1. A
State Party to the present
Convention may at any
time declare under this
article that it recognizes the
competence of the
Committee to
receive and consider communications to the
effect that a
State Party claims that another
State Party is not fulfilling its
obligations under the present
Convention. Communications under this
article may be
received and considered only if submitted by a
State Party that has made a
declaration recognizing in
regard to itself the
competence of the
Committee. No
communication shall be
received by the
Committee if it
concerns a
State Party which has not made such a
declaration. Communications
received under this
article shall be dealt with in
accordance with the following
procedure:
- (a) If a State Party to the present Convention considers that another State Party is not fulfilling its obligations under the present Convention, it may, by written communication, bring the matter to the attention of that State Party. The State Party may also inform the Committee of the matter. Within three months after the receipt of the communication the receiving State shall afford the State that sent the communication an explanation, or any other statement in writing clarifying the matter which should include, to the extent possible and pertinent, reference to domestic procedures and remedies taken, pending or available in the matter;
- (b) If the matter is not adjusted to the satisfaction of both States Parties concerned within six months after the receipt by the receiving State of the initial communication, either State shall have the right to refer the matter to the Committee, by notice given to the Committee and to the other State;
- (c) The Committee shall deal with a matter referred to it only after it has ascertained that all available domestic remedies have been invoked and exhausted in the matter, in conformity with the generally recognized principles of international law. This shall not be the rule where, in the view of the Committee, the application of the remedies is unreasonably prolonged;
- (d) Subject to the provisions of subparagraph
- (c) of the present paragraph, the Committee shall make available its good offices to the States Parties concerned with a view to a friendly solution of the matter on the basis of the respect for the obligations set forth in the present Convention;
- (e) The Committee shall hold closed meetings when examining communications under the present article;
- (f) In any matter referred to it in accordance with subparagraph
- (b) of the present paragraph, the Committee may call upon the States Parties concerned, referred to in subparagraph
- (b), to supply any relevant information;
- (g) The States Parties concerned, referred to in subparagraph (b) of the present paragraph, shall have the right to be represented when the matter is being considered by the Committee and to make submissions orally and/or in writing;
-
2. The
provisions of the present
article shall come into
force when ten
States Parties to the present
Convention have made a
declaration under paragraph I of the present
article. Such
declarations shall be
deposited by the
States Parties with the
Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall transmit
copies thereof to the other
States Parties. A
declaration may be withdrawn at any
time by
notification to the
Secretary-General. Such a
withdrawal shall not
prejudice the
consideration of any matter that is the
subject of a
communication already transmitted under the present
article; no further
communication by any
State Party shall be
received under the present
article after the
notification of
withdrawal of the
declaration has been
received by the
Secretary-General, unless the
State Party concerned has made a new
declaration.