Cyprus

Declarations made upon ratification:

"1. Pursuant to Articles 70 and 10(1) of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, the Republic of Cyprus declares the exception of the retroactive effects as set out in the second sentence of Article 10(1), therefore the provisions of this Agreement shall apply for the Republic of Cyprus only to activities with respect to marine genetic resources and digital sequence information on marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction collected and generated after the entry into force of this Agreement for the Republic of Cyprus."
"2. With regard to the division of the competence of regional economic integration organizations and their member States in respect of the matters governed by this Agreement, the Republic of Cyprus refers to the declaration of competence to be made by the European Union in accordance with Article 67, paragraph 2, of the Agreement."

Declaration made upon ratification:

“Pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 2, of the ‘Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, New York, 25 May 2000’, the Republic of Cyprus declares:
1. The National Guard Law No. 20 of 1964, as variously amended, most recently in 2006, hereinafter ‘The National Guard Law’, provides that the obligation to military service, in times of peace, begins the 1st January of the year the citizen becomes 18 years old. Although military service is compulsory for all Cypriot citizens, women and some categories of [males] (e.g. clergymen) are exempted from military service in times of peace.
2. The National Guard Law also provides for the voluntary enlistment of citizens under 18 who have attained the age of 17 by the date of their recruitment in the armed forces. The acceptance of volunteers to Military Service, requires special authorization from the Ministry of Defense. Volunteers must have recent written consent from parents or legal guardians.
3. The recruitment, on a voluntary basis, by the armed forces at the minimum age of 17 years shall continue to be permitted under the conditions and with the safeguards provided in Article 3, paragraph 3, of the Optional Protocol.
4. Proof of age prior to recruitment is presented through the application of section 4A of the National Guard Law providing for mandatory registration for all citizens with the appropriate authorities in the District of their normal residence once they reach the age of 16. Section 4A of the Law specifies that the data must be submitted in a written form and include, among others, details on the place and date of birth. It is a punishable offence to submit erroneous data at the time of registration.
5. The Republic of Cyprus understands that Article 1 of the Optional Protocol would not prevent members of its armed forces to be deployed where:
a. There is a genuine military need to deploy their unit to an area in which hostilities are taking place; and
b. By reason of the nature and urgency of the situation:
(i) it is not practicable to withdraw such persons before deployment; or
(ii) to do so would undermine the operational effectiveness of their unit, and thereby put at risk the successful conduct of the military mission and/or the safety of other personnel.
The above understanding is all the more necessary under the circumstances prevailing nowadays in the Republic of Cyprus as a result of the continued illegal military occupation of 37% of its national territory by a foreign State, Party to the Optional Protocol.”

Upon signature:

"[Signature is effected] subject to ratification, at the time of which reservations in respect of specific provisions of the Convention may be made and deposited in the prescribed manner. [It is understood] that such reservations, if any, cannot be incompatible with the object and purpose of this Convention."
Upon ratification:

Declaration:

"As a result of the occupation of 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, which since 1974 is occupied by Turkish troops in violation of the United Nations Charter and of basic principles of international law, the Government of the Republic of Cyprus is prevented from exercising its legitimate control and jurisdiction throughout the territory of the Republic of Cyprus and consequently over those activities in the illegally occupied area which are related to illicit drug trafficking."

Declaration:

"The provisions of article 7 of paragraph (3b) and article 8 of the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices (Protocol II) will be in- terpreted in such a way that neither the status of peace-keeping forces or missions of the United Nations in Cyprus will be af- fected nor will additional rights be, ipso jure , granted to them."

5 June 2006

Declaration:

"The Republic of Cyprus declares in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 16 (a) of the said Protocol that it shall not to be bound by Part II, Part IV, Annex C.1, Annex F, Annex G and Annex H of the said Protocol."

Declarations and reservations:

“… the Government of the Republic of Cyprus makes the following declarations and reservations in relation to article 9 and the technical provisions of the Protocol on Road Markings, additional to the European Agreement supplementing the 1968 Convention on Road Signs and Signals done on 1st March 1973:
1. The Republic of Cyprus does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 9 of the Protocol on Road Markings of 1973, additional to the European Agreement of 1971 supplementing the Convention on Road Signs and Signals of 1968.
2. The Republic of Cyprus declares that the diagrams can be inverted as appropriate.
3. Annex (of the Protocol on Road Markings), paragraph 5. Ad. Article 28 of the Convention.
The Republic of Cyprus reserves the right to interpret the use of continuous or broken line on the kerb or on the edge of the carriageway for parking purposes.
4. Annex (of the Protocol on Road Markings), paragraph 5. Ad. Article 29 of the Convention.
The Republic of Cyprus does not consider itself bound by the provision that the road markings shall be white.
The Republic of Cyprus does not consider itself bound by the provision that the zigzag lines showing places where parking is prohibited shall be yellow.
5. Annex (of the Protocol on Road Markings), paragraph 7. Ad. Annex 8 to the Convention (Road Markings) – Chapter II (Longitudinal markings) Paragraph 6.
The Republic of Cyprus does not consider itself bound by the provision that the distinction between (i) “Outside built-up areas” and (ii) “In built-up areas” shall not apply.”

Réserve :

“The Republic of Cyprus does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 9 […].”

Declarations and reservations:

“… the Government of the Republic of Cyprus makes the following declarations and reservations in relation to article 46 and the technical provisions of the Convention on Roads [Signs] and Signals done on 8th November 1968:
1. The Republic of Cyprus does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 44 of the 1968 Convention on Road Signs and Signals.
2. The Republic of Cyprus declares that mopeds are treated as motor cycles for the purposes of the application of the Convention on Road Signs and Signals [art. 46, para. 2 (b)].
3. Annex 1, Road Signs, II. Descriptions: 1. Prohibition and restriction of entry, (d).
The Republic of Cyprus does not consider itself bound by the provision for the maximum number of silhouettes in each road sign.
4. Annex 1, Road Signs, Section E.
The Republic of Cyprus reserves the right to have road sig[n]s with green ground when used on motorways, including road sig[n]s E1a, E1b, E1c, E4, E11a, E11b, E18a, E18b.
5. Annex 2, Road Markings, Chapter II Longitudinal Markings, B. Traffic Lane Markings.
The Republic of Cyprus does not consider itself bound by the provisions of paragraph 8 applied in residential areas, as it is described in paragraph 11.”

"The Republic of Cyprus will apply the Convention, on the basis of reciprocity, to the recognition and enforcement of awards made only in the territory of another Contracting State; furthermore it will apply the Convention only to differences arising out of legal relationships, whether contractual or not, which are considered as commercial under its national law."

With confirmation of the reservations made by the Government of the United Kingdom upon application of the Convention to the territory of Cyprus.