Declarations of acceptance of the obligations contained in the Charter of the United Nations

(Admission of States to membership in the United Nations in accordance with Article 4 of the Charter)1

Notes:

1 The Provisional Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly (rules 113-116), under which the first six new Members were admitted to membership in the United Nations, namely, Afghanistan, Iceland, Pakistan, Sweden, Thailand and Yemen, stipulated that the membership, in case of a favourable decision of the General Assembly, shall become effective on the date on which the applicant State presented to the Secretary-General an instrument of adherence. Accordingly, the membership of Afghanistan, Iceland and Sweden became effective on 19 November 1946, that of Thailand on 16 December 1946 and that of Pakistan and Yemen on 30 September 1947.

By resolution 116 (II) of 21 November 1947, the General Assembly adopted new rules governing the admission of new Members. Under these rules (135-139), a declaration, made in a formal instrument accepting the obligations contained in the Charter, shall be submitted to the Secretary-General by an applicant State at the same time as the application for membership. The membership becomes effective, if the application is approved, on the date on which the General Assembly takes its decision on the application. Accordingly, for all Members other than the six mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the membership became effective on the respective dates of adoption as indicated in the third column of the table.

3 The non registration of the declaration by Angola on 1 December 1976, the date of its membership, results from an administrative oversight.

4 Formerly: "Dahomey" until 2 December 1975.

5 Formerly: "Upper Volta" until 4 August 1984.

6 As from 3 February 1990, "Cambodia". Formerly, as follows: as from 6 April 1976 to 3 February 1990 "Democratic Kampuchea"; as from 30 April to 6 April 1976 "Cambodia"; as from 28 December 1970 to 30 April 1975 "Khmer Republic".

7 As from 4 February 1984 Cameroon (from 10 March 1975 to 4 February 1984 known as "the United Republic of Cameroon" and prior to 10 March 1975 known as "Cameroon".

8 In a communication dated 20 December 1976, the Permanent Mission of the Central African Empire to the United Nations informed the Secretary-General that, by a decision of the extraordinary Congress of the Movement for the Social Development of Black Africa (MESAN), held at Bangui from 10 November to 4 December 1976, the Central African Republic had been constituted into the Central African Empire.

In a communication dated 25 September 1979 the Permanent Representative of that country to the United Nations informed the Secretary-General that, following a change of regime which took place on 20 September 1979, the former institutions of the Empire had been dissolved and the Central African Republic proclaimed.

9 In a communication dated 15 November 1971, the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of the Congo to the United Nations informed the Secretary-General that their country would henceforth be known as the "Congo".

10 Formerly: "Ivory Coast" until 31 December 1985.

11 In a letter dated 16 February 1993, received by the Secretary-General on 22 February 1993 and accompanied by a list of multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary-General, the Government of the Czech Republic notified that :

"In conformity with the valid principles of international law and to the extent defined by it, the Czech Republic, as a successor State to the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, considers itself bound, as of 1 January 1993, i.e. the date of the dissolution of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, by multilateral international treaties to which the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic was a party on that date, including reservations and declarations to their provisions made earlier by the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.

The Government of the Czech Republic have examined multilateral treaties the list of which is attached to this letter. [The Government of the Czech Republic] considers to be bound by these treaties as well as by all reservations and declarations to them by virtue of succession as of 1 January 1993.

The Czech Republic, in accordance with the well established principles of international law, recognizes signatures made by the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic in respect of all signed treaties as if they were made by itself."

Subsequently, in a letter dated 19 May 1993 and also accompanied by a list of multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary-General, received by the Secretary-General on 28 May 1993, the Government of the Slovak Republic notified that:

"In accordance with the relevant principles and rules of international law and to the extent defined by it, the Slovak Republic, as a successor State, born from the dissolution of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, considers itself bound, as of January 1, 1993, i.e., the date on which the Slovak Republic assumed responsibility for its international relations, by multilateral treaties to which the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic was a party as of 31 December 1992, including reservations and declarations made earlier by Czechoslovakia, as well as objections by Czechoslovakia to reservations formulated by other treaty-parties.

