The FAO Conference at its Tenth Session (November 1959) approved the Convention placing the International Poplar Commission within the Framework of FAO for submission to Member Nations for its acceptance.

In accordance with its paragraph 1, Article XVIII, the Convention came into force on 26 September 1961, the date of receipt of the twelfth instrument of acceptance. The Convention was registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations on 9 October 1961 under No. 5902.

The International Poplar Commission at its Second Special Session (October 1967), adopted an amendment to Article IV of the Convention, which was approved by the FAO Conference at its Fourteenth Session (November 1967). At its Third Special Session (November 1977), the Commission adopted further amendments to the Convention which were approved by the FAO Conference at its Nineteenth Session (November/December 1977). The amendments referred to in this paragraph entered into force for all the parties to the Convention.

Parties to the Convention

The following participants deposited their instruments of acceptance on the corresponding date indicated:

Participant	Acceptance
Argentina	6 Feb 1961
Austria	17 Feb 1961
Belgium	24 Apr 1962
Bulgaria	5 Sep 1972
Canada	28 Nov 1962
Chile	29 Jan 1990
China	1 Oct 1980
Croatia	23 Sep 1992
Egypt	26 Sep 1961
Finland	18 Apr 2000
France	17 Mar 1961
Germany1	15 May 1961
Hungary	23 Nov 1970
India	17 Feb 1964
Iran (Islamic Republic of)	6 Mar 1961
Iraq	7 Jun 1977
Ireland	4 Jul 1961
Italy	9 May 1963
Japan:	23 Jan 1968
Korea, Republic of	16 Jan 1973
Lebanon	23 Jan 1961
Morocco	7 Sep 1962
Netherlands	22 Dec 1961
New Zealand2	19 Jun 1969
Pakistan	6 Jul 1962
Portugal	19 Aug 1963
Romania	28 Jan 1964
Slovenia	25 May 2000
South Africa	10 Apr 1996
Spain	21 Apr 1960
Switzerland	23 Feb 1961
Sweden	7 Sep 1992
Syrian Arab Republic	19 Dec 1961
Tunisia	4 Apr 1961
Turkey	27 Jul 1965
United States of America	13 Aug 1970
United Kingdom3	3 Apr 1962

 

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Germany, Federal Republic of

(Declaration notified to the Organization on 29 February 1968 under the signature of the Ambassador):

"I have the honour to refer to... the deposit of the instrument of acceptance of the Convention of 15 May 1961 placing the International Poplar Commission within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. I am instructed by my Government to inform you that... the Convention placing the International Poplar Commission within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization also apply to Land Berlin."

Bulgaria

(Objection notified to the Organization on 26 July 1968 regarding the above-mentioned declaration by the Federal Republic of Germany):

"... that West Berlin as a political entity has never been part, and is not now part, of the Federal Republic of Germany; hence the letter of His Excellency, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany is inadmissible and should not have been communicated to the Member Nations of FAO."

"... The People's Republic of Bulgaria in this connection expressed its surprise that FAO agreed to circulate among its Member Nations a document of this nature expressing the point of view of the Federal Republic of Germany which does not take into account the territorial and political realities of Europe."

(Reservation made upon acceptance):

"The People's Republic of Bulgaria will not consider itself bound by the decisions of the International Court of Justice with respect to disputes referred to the latter, in accordance with Article XV of the Convention, without the consent of the Government of the People's Republic of Bulgaria being given with regard to the specific dispute."

Cuba

(Objection notified to the Organization on 30 May 1968 regarding the above-mentioned declaration by the Federal Republic of Germany):

"... does not accept or recognize the declaration that these documents will apply also to Territorial Berlin, because this is not territory of the Federal Republic of Germany and the pronouncements that a State makes regarding territories that do not belong to it are not valid, much less binding on them in their international relations."

