August 3rd, 1928.
6. Letter from the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs of Cuba to the Director of the I.L.O., February zoth,
1930.
(d) Peru
I. Decision of the Peruvian Government dated 6th March,
1936.

5567 AVIS DU 28 V 51 (RÉSERVES A CONVENTION GÉNOCIDE)

2. Lettre du Directeur fier interim du B. 1. T. au ministre des
Affaires étrangèresdu Pérou, 15mai 1936.
3. Réponse du ministre des Affaires étrangères du Pérou du
8 juillet1936.

IV) Mémorandumprésentépar le Directeur du B. I. T. au Comité
d'exfiertspour la codificationprogressivedu droit international et
extrait du rapport soumis par le Comitéau Conseil de la Société
des Nations, 1927.
a) Texte du mémorandum présentépar le Directeur du B. 1.T.
au Comitéd'experts pour la codification progressive du droit
international.
b) Extrait du rapport du Comité d'experts pour la codification
progressive du droit international,soumis au Conseil de la
Société des Nations, 15 juin 1927.

c) Extrait de la résolution adoptée par le Conseil de la Société
des Nations du 17 juin 1927.

V) Extrait du rapport présentéau Conseil d'Administration du
B. I. T.à sa 6om session(hladrid, octobre 1932), par sa Com-
mission du règlement,et document soumis par le B. I. T. à la
Commission.
a) Extrait du rapport de la Commission du règlement.

b) Document soumis par le B. 1.T. à la Commission du règlement.

VI) Communicationsdu B. I. T. au Secrétairegénéral des Nations
Unies relativesà l'enregistremefitdes conventions internationales
du travail.

a) Lettre du conseiller juridique du B. 1.T. au Secrétaire général
des Nations Unies, IO août 1949.
b) Lettre du conseiller juridique du B. 1.T. au Secrétaire général
des Nations Unies, 27 juin 1950.
VII) Exemples de ratification de conventionsinternationalesdu travail,
comportantdes conditions suspensives,des limites géographiquesu
d'autresprécisionsne constituantpas de réserves.

a) Ratifications comportant des conditions suspensives
I. Ratification conditionnelle par le Royaume-Uni de Grande-
Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord de la Convention concernant
la simplification de l'inspection des émigrantà bord des
nah-es, 1426 (Convection no 21).
b) Ratificationsà portée géographique limitCe:

I. Ratification formelle par l'Inde des conventions concernant
la réparation des maladies professionnelles1925 (Conven-
tion no 18), et l'égalitéde traitement des travailleurs
étrangers .et nationaux en matière de réparation des
accidents du travail,1925 (Convention no 19).
2. Ratification formelle par l'Australie de certaines conven-
tions internationales du travail.QPIN. OF 28 V 51 (RESERVATIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 67

2. Letter from the Acting Director of the I.L.O. tothe Rfinister
for Foreign Affairs of Peru, May 15th, 1936.
3. Reply from the Minister for External Relations of Peru,
8th July, 1936.
(IV) Memorandumsubmittedby the Directorof the I.L.O. to the Com-
mittee of Experts for the progressivecodificationof international
law and extractfrom the reportsubnzittedby the Committeeto the
Councilof the Lengueof Nations, 1927.

(a) Text of the Menorandum submitted by the Director of the
I.L.O. to the Committee of Experts for the progressive codi-
fication of international law.
(b) Extract from the report by the Committee of Experts for the
progressive codification of international law concerning the
admissibility of reservations to general conventions, submitted
to the Council of the League of Nations, June 15th, 1927.
(c) Extract from the Resolution adopted by the Council of the
League of Nations on June 17th, 1927.

IV) Extract from the report submitted to the GoverningBody of the
I. L. O., ut its 60thsession(Madrid, October1g32), by its Standing
Orders Committee,and document submitted by the I.L.O. to the
Committee.
(a) Extract from the report of the Standing Orders Committee.
(b) Document submitted by the I.L.O. to the Standing Orders
Committee.

(VI) Communicationsfrom the I.L.O. to the Secretary-Genevalof the
LTnitedNations concerningthe registrationof internationallabour
conventions.
(a) Letter from the Legal Adviser of the I.L.O. to the Secretary-
General of the United Nations dated 10th August, 1949.
(b) Letter from the Legal Adviser of the I.L.O. to the Secretary-
General of the United Nations dated 27th June, 1950.

