Convention on Transit Trade of Land-Locked States (New York, 8 July 1965)

Convention on Transit Trade of Land-Locked States
(New York, 8 July 1965)

Entry into force generally: 9 June 1967

PREAMBLE

THE STATES PARTIES TO THE PRESENT CONVENTION,

RECALLING that Article 55 of its Charter requires the United Nations to promote conditions of economic progress and solutions of international economic problems,

NOTING General Assembly resolution 1028(XI) on the land-locked countries and the expansion of international trade which, "recognizing the need of land-locked countries for adequate transit facilities in promoting international trade", invited "the Governments of Member States to give full recognition to the needs of land-locked Member States in the matter of transit trade and, therefore, to accord them adequate facilities in terms of international law and practice in this regard, bearing in mind the future requirements resulting from the economic development of the land-locked countries",

RECALLING article 2 of the Convention on the High Seas[1] which states that the high seas being open to all nations, no State may validly purport to subject any part of them to its sovereignty and article 3 of the said Convention which states:

"1. In order to enjoy the freedom of the seas on equal terms with coastal States, States having no sea-coast should have free access to the sea. To this end States situated between the sea and a State having no sea-coast shall by common agreement with the latter and in conformity with existing international conventions accord:

(a) To the State having no sea-coast, on a basis of reciprocity, free transit through their territory; and

(b) To ships flying the flag of that State treatment equal to that accorded to their own ships, or to the ships of any other States, as regards access to seaports and the use of such ports.

2. States situated between the sea and a State having no sea-coast shall settle, by mutual agreement with the latter, and taking into account the rights of the coastal State or State of transit and the special conditions of the State having no sea-coast, all matters relating to freedom of transit and equal treatment in ports, in case such States are not already parties to existing international conventions."

REAFFIRMING the following principles adopted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development with the understanding that these principles are interrelated and each principle should be construed in the context of the other principles:

Principle I

The recognition of the right of each land-locked State of free access to the sea is an essential principle for the expansion of international trade and economic development.

Principle II

In territorial and on internal waters, vessels flying the flag of land-locked countries should have identical rights and enjoy treatment identical to that enjoyed by vessels flying the flag of coastal States other than the territorial State.

Principle III