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RS 0.790.1 Agreement of 22 April 1968 on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space

Original Language Title: RS 0.790.1 Accord du 22 avril 1968 sur le sauvetage des astronautes, le retour des astronautes et la restitution des objets lancés dans l’espace extra-atmosphérique

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0.790.1

Original text

Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space

Conclu in Washington, Moscow and London April 22, 1968
Signed by Switzerland on 22 April 1968
Approved by the Federal Assembly on October 2, 1969 1
Instrument of ratification deposited by Switzerland on 18 December 1969
Entry into force for Switzerland on 18 December 1969

(State on 4 February 2010)

The Contracting Parties,

Noting the importance of the Treaty 2 On the principles governing the activities of States in the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, which provides that all possible assistance will be loaned to the astronauts in case Accident, distress or forced landing, that the return of the astronauts will be carried out promptly and safely, and that the objects launched into outer space will be returned,

Desiring to further develop and materialize these obligations,

Wishing to promote international cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space,

Animated by feelings of humanity,

Have agreed as follows;

Art. 1

Each Contracting Party that learns or finds that the crew of a spacecraft has been the victim of an accident, or is in distress, or has made a forced or involuntary landing in a territory within its jurisdiction or a landing Forced on the high seas, or landed in any other place which does not fall within the jurisdiction of a State,

A.
Will immediately inform the launching authority or, if it cannot identify it and communicate immediately with it, immediately disseminate this information by all the appropriate means of communication available to it;
B.
It shall immediately inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations that it will be the responsibility of the Secretary-General to disseminate such information without delay by all appropriate means of communication.
Art. 2

In the event that, as a result of an accident, distress or forced or involuntary landing, the crew of a spacecraft lands in a territory within the jurisdiction of a Contracting Party, the latter shall immediately take all of the Possible measures to ensure the rescue and provide all necessary assistance. It shall inform the launching authority and the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the measures it takes and the progress made. If the assistance of the launching authority may facilitate a prompt rescue or make a significant contribution to the effectiveness of search and rescue operations, the launching authority shall cooperate with the Contracting Party in order to ensure that such operations Search and rescue are conducted effectively. These operations will take place under the direction and control of the Contracting Party, which will act in close and continuous consultation with the launching authority.

Art. 3

If one finds or finds that the crew of a spacecraft has amerri on the high seas or has landed in any other place which does not fall within the jurisdiction of a State, the Contracting Parties which are in a position to do so will provide their assistance, If necessary, for search and rescue operations of this crew in order to ensure its prompt rescue. They shall inform the launching authority and the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the measures they take and the progress made.

Art. 4

In the event that, as a result of an accident, distress or landing or forced or involuntary landing, the crew of a spacecraft lands in a territory within the jurisdiction of a Contracting Party or found on the high seas Or in any other place which does not fall within the jurisdiction of a State, it shall be delivered promptly and in the right conditions to the representatives of the launching authority.

Art. 5

(1) Each Contracting Party that learns or finds that a space object or components thereof have fallen on the Earth in a territory within its jurisdiction, or on the high seas, or in any other place not covered by the Jurisdiction of a State shall inform the launching authority and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

(2) Each Contracting Party which exercises its jurisdiction in the territory on which a space object has been discovered or of the constituent elements of that object shall, on the request of the launching authority and with the assistance of that authority, take It is requested, the measures it deems possible to recover the object or its constituent elements.

3. On the request of the launching authority, objects launched into outer space or the constituent elements of those objects found beyond the territorial limits of the launching authority shall be given to the representatives of the authority The said authority to provide, upon request, identification data on request before the objects are returned to it.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 2 and 3 of this Article, any Contracting Party which has reason to believe that a space object or components of the said object which have been discovered in a territory within its jurisdiction or which it has recovered in any other place Are, by their nature, dangerous or harmful, may inform the launching authority, which shall immediately take effective measures, under the direction and control of the said Contracting Party, in order to eliminate any possible harm.

5. The expenditure incurred to fulfil the obligations concerning the recovery and return of a space object or elements of that object in accordance with the provisions of s. 2 and 3 of this article shall be the responsibility of the launching authority.

