Laos

Reservation:

“In accordance with paragraph 3, Article 66 of the Convention against Corruption, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic declares that it does not consider itself bound by paragraph 2, Article 66 of the present Convention. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic declares further that to refer a dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the present Convention to International Arbitration or to refer it to the International Court of Justice for decision requires the consent of all parties thereto.”

Reservation:

"In accordance with paragraph 3, Article 16 of the Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, the Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by paragraph 2, Article 16 of the present Protocol. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that to refer a dispute relating to interpretation and application of the present Protocol to arbitration or the International Court of Justice, the agreement of all parties concerned in the dispute is necessary."

Reservation:

"In accordance with paragraph 3, Article 20 of the Protocol Against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, the Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by paragraph 2, Article 20 of the present Protocol. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that to refer a dispute relating to interpretation and application of the present Protocol to arbitration or the International Court of Justice, the agreement of all parties concerned in the dispute is necessary."

Reservation:

"In accordance with paragraph 3, Article 15 of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, the Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by paragraph 2, Article 15 of the present Protocol. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that to refer a dispute relating to interpretation and application of the present Protocol to arbitration or [the] International Court of Justice, the agreement of all parties concerned in the dispute is necessary."

Reservation:

"In accordance with paragraph 3, Article 35 of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, the Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by paragraph 2, Article 35 of the present Convention. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that to refer a dispute relating to interpretation and application of the present Convention to arbitration or the International Court of Justice, the agreement of all parties concerned in the dispute is necessary."

Reservation:

"The Lao People's Democratic Republic [...] does not consider itself bound by Article 5 (2) of the said Optional Protocol."

Declaration:

"In accordance with the Law of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the minimum age at which it will permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is 18 (eighteen). The law on obligations of national defense service stipulates in Article 13 that ‘all young men of Lao nationality between 18 (eighteen) and 28 (twenty-eight) years of age, having good health conditions, shall be obliged to serve for a short-term in national defense forces. In case of necessity, young women between 18 (eighteen) and 23 (twenty-three) years of age may also be called upon to serve for a short-term in national defense; and in Article 7 that following health check-up, there shall be a selection process at a district level to select voluntary recruits, with good health, into short-term defense services, according to the recruitment number officially set forth on a yearly basis.' "

Reservation:

"In accordance with paragraph 2, Article 20 of the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, the Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by paragraph 1, article 20 of the present Convention. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that to refer a dispute relating to interpretation and application of the present Convention to arbitration or International Court of Justice, the agreement of all parties concerned in the dispute is necessary."

Reservation:

"In accordance with paragraph 2, Article 22 of the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, the Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by paragraph 1, article 22 of the present Convention. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that to refer dispute relating to interpretation and application of the present Convention to arbitration or International Court of Justice, the agreement of all parties concerned in the dispute is necessary."

Reservation:

"In accordance with paragraph 4, Article 32 of the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, the Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by paragraph 2, Article 32 of the present Convention. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that to refer a dispute relating to interpretation and application of the present Convention to arbitration or the International Court of Justice, the agreement of all parties concerned in the dispute is necessary."

Reservations:

“The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, pursuant to Article 28 of the Convention, does not recognize the competence of the Committee against Torture under Article 20.
The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by the provisions of Article 30, paragraph 1, to refer any dispute concerning the interpretation and application of the Convention to the International Court of Justice.”
Declarations:

“It is the understanding of the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic that the term ‘torture’ in Article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention means torture as defined in both national law and international law.
The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic declares that, pursuant to Article 8, paragraph 2 of the Convention it makes extradition conditional on the existence of a treaty. Therefore, it does not consider the Convention as the legal basis for extradition in respect of the offences set forth therein. It further declares that bilateral agreements will be the basis for extradition as between the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and other States Parties in respect of any offences.”

24 September 2019

Reservation:

“In accordance with article 95 of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic declares that it will not be bound by subparagraph (1) (b) of article 1 of the Convention and will apply the Convention to Contracts of Sale of Goods only between those parties whose place of business are in different States when the States are Contracting States.”

Reservation:

"In accordance with paragraph 2, Article 16 of the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages, the Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by paragraph 1, article 16 of the present Convention. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that to refer a dispute relating to interpretation and application of the present Convention to arbitration or International Court of Justice, the agreement of all parties concerned in the dispute is necessary."

Declarations included in the notification under article 25:

. . . The Lao People's Democratic Republic believes that UNIDO activities aimed at promoting industrial development in the developing countries and at those countries' attainment of economic independence must be based on the progressive provisions and principles of the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, the Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order and the Lima and New Delhi Declarations on international industrial development co-operation.
The Lao People's Democratic Republic believes that without the fundamental restructuring of the existing unjust international economic relations, without effecting progressive social and economic reforms, without the strengthening of the States sector of the Economy and without the co-ordination of national plans and programmes for social and economic development, those objectives can never be achieved.
Not only must UNIDO combat economic aggression, diktat , blackmail and interference in the internal affairs of States by the forces of imperialism, but it must also oppose the policies of those States which are striving to maintain and increase the neo-colonialist exploitation of the developing countries.
It is therefore important that UNIDO contribute actively to the establishment of effective control of the activities of transnational corporations with a view to restricting their negative influence on the economies of developing countries and on international economic relations and development as a whole.
In the Constitution of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the States Parties express their determination to contribute to international peace and security and to the prosperity of all peoples; that determination should be reflected in the Organization's decisions and in its practical activities.

Reservation:

"In accordance with paragraph 2, Article 13 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents, the Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by paragraph 1, article 13 of the present Convention. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that to refer to a dispute relating to interpretation and application of the present Convention to arbitration or International Court of Justice, the agreement of all parties concerned in the dispute is necessary."

The Lao People's Democratic Republic accedes to the above-mentioned Convention and undertakes to implement faithfully all its clauses, except for the provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 26 November 1968, which contravene the principle of the sovereign equality of States. The Convention should be open to universal participation in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

Reservation:

“The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic accepts Article 22 of the Covenant on the basis that Article 22 shall be interpreted in accordance with the right to selfdetermination in Article 1, and shall be so applied as to be in conformity with the Constitution and the relevant laws of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.”
Declarations:

“The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic declares that Article 1 of the Covenant concerning the right to self-determination shall be interpreted as being compatible with the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation Among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, adopted by the General Assembly on 24th October 1970, and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25th June 1993.
The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic declares that Article 18 of the Covenant shall not be construed as authorizing or encouraging any activities, including economic means, by anyone which directly or indirectly, coerce or compel an individual to believe or not to believe in a religion or to convert his or her religion or belief. The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic considers that all acts creating division and discrimination among ethnic groups and among religions are incompatible with Article 18 of the Covenant.”

The Lao People's Democratic Republic does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 22 which state that disputes between the Parties to the Convention relating to its interpretation or application shall, at the request of any one of the Parties to the dispute, be referred to the International Court of Justice. The Lao People's Democratic Republic declares that, with respect to the competence of the International Court concerning disputes relating to the interpretation and application of the Convention, for any dispute to be referred to the International Court of Justice the agreement of all the parties to the dispute is necessary.