(VII) ExamplesofratificationsofInternational LabourConventions subject
to sus$ensive conditions,geogra$hicallinzitationsand under-
standings@?hichhaoenotbeenregardea dsconstitutingreservations.
(a) Example of ratification subject to suspensive conditions:
1. Conditional ratification by the IJnited Kingdom of Great
Britain and Korthern Ireland of the Convention concerning
the simplification of the inspection of emigrants on board
ship, 1926 (Convention No. 21).

(b) Examples of ratifications subject to geographical limitations:
I. Forma1 ratification by India of the conventions concerning
workmen's compensation for occupational diseases, 1925
(Convention No. 18),and equality oi treatinent for national
and foreign workers as regards workmen's compensation
for accidents, 1925 (Convention No. 19).
2. Forma1 ratification by Australia of certain International
Labour Conventions.
56 3. Ratification formelle par le Royaume-Uni de Grande-
Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord de la Convention concernant
la liberté syndicale et la protection du droit syndical1948
(Convention no 87).

c) Exemples de ratifications comprenant d'autres précisions ne
constituant pas de réserves:
I. Ratification formelle par le Royaume-Uni de Grande-
Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord de la Convention concernant
le contrat d'engagement des marins, 1926 (Convention
no 22).
2. Ratification formelle par l'Inde de la Convention concer-
nant le contrat d'engagement des ~narins, 1926 (Conven-

tion no 22).
3. Ratification formelle par l'Australie de la Convention
concernant la durée du travail à bord et les effectifs,1936
(Convention no 57).
4. Ratification formelle par les États-unis des Conventions
concernant le minimum de capacité professionnelle des
capitaines et officiers de la marine marchande, 1936
(Convention no 53) ; concernant les congés annuels payes
des marins, 1936 (Convention no 54) ; concernant les obliga-
tions de l'armateur en cas de maladie, d'accident ou de
décèsdes gens de mer. 1936 (Convention no 55) ; concernant

la durée du travail à bord des navires et les effectifs1936
(Convention no 57): fixant l'âge minimum d'admission des
enfants au travail maritime (revisé en 1936) (Convention
no 58).

11. - PIÈCES DÉPOSÉES AU COURS DE LA PROCÉDURE ORALE

A. - DOCUMENT SRÉSENTÉS PAR LE SECRÉTAIRE GÉNÉR.~L DES
NATIONSUNIES

1) Rapport sur le droit relatif aux traités, établi par le professeur
Brierley pour la Commission du droit international.
2) Compte rendu analytique de la 53me séance de la Commission.

3) Rapport de la Commission de droit international sur les travaux
de sa deuxième session (juin-juillet 1950).
4) Lettre du Secrétairegénéraladjoint chargédu Départe-mentjuridique
du 5 février1951 relative à la communication de lJEquateur.
5) Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint chargé du Departement juri-
dique du 5 février1951 sur la communication de 1'Equateur.

6) Lettre du ministre des Affaires étrangères de l'Iran au Secrétaire
généraldu 15 janvier 1951.
7) Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint chargé du Département juri-
dique au miniçtre des Affaires étrangères de l'Iran.
8) Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint chargé du département juri-
dique du 28 février 1951, sur les communications de l'Australie.

9) Lettre du représentant permanent ad interim de l'Australie aux
Nations Unies au Secrétaire général, 19mars 1951. 3. Forma1 ratification by the United Kingdoni of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland of the Convention conceming
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to
organize, 1948 (Convention No. 87).
(c) Examples of ratifications subject to understandings which
have not been regarded as constituting reservations :
I. Forma1 ratification by the United Kingdom of Great

Rritain and Northern Ireland of the Convention conceming
seamen's Articles of Agreement, 1926 (Convention No. 22).

