ICRC databases on international humanitarian law
  • Print page

    Declaration made upon signature in London, Moscow and Washington:

    1. In Switzerland, the Convention will not be submitted for parliamentary approval prior to ratification until it has attained that degree of universality deemed necessary by the Swiss Government.

    2. Owing to the fact that the Convention applies also to arms, equipment or means of delivery designed for the use of biological agents or toxins, the delimitation of its sphere of application may give rise to difficulties, since there are scarcely any arms, equipment or means of delivery designed for such use. Switzerland now reserves the right to decide for itself which auxiliary means come under this definition.

    3. Owing to the obligations resulting from its status as a perpetually neutral State, Switzerland is bound to make the general reservation that its co-operation within the framework of this Convention cannot go beyond what this status prescribes. This reservation relates especially to Article VII of the Convention as well as any analogous clause which may replace or complete this provision in the Convention (or in any other arrangement).

    SOURCE: UNTS, vol 1015, p.237

    *****

    On ratification of the Convention, the last two paragraph will be repeated as formal reservations:

    1. Owing to the fact that the Convention also applies to weapons, equipment or means of delivery designed to use such biological agents or toxins, the delimitation of its scope of application can cause difficulties since there are scarcely any weapons, equipment or means of delivery peculiar to such use; therefore, Switzerland reserves the right to decide for itself what auxiliary means fall within that definition.

    2. By reason of the obligations resulting from its status as a perpetually neutral State, Switzerland is bound to make the general reservation that its collaboration within the framework of this Convention cannot go beyond the terms prescribed by that status. This reservation refers especially to Article VII of the Convention as well as to any similar clause that could replace or supplement that provision of the Convention (or any other arrangement).

    SOURCE: Status of Multilateral Arms Regulation and Disarmament Agreements, New York 1987, pp. 131-132.
10.04.1972

04.05.1976

04.05.1976