基本介紹
- 中文名：公海公約
- 外文名：GENEVA CONVENTION ON THE HIGH SEAS
- 時間：1958年2月24日
- 生效：1958年2月24日
- 地點：聯合國海洋法會議
中文,英文,
中文
公海公約
(1958年4月29日訂於日內瓦)
[本公約於1962年9月30日生效]
本公約當事各國，
鑒於自1958年2月24日至4月27日在日內瓦舉行之聯合國海洋法會議通過下列條款，概括宣示國際法上之確定原則，
愛議定條款如下：'
第1條
稱“公海”者謂不屬領海或一國內水域之海洋所有各部分。
第2條
公海對各國一律開放，任何國家不得有效主張公海任何部分屬其主權範圍。公海自由依本條款及國際法其他規則所規定之條件行使之。公海自由，對沿海國及非沿海國而言，均包括下列等項：
(1)航行自由；
(2)捕魚自由；
(3)敷設海底電纜與管線之自由，
(4)公海上空飛行之自由。
各國行使以上各項自由及國際法一般原則所承認之其他自由應適當顧及其他國家行使公海自由之利益。
第3條
1.無海岸國家應可自由通達海洋，俾與沿海國家以平等地位享有海洋自由。為此目的，凡位於海洋與無海岸國間之國家應與無海岸國相互協定，依照現行國際公約：
(a)準許無海岸國根據互動原則自由過境；
(b)對於懸掛該國國旗之船舶，在出入及使用海港事宜上準其與本國船舶或任何他國船舶享受平等待遇。
2.凡位於海洋與無海岸國間之國家，對於一切有關過境自由及海港內平等待遇之事項如其本國及無海岸國均尚非現行國際公約之當事國，應與後者相互協定，參酌沿海國或被通過國之權利及無海岸國之特殊情況解決之。
第4條
各國無論是否沿海國均有權在公海上行駛懸掛本國國旗之船舶。
第5條
1.各國應規定給予船舶國籍、船舶在其境內登記及享有懸掛其國旗權利之條件。船舶有權懸掛一國國旗者具有該國國籍。國家與船舶之間須有真正聯繫；國家尤須對懸掛其國旗之船舶在行政、技術及社會事宜上切實行使管轄及管制。
2.各國對於準享懸掛其國旗權利之船舶，應發給有關證書。
第6條
1.船舶應僅懸掛一國國旗航行，除有國際條約或本條款明文規定之例外情形外，在公海上專屬該國管轄。船舶除其所有權確實移轉或變更登記者外，不得於航程中或在停泊港內更換其國旗。
2.船舶如懸掛兩個以上國家之國旗航行，權宜換用，不得對他國主張其中任何一國之國籍，且得視同無國籍船舶。
第7條
前列各條之規定不影響供政府間組織公務用途並懸掛該組織旗幟之船舶問題。
第8條
1.軍艦在公海上完全免受船旗國以外任何國家之管轄。
2.本條款所稱“軍艦”謂屬於一國海軍，備具該國軍艦外部識別標誌之船舶，由政府正式任命之軍官指揮，指揮官姓名見於海軍名冊，其船員服從正規海軍紀律者。
第9條
一國所有或經營之船舶專供政府非商務用途者，在公海上完全免受，船旗國以外任何國家之管轄。
第10條
1.各國為確保海上安全，應為懸掛本國國籍之船舶採取有關下列等款之必要辦法：
(a)信號之使用、通訊之維持及碰撞之防止；
(b)船舶人員之配置及船員之勞動條件，其辦法應參照可適用之國際勞工文書；
(c)船舶之構造、裝備及適航能力。
2.各國採取此辦法，須遵照公認之國際標準並採取必要步驟，確保此項辦法之遵守。
第11條
1.船舶在公海上發生碰撞或其他航行事故致船長或船上任何其他服務人員須負刑事責任或受懲戒時，對此等人員之刑事訴訟或懲戒程式非向船旗國或此等人員隸籍國之司法或行政機關不得提起之。
2.如系懲戒事項，惟有發給船長證書或資格證書或執照之國家有權於經過適當法律程式後宣告撤銷此項證書，持證人縱非發給證書國之國民亦同。
3.除船旗國之機關外，任何機關不得命令逮捕或扣留船舶，縱使藉此進行調查亦所不許。
第12條
