173 



1970. This draft, together with comments of Governments concerning 

 it, constituted the basis for discussion by the Conference. 



13. On the basis of its deliberations, as recorded in the summary 

 records of its sessions, the Conference prepared and adopted in ac- 

 cordance with its rules of procedure a final text of the Convention 

 on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl 

 Habitat, which is appended as Annex I to this Final Act. 



14. In the course of discussions on the draft Convention, the Con- 

 ference agreed that whilst the final text of the Convention does not 

 include an article concerning territorial application, this will not pre- 

 clude Parties to the Convention indicating at any time to which ter- 

 ritories constitutionally associated with them, the Convention shall 

 apply. 



15. In approving the final text of the Convention, the Head of the 

 Delegation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics abstained from 

 approving Article 9 because it contained the provisions that only 

 members of the United Nations, the Specialized Agencies, the Inter- 

 national Atomic Energy Agency or Parties to the Statute of the In- 

 ternational Court of Justice may become Parties to the Convention. 

 His Delegation believed that all countries should have the right to 

 become Parties to the Convention, since this would contribute to the 

 cause of conservation of wetlands and waterfowl, and he noted that 

 birds recognized no boundaries. He expressed the hope that those views 

 will be taken into consideration by governments at the time the Con- 

 vention is opened for signature. 



16. The Representative of UNESCO stated that UNESCO was will- 

 ing to accept the duties of Depository as specified in the final text of 

 the Convention, subject to final legal clearance by the Organization 

 and subsequent notification of its acceptance to the Imperial Govern- 

 ment of Iran. 



17. The Representative of lUCN stated that he was authorized to 

 accept on behalf of lUCN the bureau duties specified in the final text 

 of the Convention. 



18. The Conference invited the Imperial Government of Iran to 

 take the necessary steps to prepare the final document containing the 

 English, French, German and Russian texts of the Convention and, 

 after submission for verification to the Governments represented at 

 this Conference, to open the Convention for signature at a convenient 

 date. 



19. During the course of discussion of the draft Convention the Con- 

 ference decided to note the following points : 



(a) The waterfowl referred to in the Convention include the fol- 

 lowing groups of birds : 

 Gaviiformes (Divers) 

 Podicipediformes (Grebes) 

 Pelicaniformes (Pelicans, Cormorants, Darters) 

 Ciconiiformes (Herons, Bitterns, Storks, Ibises, Flamingos) 

 Anseriformes (Screamers, Swans, Geese, Ducks) 

 Gruiformes (Cranes) 

 Ralliformes (Coots, Rails) 

 Charadriiformes (Waders, Gulls, Terns) 