2. Forma1 ratification by India of the Convention conceming
seamen's Articles of Agreement, 1926 (C.onventionNo. 22).

3.. Fornial ratification by Australia of the Convention concerii-

ing hours of work on board ship and manning, 1936
(Convention Xo, 57).
4. Forma1 ratification by tlie United States of America of the
Conventions concerning the minimun; requirement of
professional capacity for masters and officers on board
merchant ships, 1936 (Convention Xo. 53) ; concernirig
annual holidays with pay for seamen, 1936 (Convention
No. 54) ; concerning the liability of the shipowner in case
of sickness,injury or death of ceamen, 1936 (Convention
No. jj); concerning hours of work on board ship and
manning. 193G (Convention No. j7) ; fixing the minimum
age for the admission of children to employment at sea

(revised 1936) (Convention No. 58).

II.-DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED DURING THE ORAL PROCEEDINGS

(1) Report on the Law of Treaties compiled by Professor Brierley for
the International Law Commission.

(2) Analytical Report of the j3rd Meeting of the Commission.
(3) Report of the International Law Commission on the proceedings of
the and Session (June-July, 1950).
(4) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department, of
February 5th, 1951, regarding conimunication from Ecuador.

(5) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department, of
February jth, 1951, regarding commiinication from Ecuador.
(6) Letter from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran to the Secretary
General of January ~jth, 1951.
(7) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department, to
the Minister for Foreign Xffairs of Iran.

(8) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department,
of February &th, 1951, regarding communications by Australia.
(9) Letter from the Acting Permanent Australian Representative to
the United Nations to the Secretary-General of March ~gtli, 1951.IO) Lettre du secrétairepermanent du ministère des Affaires étrangères
de Ceylan au Secrétaire généraladjoint chargé du Département
juridique, 27 janvier 1951.
II) Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint chargé du Département juri-
dique au ministre des Affaires étrangèresde Ceylan, 5 mars 1951.

12) Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint chargé du Département juri-
dique sur la communication de Ceylan du 7 mars 1951.
13) Lettre de la délégationpermanente de Norvège aux Nations Unies
au Secrétaire généraladjoint chargédu Département juridique du
g février 1951.
14) Lettre du Secrétaire généraladjoint chargé du Département juri-
dique au représentant permanent de la Norvègeaux Nations Unies
du 16 février 1951.

1) Traduction en anglais de la loi israelienne sur le crime de génocide
(prévention et répression). 5710-1950.
2) « The Genocide Convention, its Origin and Interpretation », par
Nehemiah Robinson. 1949. Institut des Affaires juives du Congrès
juif mondial.

1) Lettre adresséeau Greffier,le 3avril 1951,par l'ambassade d'Austra-
lie à La Haye.
2) Télégramme adresséau Greffier, le 6 avril 1951, par le chargé
d'affaires de la mission des Philippines aux Nations Unies.OPIN. OF 28 V 51 (RESERVATIONS TO GENOCIDE CONVENTION) 69

(IO) Letter from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Ceylon, to the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department, of
January 27th, 1951.
(II) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, 1,egalDepartment, to
the Minister for Extemal Affairs, Ceylon, of March 5th, 1951.

(12) Letter from the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department,
on the communication from Ceylon, March 7th, 1951.
(13) Letter from the Nonvegian Permanent Delegation to the United
Nations to the Assistant Secretary-General, Legal Department,
Febmary gth, 1951.
(14) Letter from the~hssistant Secretary-General, Legal Department,
to the Permanent Representative ofonvay tothe United Nations,
February 16th, 1951.

(1)Translation into English of the Israel Crime of Genocide (prevention
and punirhhrne~,t) law. 5710-1950.
(2) "The Genocide Convention, its Ongin and Interpretation", by
Nehemiah Robinson. 1949. Institute of Jewisli Affairs of the
World Jewish Corigress.

C.-CORRESPONDENC ADRESSED TO THE REGISTRY BP THE AUSTRALIAN
EMBASSY ATTHEHAGUE,ANP THE CHARGÉ D'AFFAIREP S, ILIPPINES
MISSION TO THE UNITEDNATIQNS

(1) Letter from the Australian Embassy at The Hague to the Registrar,
Apnl 3rd, 1951.
(2)Telegram from the Chargé d'affaires, Philippines Mission to the
United Nations, to tbe Registrar, April 6th, 1951.

Document file FR
Document Long Title

Advisory Opinion of 28 May 1951

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