Section 87p. 87

PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW COMPENDIUM VOLUME II

ARTICLE 24

Special Agreements

1. The High Contracting Parties may conclude special

agreements for all matters concerning which they deem

it suitable to make separate provision.

2. No special agreement may be concluded which would

diminish

the

protection

afforded

by

the

present

Convention to cultural property and to the personnel

engaged in its protection.

ARTICLE 25

Dissemination of the Convention

The High Contracting Parties undertake, in time of peace

as in time of armed conflict, to disseminate the text of the

present Convention and the Regulations for its execution

as widely as possible in their respective countries. They

undertake, in particular, to include the study thereof in

their programmes of military and, if possible, civilian

training, so that its principles are made known to the

whole

population,

especially

the

armed

forces

and

personnel engaged in the protection of cultural property.

ARTICLE 26

Translations, Reports

1. The High Contracting Parties shall communicate to one

another, through the Director-General of the United

Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,

the official translations of the present Convention and of

the Regulations for its execution.

2. Furthermore, at least once every four years, they shall

forward to the Director-General a report giving whatever

information they think suitable concerning any measures

being

taken,

prepared

or

contemplated

by

their

respective administrations in fulfilment of the present

Convention and of the Regulations for its execution.

ARTICLE 27

Meetings

1. The Director-General of the United Nations Educational,

Scientific

and

Cultural

Organization

may,

with

the

approval of the Executive Board, convene meetings of

representatives of the High Contracting Parties. He must

convene such a meeting if at least one-fifth of the High

Contracting Parties so request.

2. Without prejudice to any other functions which have

been conferred on it by the present Convention or the

Regulations for its execution, the purpose of the meeting

will be to study problems concerning the application of

the Convention and of the Regulations for its execution,

and to formulate recommendations in respect thereof.

3. The meeting may further undertake a revision of the

Convention or the Regulations for its execution if the

majority of the High Contracting Parties are represented,

and in accordance with the provisions of Article 39.

ARTICLE 28

Sanctions

The High Contracting Parties undertake to take, within

the framework of their ordinary criminal jurisdiction, all

necessary

steps

to

prosecute

and

impose

penal or

disciplinary sanctions upon those persons, of whatever

nationality, who commit or order to be committed a

breach of the present Convention.

Final Provisions

ARTICLE 29

Languages

1. The present Convention is drawn up in English, French,

Russian

and

Spanish,

the

four

texts

being

equally

authoritative.

2. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization

shall

arrange

for

translations

of

the

Convention into the other official languages of its General

Conference.

ARTICLE 30

Signature

The present Convention shall bear the date of 14 May,

1954 and, until the date of 31 December, 1954, shall remain

open for signature by all States invited to the Conference

which met at The Hague from 21 April, 1954 to 14 May,

1954.

ARTICLE 31

Ratification

1. The present Convention shall be subject to ratification

by signatory States in accordance with their respective

constitutional procedures.

2. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with

the Director-General of the United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization.

ARTICLE 32

Accession

From

the

date

of

its

entry

into force, the present

Convention shall be open for accession by all States

mentioned in Article 30 which have not signed it, as well

as any other State invited to accede by the Executive

Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization. Accession shall be effected by the

deposit

of

an

instrument

of

accession

with

the

Director-General

of

the

United

Nations

Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization.

ARTICLE 33

Entry Into Force

1. The present Convention shall enter into force three

months after five instruments of ratification have been

deposited.

2. Thereafter, it shall enter into force, for each High

Contracting Party, three months after the deposit of its

instrument of ratification or accession.

3. The situations referred to in Articles 18 and 19 shall give

immediate effect to ratifications or accessions deposited

by the Parties to the conflict either before or after the

beginning of hostilities or occupation. In such cases the

Director-General

of

the

United

Nations

Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization shall transmit the

communications referred to in Article 38 by the speediest

method.

ARTICLE 34

Effective Application

1. Each State Party to the Convention on the date of its

entry into force shall take all necessary measures to

ensure its effective application within a period of six

months after such entry into force.

2. This period shall be six months from the date of deposit

of the instruments of ratification or accession for any

State which deposits its instrument of ratification or

accession after the date of the entry into force of the

Convention.

ARTICLE 35

Territorial Extension of the Convention

Any

High

Contracting

Party

may,

at

the

time

of

ratification or accession, or at any time thereafter, declare

by notification addressed to the Director-General of the

United

Nations

Educational,

Scientific

and

Cultural

Organization, that the present Convention shall extend to

all

or

any

of

the

territories for whose international

relations it is responsible. The said notification shall take

effect three months after the date of its receipt.

ARTICLE 36

Relation to Previous Conventions

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