Hungary

(Objection notified to the Organization on 7 June 1968 regarding the declaration by the Federal Republic of Germany of 29 February 1968):

"...does not recognize the right of the Federal Republic of Germany to respect Land Berlin at international forums, since Land Berlin is a politically autonomous entity not part of the Federal Republic of Germany."

"...considers as being legally null and void and as going counter to international law the declaration of the Federal Republic of Germany... the Convention placing the International Poplar Commission within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization also (applies) to Land Berlin."

Poland

(Objection notified to the Organization on 16 April 1968 regarding the above-mentioned declaration by the Federal Republic of Germany):

"...That West Berlin, as an individual political unit, never was and is not a part of the German Federal Republic, therefore the letter of the Ambassador of the German Federal Republic cannot be acknowledged and should not have been circulated among Member Countries of FAO."

At the same time, the Polish People's Republic expressed its "... surprise that FAO has accepted to circulate among Member Countries such a document which is an expression of the German Federal Republic opposing territorial and political realities in Europe."

Romania

(Objection notified to the Organization on 10 May 1968 regarding the above-mentioned declaration by the Federal Republic of Germany):

"...does not recognize the competence of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to extend to West Berlin the application of...the Convention placing the International Poplar Commission within the framework of FAO inasmuch as West Berlin is not part of the territory of the Federal of Germany."

Germany, Federal Republic of

(Declaration notified to the Organization on 5 December 1968):

"Berlin is a part of Germany. The relations of Berlin with authorities abroad are, nevertheless, at present reserved to the Allied Kommandatura which exercises supreme authority in the city. In paragraph III(c) of the Declaration on Berlin of May 5, 1955, however, which accords with instruments that previously entered into force, such as the Declaration referred to in the Allied Kommandatura's letter of May 21, 1952, the Allied Kommandatura has authorized the Berlin authorities to assure the representation abroad of the interests of Berlin and its inhabitants under suitable arrangements. Such arrangements have been made with the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany which is the only German Government freely and legitimately constituted.

The arrangements made in accordance with the foregoing permit the Federal Republic of Germany to extend to Berlin the international agreements which the Federal Republic concludes provided that certain conditions are observed. Under these conditions the final decision in every case on the extension of the international agreement to Berlin is left to the Allied Kommandatura. In addition, internal Berlin action is required to make any such international agreement applicable as domestic law in Berlin.

It is clear that this procedure, which accords with the special status of the city, safeguards entirely the rights and responsibilities of the Allied Kommandatura in any event competent to decide on the extension to Berlin of the international agreements concluded by the Federal Republic of Germany.

It follows that the objections raised by the Government of Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Cuba are unfounded. My Government would appreciate it if this declaration would be made known to all Member Governments of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations."

France, United Kingdom, United States of America

(Declarations notified to the Organization on 9 and 10 December 1968 regarding the preceding declaration by the Federal Republic of Germany):

"The relations of Berlin with authorities abroad are, and remain, reserved to the Allied Kommandatura as the supreme authority in Berlin. In paragraph III(c) of the Declaration on Berlin of May 5, 1955, however, which accords with instruments that previously entered into force, such as the Declaration referred to in the Allied Kommandatura's letter of May 21, 1952, the Allied Kommandatura has authorized the Berlin authorities to assure the representation abroad of the interests of Berlin and its inhabitants under suitable arrangements.

The arrangements made in accordance with the foregoing permit the Federal Republic of Germany to extend to Berlin the international agreements which the Federal Republic concludes provided that certain conditions are observed. Under these conditions the final decision in every case on the extension of the international agreement to Berlin is left to the Allied Kommandatura. In addition, internal Berlin action is required to make any such international agreement applicable as domestic law in Berlin.

It is clear that this procedure, which accords with the special status of the city, safeguards entirely the rights and responsibilities of the Allied Kommandatura and, through it, those of the Allied Powers, who remain in any event competent to decide on the extension to Berlin of the international agreements concluded by the Federal Republic of Germany."