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Argentina1

Declaration:

       On the occasion of its ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Argentine Government recalls that on 3 October 1983 the Argentine Republic rejected the extension of the application of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands.

       The Argentine Government recalls that the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas are an integral part of the Argentine national territory and, being illegally occupied by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, are the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the two countries which is recognized by the United Nations and other international organizations.

       In this connection, the General Assembly of the United Nations has adopted resolutions 2065 (XX), 3160 (XXVIII), 31/49, 37/9, 38/12, 39/6, 40/21, 41/40, 42/19 and 43/25, in which the sovereignty dispute referred to as the “Question of the Malvinas Islands” is recognized and the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are urged to resume negotiations in order to find as soon as possible a peaceful and lasting solution to the dispute. Concurrently, the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United Nations has repeatedly affirmed this view. Also, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States adopted, on 24 June 2010, a new pronouncement, in similar terms, on the question.

       In ratifying the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Argentine Republic does so on the understanding that the system of communications provided for under that instrument does not apply to the right of peoples to self-determination in any context related to sovereignty disputes.

Belgium

       The Kingdom of Belgium  recognizes the competence of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

       - to receive, in accordance with article 10 of the  Optional Protocol, notifications from a State Party that another State Party is not fulfilling its obligations, or

       -  to conduct, in accordance with articles 11 and 12 of the Optional Protocol, an inquiry regarding serious and systematic violations by another State Party of one of the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights described in the Covenant.

Declaration:

       “The Republic of Finland declares that it recognizes the competence of the committee to receive and consider inter-state communications made against it provided for in article 10 of the Protocol and the competence of the committee concerning an inquiry procedure provided for in article 11 of the Protocol.”

Portugal

Declaration:

       “With respect to article 10, the Portuguese Republic hereby declares that it recognizes the competence of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State Party claims that another State Party is not fulfilling its obligations under the Covenant.

       With respect to article 11, the Portuguese Republic hereby declares that it recognizes the competence of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provided for under this article.”