Art. 6

For the purposes of this Agreement, the term "launching authorities" refers to the State responsible for the launch, or, if an international intergovernmental organization is responsible for the launch, the said organization, provided that it declares its acceptance of the Rights and obligations provided for in this Agreement and that a majority of the member States of that Organization are Contracting Parties to this Agreement and to the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Field of Exploration and Use of outer space, including the Moon and other bodies Celestial.

Art. 7

(1) This Agreement shall be open for signature by all States. Any State which has not signed this Agreement before its entry into force in accordance with paragraph 1. 3 of this article may accede to it at any time.

2. This Agreement shall be subject to ratification by the signatory States. Instruments of ratification and instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which are Designated as depositary governments.

3. This Agreement shall enter into force when five Governments, including those designated as depositary governments under this Agreement, have deposited their instruments of ratification.

(4) For States whose instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited after the entry into force of this Agreement, this Agreement shall take effect on the date of deposit of their instruments of ratification or accession.

Depositary Governments shall promptly inform all States which have signed or acceded to this Agreement of the date of each signature, of the date of deposit of each instrument of ratification of this Agreement or of accession to this Agreement. Agreement, the date of entry into force of the Agreement and any other communication.

(6) This Agreement shall be registered by the Depositary Governments in accordance with Art. 102 of the United Nations Charter 1 .


Art. 8

Any State Party to this Agreement may propose amendments to the Agreement. The amendments shall take effect in respect of each State Party to the Agreement accepting the amendments as soon as they have been accepted by the majority of the States Parties to the Agreement, and thereafter, for each of the other States Parties to the Agreement, on the date Its acceptance of the said amendments.

Art.

Any State Party to the Agreement may notify the Depositary Governments in writing of its withdrawal from the Agreement one year after its entry into force. Such withdrawal shall take effect one year after the day on which the said notification has been received.

Art. 10 Scope on 4 February 2010

This Agreement, of which the English, Russian, Spanish, French and Chinese texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the Depositary Governments. Certified copies of this Agreement shall be sent by the Depositary Governments to the Governments of the States that have signed or acceded to the Agreement.

In witness whereof, The undersigned, to that duly authorized, have signed this Agreement.

Done in three copies, in Washington, London and Moscow, the twenty-two April of April, nine hundred and sixty.

Scope on 4 February 2010 3

States Parties

Ratification 4 Accession (A) Declaration of succession (S)

Entry into force

South Africa

24 September

1969

24 September

1969

European Space Agency (ESA)

25 June

1975

31 December

1975

Germany

17 February

1972

17 February

1972

Antigua and Barbuda

26 December

1988 S

1 Er November

1981

Argentina

26 March

1969

26 March

1969

Australia

18 March

1986

18 March

1986

Austria

19 February

1970

19 February

1970

Bahamas

August 11

1976 S

10 July

1973

Barbados

20 February

1969 A

20 February

1969

Belarus

2 December

1968

3 December

1968

Belgium

15 April

1977

15 April

1977

Bosnia and Herzegovina

August 15

1994 S

6 March

1992

Botswana

10 April

1969 A

10 April

1969

Brazil

February 27

1973 A

February 27

1973

Bulgaria

2 April

1969

2 April

1969

Cameroon

10 January

1969

10 January

1969

Canada

20 February

1975

20 February

1975

Chile

8 October

1981

8 October

1981

China

20 December

1988 A

20 December

1988

Hong Kong A

3 June

1997

1 Er July

1997

Macao B

13 October

1999

20 December

1999

Cyprus

17 December

1970

17 December

1970

Korea (South)

April 4

1969

April 4

1969

Cuba

3 April

1984 A

3 April

1984

Denmark

6 May

1969

6 May

1969

Egypt

11 December

1968

11 December

1968

El Salvador

19 February

1970

19 February

1970

Ecuador

7 March

1969

7 March

1969

Spain

26 February

2001 A

26 February

2001

United States

3 December

1968

3 December

1968

States Parties

Ratification Accession (A) Declaration of succession (S)

