Belize

Reservation:

“Pursuant to paragraph 3 of article 66 of the Convention, the Government of Belize declares it does not consider itself bound by the provisions of paragraph 2 of article 66 of the Convention. The Government of Belize asserts that the consent of all parties to such a dispute as is referred to in paragraph 2 is necessary, in each individual case, before the dispute is submitted to arbitration or to the International Court of Justice.”

Reservation:

"The Government of Belize does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 35, paragraph 2, of this Convention, which provide that any dispute between two or more States concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention that has not been settled by negotiation shall be submitted to arbitration or to the International Court of Justice at the request of any of the parties thereto."

Declaration:

"The Government of Belize declares that in accordance with Article 3 of the Protocol, the minimum age at which voluntary recruitment to any military service in Belize shall be permitted is sixteen years. In recruiting among persons who have attained sixteen years but less than eighteen years, the following principles are to be observed:
1. Such recruitment is to be genuinely voluntary and reliable proof of age must be given;
2. Such persons are to receive the informed consent of his/her parent or guardian;
3. Such persons are, before being recruited, well-informed of the duties involved in the military service;
4. Such persons may be able to withdraw from the military service within the first month of having enlisted."

Reservation:

"Article 8 of the Convention requires the Parties to give consideration to the possibility of transferring to one another proceedings for criminal prosecution of certain offences where such transfer is considered to be in the interests of a proper administration of justice.
“The courts of Belize have no extra-territorial jurisdiction, with the result that they will have no jurisdiction to prosecute offences committed abroad unless such offences are committed partly within and partly without the jurisdiction, by a person who is within the jurisdiction. Moreover, under the Constitution of Belize, the control of public prosecutions is vested in the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is an independent functionary and not under Government control.
“Accordingly, Belize will be able to implement article 8 of the Convention only to a limited extent insofar as its Constitution and the law allows."

Reservations:

"(a) The Government of Belize reserves the right not to apply paragraph 2 of article 12 in view of the statutory provisions requiring persons intending to travel abroad to furnish tax clearance certificates;
(b) The Government of Belize reserves the right not to apply in full the guarantee of free legal assistance in accordance with paragraph 3 (d) of article 14, since, while it accepts the principle contained in that paragraph and at present applies it in certain defined cases, the problems of implementation are such that full application cannot be guaranteed at present;
(c) The Government of Belize recognizes and accepts the principle of compensation for wrongful imprisonment contained in paragraph 6 of article 14, but the problems of implementation are such that the right not to apply that principle is presently reserved."

Declaration:

“The Government of Belize will interpret the exemption accorded to members of a consular post by paragraph 3 of Article 44 from liability to give evidence concerning matters connected with the exercise of their functions as relating only to acts in respect of which consular officers and consular employees enjoy immunity from the jurisdiction of the judicial or administrative authorities of the receiving State in accordance with the provisions of Article 43 of the Convention. The Government of Belize further declares that it will interpret Chapter II of the Convention as applying to all career consular employees, including those employed at a consular post headed by an honorary consular officer.”

Reservation:

“The Convention only applies in regard to Belize with respect to Arbitral Awards rendered after the date of its accession to the Convention.”

Declaration:

"WHEREAS, Article 10 of the Optional Protocol declares that at the time of acceding to the Optional Protocol, a State Party may declare that it does not recognize the competence of the Committee provided for in Articles 8 and 9 of the Optional Protocol
NOW THEREFORE, BELIZE, after having carefully considered Articles 8 and 9 of the Optional Protocol, hereby declares that it does not recognize the competence of the Committee provided for in Articles 8 and 9."