Declarations
Articles: 8,10,15,29
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Text of the declarations (made by the former Czechoslovakia):
(Translation)
– in accordance with Article 8 of the Convention, within the territory of the Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia judicial documents may not be served directly through the diplomatic or consular agents of another Contracting State unless the document is to be served upon a national of the State in which the documents originate;
– in accordance with Article 10 of the Convention, within the territory of the Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia judicial documents may not be served by another Contracting State through postal channels nor through the judicial officers, officials or other competent persons;
– in accordance with Article 15, paragraph 2, of the Convention, Czechoslovakian judges may give judgment even if the conditions pursuant to Article 15, paragraph 1, have not been fulfilled;
– the provisions of Article 29 of the Convention concerning the extension of the Convention to territories for the international relations of which the Contracting States are responsible are at variance with the Declaration of the United Nations General Assembly on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples of 14 December 1960, and for this reason the Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia does not consider itself to be bound by these provisions.
By Note dated 31 March 1982 and received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 1 April 1982, the Embassy of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic communicated the following with regard to the above-cited declaration concerning Article 29 of the Convention:
"This declaration cannot be considered a reserve in view of the fact that it does not follow other purposes than a similar declaration made at the ratification of the Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters, though a different formulation was used.
By this declaration the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic expresses its disagreement of principle with the status of colonies and other dependent territories which is in contradiction with the Declaration of the United Nations General Assembly on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples of December 14, 1960. The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, however, has no intention to exclude the application of the Convention on the relations with the territories on which the use of the Convention has been extended in accordance with its Art. 29.