The Slovak Republic wishes further to maintain its status as a contracting State of the treaties to which Czechoslovakia was a contracting State and which were not yet in force at the date of the dissolution of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, as well as the status of a signatory State of the treaties which were previously signed but not ratified by Czechoslovakia as listed in the Annex to this letter."

In view of the information above, entries in status lists pertaining to formalities (i.e. signatures, ratifications, accessions, declarations and reservations, etc.) effected by the former Czechoslovakia prior to dissolution, in respect of treaties to which the Czech Republic and/or Slovakia have succeeded, will be replaced by the name of "Czech Republic" and/or "Slovakia" with the corresponding date of deposit of the notification of succession. A footnote will indicate the date and type of formality effected by the former Czechoslovakia, the corresponding indicator being inserted next to "Czech Republic" and "Slovakia" as the case may be.

12 As from 17 May 1997. Formerly: "Zaire" until 16 May 1997 and "Democratic Republic of the Congo" until 27 October 1971.

13 In a letter addressed to the Secretary-General on 8 October 1991, the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia informed the Secretary-General that "Estonia does not regard itself as party by virtue of the doctrine of treaty succession to any bilateral or multilateral treaties entered into by the U.S.S.R. The Republic of Estonia has begun careful review of multilateral treaties in order to determine those to which it wishes to become a party. In this regard it will act on a case-by-case basis in exercise of its own sovereign right in the name of the Republic of Estonia."

14 In a communication dated 3 October 1990, the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany notified the Secretary-General of the following:

". . . Through the accession of the German Democratic Republic to the Federal Republic of Germany with effect from 3 October 1990, the two German States have united to form one sovereign State, which as a single Member of the United Nations remains bound by the provisions of the Charter in accordance with the solemn declaration of 12 June 1973. As from the date of unification, the Federal Republic of Germany will act in the United Nations under the designation `Germany'."

Consequently, and in the light of articles 11 and 12 of the Treaty of 31 August 1990 (Unification Treaty) between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic, entries in status lists pertaining to formalities (i.e. signatures, ratifications, accessions, declarations and reservations, etc.) effected by the Federal Republic of Germany will now appear under "Germany" and indicate the dates of such formalities.

As regards treaties in respect of which formalities had been effected by both the Federal Republic of Germany and the former German Democratic Republic prior to unification, the entry will similarly indicate in the corresponding table the type of formality effected by the Federal Republic of Germany and the date on which it took place, while the type of formality effected by the former German Democratic Republic and the date thereof will appear in a footnote.

15 In a letter addressed to the Secretary-General on 20 January 1965, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia informed the Secretary-General that "Indonesia has decided at this stage and under the present circumstances to withdraw from the United Nations". In his reply of 26 February 1965, after noting the contents of the letter from the Indonesia, the Secretary-General expressed "the earnest hope that in due time [Indonesia] will resume full co-operation with the United Nations". For the text of the letter from Indonesia and the Secretary-General's reply, see document A/5857 and Corr.1 and A/5899.

In a telegram of 19 September 1966, the Government of Indonesia informed the Secretary-General that it "has decided to resume full co-operation with the United Nations and to resume participation in its activities starting with the twenty-first session of the General Assembly". For the text of that telegram, see document A/6419.

16 Formerly: "Laos" until 22 December 1975.

17 In a letter addressed to the Secretary-General on 26 February 1993, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia informed the Secretary-General that "Latvia does not regard itself as party by virtue of the doctrine of treaty succession to any bilateral or multilateral treaties entered into by the former USSR."

18 By two communications dated l and 18 April 1977, respectively, the Permanent Mission of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya informed the Secretary-General that the official designation"Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya" (short title: "Libyan Arab Jamahiriya") should be substituted for "Libyan Arab Republic". (Before 6 January 1971: "Libya".)

