BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT
3. The Convention was adopted unanimously at the United Nations
General Assembly on 20 November 1989 and opened for signature on 26
January 1990. The UK signed on 19 April 1990. So far 93 countries
have ratified including 4 EC partners and the Nordics.
4. A Ministerial meeting in February 1991 agreed six areas where the UK would have to protect its position by reserving when
has ratifying the Convention. The Department of Health have since
decided that a further reservation will be required. The
reservations are now being drafted by Legal Advisers.
then require final clearance from home departments and the UK
Islands.
They will
X
5.
Ratification for the UK is further complicated by our responsibility for the Dependent Territories. When initially consulted most Dependent Territories expressed a desire to consider
the areas of the UK mainland reservations before commenting on their
own. The results of the February Ministerial meeting were
subsequently communicated to them. Seven of the eleven territories have now replied enumerating their areas of reservation. Gibraltar remains adamently opposed. We await responses from the remainder (Bermuda, Anguilla and Turks & Caicos).
Eight
6. We should be in a position to ratify for the UK, the Channel
Islands and the Isle of Man following the publication of the
Convention on 23 October, and after its laying before Parliament for
the required 21 sitting days, provided we can get agreement within
Whitehall and the Islands on the precise text of the reservations.
We should also be able to ratify for the majority of those
Depdendent Territories who have enumerated on areas of reservation.
But we would certainly not be able to ratify within this time-frame
for those Dependent Territories who have not yet replied. Nor, for
reasons relating to the need to consult with the Chinese under the