Entry into force

EUMETSAT

19 December

2005

19 December

2005

Fiji

July 14

1972 S

10 October

1970

Finland

10 September

1970

10 September

1970

France

31 December

1975 A

31 December

1975

Gabon

2 April

1969 A

2 April

1969

Gambia

26 July

1968 A

3 December

1968

Greece

7 July

1975

7 July

1975

Guinea-Bissau

14 October

1976 A

14 October

1976

Guyana

30 May

1969

30 May

1969

Hungary * *

4 June

1969

4 June

1969

India

July 9

1979 A

July 9

1979

Indonesia

27 June

1999 A

27 June

1999

Iran

21 December

1970

21 December

1970

Iraq

12 March

1970 A

12 March

1970

Ireland

29 August

1968

3 December

1968

Iceland

4 December

1969

4 December

1969

Israel

19 December

1969

19 December

1969

Italy

March 31

1978

March 31

1978

Japan

20 June

1983 A

20 June

1983

Kazakhstan

July 11

1998 A

July 11

1998

Kuwait *

7 June

1972 A

7 June

1972

Laos

27 November

1972

27 November

1972

Lebanon

March 31

1969

March 31

1969

Libya

10 December

2009 A

10 December

2009

Madagascar

February 11

1969

February 11

1969

Maldives

3 April

1970

3 April

1970

Morocco

20 November

1970

20 November

1970

Mauritius

April 16

1969 A

April 16

1969

Mexico

March 11

1969

March 11

1969

Mongolia * *

31 January

1969

31 January

1969

Montenegro

9 January

2007 S

3 June

2006

Nepal

July 11

1968

3 December

1968

Niger

15 January

1969

15 January

1969

Nigeria

26 February

1973

26 February

1973

Norway

20 April

1970

20 April

1970

New Zealand

July 8

1969

July 8

1969

Pakistan

17 October

1973 A

17 October

1973

Papua New Guinea

27 October

1980 A

27 October

1980

Netherlands

17 February

1981

17 February

1981

Netherlands Antilles

17 February

1981

17 February

1981

Aruba

20 December

1985

1 Er January

1986

Peru

21 March

1979 A

21 March

1979

Poland

February 14

1969

February 14

1969

Portugal

25 March

1970

25 March

1970

Czech Republic

29 September

1993 S

1 Er January

1993

Romania *

28 June

1971

28 June

1971

United Kingdom

3 December

1968

3 December

1968

Anguilla

3 December

1968

3 December

1968

Territories under the territorial sovereignty of the United Kingdom

3 December

1968

3 December

1968

Russia

3 December

1968

3 December

1968

San Marino

10 August

1970

10 August

1970

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

13 May

1999 S

3 December

1968

Serbia

April 27

1992 S

1 Er March

1971

Seychelles

5 January

1978 A

5 January

1978

Singapore

10 September

1976 A

10 September

1976

Slovenia

27 May

1992 S

1 Er January

1993

Sweden

July 21

1969 A

July 21

1969

Switzerland

18 December

1969

18 December

1969

Swaziland

9 June

1969 A

9 June

1969

Syria

August 14

1969

August 14

1969

Thailand

26 May

1969 A

26 May

1969

Tonga

22 June

1971 S

4 June

1970

Tunisia

10 February

1971

10 February

1971

Turkey

6 December

2006

6 December

2006

Ukraine

16 January

1969

16 January

1969

Uruguay

25 February

1969

25 February

1969

Zambia

August 20

1973 A

August 20

1973

*

Reservations and declarations.

**

Objections. Reservations, declarations and objections are not published in the RO. The texts in English and French can be found at the United Nations Internet site: http://untreaty.un.org/ or obtained from the Directorate of Public International Law (DDIP), International Treaty Section, 3003 Berne.

A

Dec 3. From 1968 to 30 June 1997, the conv. Was applicable in Hong Kong on the basis of a territorial extension of the United Kingdom. From 1 Er July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. By virtue of the Chinese declaration of 6 June 1997, the conv. Is also applicable to the Hong Kong SAR from 1 Er July 1997.

B

From 25 March 1970 to 19 Dec. 1999, the Conv. Was applicable to Macao on the basis of a declaration of territorial extension of Portugal. From Dec 20. 1999, Macao became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. By virtue of the Chinese declaration of Dec. 1999, the conv. Is also applicable to the Macao SAR from 20 Dec. 1999.


RO 1970 99; FF 1969 I 865


1 RO 1970 89
2 RS 0.790
3 A version of the updated scope of application is published on the DFAE website (http://www.dfae.admin.ch/traites).
4 Instruments of ratification or accession or declarations of succession shall be deposited with the Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation, either simultaneously or at different dates, or only with One or more of the above-mentioned Governments. The dates in this list are those relating to the first ratification, accession or declaration of succession.


Status February 4, 2010