19 On 23 June 1995, the Secretary-General received letter, dated 22 June 1995 and signed by the Permanent Representative of the Government of Lithuania to the United Nations, transmitting a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declaring the following :

".... The Republic of Lithuania was occupied by the USSR on the 15th of June 1940. Many Western countries did not recognize the incorporation of the Republic of Lithuania into the USSR.

Having restored its independence on the 11th of March 1990, the Republic of Lithuania neither is nor can be the successor state of the former USSR. The Republic of Lithuania can not take the responsibility for the treaties concluded by the former USSR, for it neither participated in making those treaties nor influenced them. Therefore the Republic of Lithuania can not take the responsibility for the past treaties concluded by the USSR...."

20 The decision to admit Malawi, Malta and Zambia to membership in the United Nations was taken by the General Assembly during its nineteenth session at the 1286th meeting held on l December 1964.

21 On 16 September 1963, the Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General the following communication:

"By the Constitutional process of Amendment provided for in Article 159 of the Constitution of the Federation of Malaya carried out recently in both Houses of Parliament with the requisite two-thirds majorities, the name of the State as set out in Article 1 thereof has been changed from `Federation of Malaya' to `Malaysia'.

"This Mission has therefore from this date assumed the name of `Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations'.

"I shall be grateful for your having this change noted and also for your bringing it to the notice of all Missions accredited to the United Nations."

Subsequently, the Government of Malaysia confirmed to the Secretary-General that all multilateral treaties, in respect of which he acts as depositary and to which the Federation of Malaysia has become a party either by succession or by ratification or accession, continue to be binding on Malaysia, and that henceforth Malaysia should be listed in the relevant United Nations publications as a party to those treaties.

22 In a letter of 14 April 1969, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations informed the Secretary-General that "after the change from a Sultanate to a Republican Administration, the Maldivian Government has decided that the country be known as `Maldives' instead of `Maldive Islands' and that the full title of the State be called `Republic of Maldives'".

23 On 11 August 1992, the Secretary-General transmitted the following declaration dated 22 May 1992 emanating from the Secretary of External Affairs of the Federated States of Micronesia to the Secretary-General containing a declaration setting out the position of the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) with regard to international agreements entered into by the the United States of America and made applicable to the FSM pursuant to the United Nations Trusteeship Agreement for the former Japanese Mandated islands:

"On November 3, 1986, the application of treaties and international agreements to the Federated States of Micronesia by virtue of the application of treaties by the United States of America to the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, ceased. With regard to all bilateral treaties validly concluded by the United States on behalf of the Federated States of Micronesia, or validly applied or extended by the former to the latter before November 3, 1986, the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia declares that it will examine each such treaty and communicate its view to the other State Party concerned. In the meantime, the Federated States of Micronesia will continue to observe the terms of each treaty which validly so applies and is not inconsistent with the letter or the spirit of the Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia, provisionally and on a basis of reciprocity. The period of examination will extend until November 3, 1995, except in the case of any treaty in respect of which an earlier statement of views is or has been made. At the expiration of that period, the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia will consider such of these treaties that could not by the application of the rules of customary international law be regarded as otherwise surviving, as having terminated.

It is the earnest hope of the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia that during the afore-mentioned period of examination, the normal processes of diplomatic negotiations will enable it to reach satisfactory accord with the States Parties concerned upon the possibility of the continuance or modification of such treaties.

With regard to multilateral treaties previously applied, the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia intends to review each of them individually and to communicate to the depositary in each case what steps it wishes to take, whether by way of confirmation or termination, confirmation of succession or accession. During such period of review, any party to a multilateral treaty that has, prior to November 3, 1986, been validly applied or extended to the Federated States of Micronesia and is not inconsistent with the letter or spirit of the Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia may, on a basis of reciprocity, rely as against the Federated States of Micronesia on the terms of such treaty."

Further, on 15 November 1995, the Secretary-General circulated a communication dated 2 November 1995 from the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia indicating that it had decided to extend the period of examination of the bilateral treaties indicated in its letter of 22 May 1992 for two additional years or until 3 November 1997.