各國應責成懸掛本國國旗船舶之船長在不甚危害船舶、船員或乘客之範圍內：
(a)對於在海上發現有淹沒危險之人，予以救助；
(b)於據告有人遇難亞需救助理當施救時儘速前往援救；
(c)於碰撞後，對於他方船舶、船員及乘客予以救助，並於可能時將其船舶名稱、船籍港及開往之最近港口告知他方船舶。
2.各沿海國應為海面及其上空之安全提倡舉辦並維持適當與有效之搜尋及救助事務，如環境需要，並與鄰國互訂區域辦法，為此目的從事合作。
第13條
各國應採取有效措施以防止並懲治準懸其國旗之船舶販運奴隸，並防止非法使用其國旗從事此種販運。凡逃避至任何船舶之奴隸，不論船舶懸何國旗，應當然獲得自由。
第14條
各國應儘量合作取締公海上或不屬任何國家管轄之其他處所之海盜行為。
第15條
海盜指下列任何行為：
(1)私有船舶或私有航空器之航員或乘客為私人目的，對下列之人或物實施任何不法之強暴行為、扣留行為或任何掠奪行為：
(a)公海上另一船舶或航空器，或其上之人或財物；
(b)不屬任何國家管轄之處所內之船舶、航空器、人或財物；
(2)明知使船舶或航空器成為海盜船舶或航空器之事實而自願參加其活動；
(3)教唆或故意便利本條第一款或第二款所稱之行為。
第16條
軍艦、政府船舶或政府航空器之航員叛變並控制該船舶或航空器而犯第15條所稱之海盜行為者，此等行為視同私有船舶所實施之行為。
第17條
船舶或航空器，其居於主要控制地位之人意圖用以實施第15條所稱行為之一者，視為海盜船舶或航空器。凡經用以實施此項行為之船舶或航空器，仍在犯此行為之人控制之下者，亦同。
第18條
船舶或航空器雖已成為海盜船舶或航空器，仍得保有其國籍。國籍之保有或喪失依給予國籍國家之法律定之。
第19條
各國得在公海上或不屬任何國家管轄之其他處所逮捕海盜船舶或航空器，或以海盜行為劫取並受海盜控制之船舶，逮捕其人員並扣押其財物。逮捕國之法院得判決應處之刑罰，並得判定船舶、航空器或財物之處置，但須尊重善意第三人之權利。
第20條
逮捕涉有海盜行為嫌疑之船舶或航空器如無充分理由，對於因逮捕而發生之任何損失或損害，逮捕國應向船舶或航空器之隸籍國負賠償之責。
因有海盜行為而須逮捕，惟軍艦或軍用航空器，或經授予此權之他種政府事務船舶或航空器，始得為之。
1.除干涉行為出於條約授權之情形外，軍艦對公海上相遇之外國商船非有適當理由認為有下列嫌疑，不得登臨該船：
(a)該船從事海盜行為；或
(b)該船從事販賣奴隸；或
(C)該船懸掛外國國旗或拒不舉示其國旗，而事實上與該軍艦屬同一國籍。
2.遇有前項（a)(b)(c)三款所稱之情形，軍艦得對該船之懸旗權利進行核查。為此目的，軍艦得派由軍官指揮之小艇前往嫌疑船舶。船舶文書經檢驗後，倘仍有嫌疑，軍艦得在船上進一步施行檢查，但須儘量審慎為之。
3.倘嫌疑查無實據，被登臨之船舶並無任何行為足以啟疑，其所受之任何損失或損害應予賠償。
第23條
1.沿海國主管機關有正當理由認為外國船舶違犯該國法律規章時得進行緊追。此項追逐必須於外國船舶或其所屬小艇之一在追逐國之內水、領海或毗連區內時開始，且須未曾中斷方得在領海或毗連區外繼續進行。在領海或毗連區內之外國船舶接獲停船命令時，發令船舶無須同在領海或毗連區以內。倘外國船舶系在領海及毗連區公約第24條所稱之毗連區內，惟有於該區設以保障之權利遭受侵害時，方得追逐之。
2.緊追權在被追逐之船舶進入其本國或第三國之領海時即告終止。
3.緊追非俟追逐船舶以可能採用之實際方法認定被追逐之船舶、或所屬小艇之一、或與該船合作並以該船為母艦之其他船隻，確在領海界限或毗連區以內，不得認為業已開始。惟有在外國船舶視聽所及之距離內發出視覺或聽覺之停船信號後，方得開始追逐。