24 Formerly: "Burma" until 17 June 1989.

25 Formerly: "Namibia (United Nations Council for Namibia)" until independence (21 March 1990).

"... With regard to multilateral treaties previously applied, the Government of the Republic of Palau intends to review each of them individually and to communicate to the depositary in each case what steps it wishes to take, whether by way of confirmation of termination, confirmation of succession or accession. During such period of review, any party to a multilateral treaty that has, prior to termination of the Trusteeship Agreement with respect to the Republic of Palau may, on a basis of reciprocity, rely as against the Republic of Palau on the terms of such treaty."

27 Formerly: "Saint Christopher and Nevis" until 28 December 1986.

28 Formerly: "Ceylon" until 29 August 1972.

29 Formerly: "Surinam" until 23 January 1978.

30 See note Greece in chapter I.1.

In a note addressed to the Secretary General on 6 May 1964, the Ministry of External Affairs of the United Republic of Tanzania informed him that, following the signature and ratification of the Articles of Union between the Republic of Tanganyika and the People's Republic of Zanzibar, the two countries had been united on 26 April 1964, as one sovereign State under the name of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. The Ministry further asked the Secretary-General "to note that the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar declares that it is now a single Member of the United Nations bound by the provisions of the Charter, and that all international treaties and agreements in force between the Republic of Tanganyika or the People's Republic of Zanzibar and other States or international organizations will, to the extent that their implementation is consistent with the constitutional position established by the Articles of the Union, remain in force within the regional limits prescribed on their conclusion and in accordance with the principles of international law".

In communicating the above-mentioned note, in accordance with the request contained therein, to all States Members of the United Nations, to the principal organs of the United Nations and to the subsidiary organs of the United Nations to which Tanganyika and Zanzibar had been appointed, and to the specialized agencies of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Secretary-General stated that he "is taking action, within the limits of his administrative responsibilities, to give effect to the declaration in the attached note that the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar is now a single Member of the United Nations bound by the provisions of the Charter. This action is undertaken without prejudice to and pending such action as other organs of the United Nations may take on the basis of the notification of the establishment of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar." No objection was raised in this regard in any of the organs concerned.

In a communication addressed to the Secretary-General on 2 November 1964, the Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar informed him that "the United Republic of Tanganika and Zanzibar shall, with immediate effect, be known as the United Republic of Tanzania".

Subsequently, the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania confirmed to the Secretary-General that the United Republic of Tanzania continues to be bound by multilateral treaties in respect of which the Secretary-General acts as depositary and which had been signed, ratified or acceded to on behalf of Tanganyika.

32 The Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam and the Republic of South Viet-Nam (the latter of which replaced the Republic of Viet Nam) united on 2 July 1976 to constitute a new State, the Socialist Republic of Viet-Nam (Viet-Nam).

33 In a letter dated 19 May 1990, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Yemen Arab Republic and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen informed the Secretary-General of the following:

". . . The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen and the Yemen Arab Republic will merge in a single sovereign State called the Republic of Yemen' (short form: Yemen) with Sana'a as its capital, as soon as it is proclaimed on Tuesday, 22 May 1990. The Republic of Yemen will have single membership in the United Nations and be bound by the provisions of the Charter. All treaties and agreements concluded between either the Yemen Arab Republic or the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen and other States and international organizations in accordance with international law which are in force on 22 May 1990 will remain in effect, and international relations existing on 22 May 1990 between the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen and the Yemen Arab Republic and other States will continue."

As concerns the treaties concluded prior to their union by the Yemen Arab Republic or the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, the Republic of Yemen (as now united) is accordingly to be considered as a party to those treaties as from the date when one of these States first became a party to those treaties. Accordingly the tables showing the status of treaties will now indicate under the designation "Yemen" the date of the formalities (signatures, ratifications, accessions, declarations and reservations, etc.) effected by the State which first became a party, those eventually effected by the other being described in a footnote.