4.緊追權僅得由軍艦或軍用航空器，或經特別授予此權之他種政府事務船舶或航空器行使之。
5.航空器實行緊追時：
(a)準用本條第一項至第三項之規定；
(b)發出停船命令之航空器必須自行積極追逐船舶，直至其所召喚之沿海國船舶或航空器前來接替追逐時為止，但其本身即能逮捕船舶者不在此限。如航空器僅發現船舶犯法或有犯法嫌疑，而其本身或接替追逐未曾中斷之其他航空器或船舶未命令停船並予追逐，不足以構成在公海上逮捕之正當理由。
6.凡在一國管轄範圍內被逮捕而經解送該國海港交主管機關審訊之船舶不得僅以該船在押解途中因環境需要，渡過一部分公海為理由而要求釋放。
7.倘船舶在公海上被迫停船或被逮捕，而按當時情形緊追權之行使並無正當理由，其因而所受之任何損失或損害應予賠償。
第24條
各國應參酌現行關於防止污染海水之條約規定製訂規章，以防止因船舶或管線排放油料或因開發與探測海床及其底土而污染海水。
第25條
1.各國應參照主管國際組織所訂定之標準與規章，採取辦法，以防止傾棄放射廢料而污染海水。
2.各國應與主管國際組織合作採取辦法，以防止任何活動因使用放射材料或其他有害物劑而污染海水或其上空。
第26條
1.各國均有權在公海海床敷設海底電纜及管線。
2.沿海國除為探測大陸架及開發其天然資源有權採取合理措施外，對於此項電纜或管線之敷設或維護，不得阻礙。
3.敷設此項電纜或管線時，當事國對於海床上原已存在之電纜或管線應妥為顧及，尤不得使原有電纜或管線之修理可能，受有妨礙。
第27條
各國應採取必要立法措施，規定凡懸掛其國旗之船舶或屬其管轄之人如故意或因過失破壞或損害公海海底電纜，致使電報或電話通訊停頓或受阻，或以同樣情形破壞或損害海底管線或高壓電纜，概為應予處罰之罪行。此項規定不適用於個人基於保全其生命或船舶之正當目的，雖曾為避免破損作一切必要之預防而仍發生之任何破壞或損害情事。
第28條
各國應採取必要立法措施，規定凡受該國管轄之公海海底電纜或管線所有人因敷設或修理此項電纜或管線致有破壞或損害另一電纜或管線之情事者，應償付其修理費用。
第29條
各國應採取必要立法措施，確保船舶所有人之能證明其為避免損害海底電纜或管線而捐棄一錨、一網或其他漁具者向電纜或管線所有人取得賠償，但以船舶所有人事先曾採取一切合理之預防措施為條件。
第30條
本公約之條款對於現已生效之公約或其他國際協定，就其當事各國間關係言，並不發生影響。
第31條
本公約在1958年10月31日以前聽由聯合國或任何專門機關之全體會員國及經由聯合國大會邀請參加為本公約當事一方之任何其他國家簽署。
第32條
本公約應予批准。批准檔案應送交聯合國秘書長存放。
第33條
本公約應聽由屬於第31條所稱任何一類之國家加入。加入檔案應送交聯合國秘書長存放。
第34條
1.本公約應於第二十二件批准或加入檔案送交聯合國秘書長存放之日後第三十日起發生效力。
2.對於在第二十二件批准或加入檔案存放後批准或加入本公約之國家，本公約應於各該國存放批准或加入檔案後第三十日起發生效力。
第35條
1.締約任何一方得於本公約生效之日起滿五年後隨時書面通知聯合國秘書長請求修改本公約。
2.對於此項請求應采何種步驟，由聯合國大會決定之。
第36條
聯合國秘書長應將下列事項通知聯合國各會員國及第31條所稱之其他國家：
(a)依第31條、第32條及第33條對本公約所為之簽署及送存之批准或加入檔案。;
(b)依第34條本公約發生效力之日期；
(c)依第35條所提關於修改本公約之請求。
第37條
本公約之原本應交聯合國秘書長存放，其中文、英文、法文、俄文及西班牙文各本同一作準；秘書長應將各文正式副本分送第31條所稱各國
為此，下列全權代表各秉本國政府正式授予簽字之權，謹簽字於本公約，以昭信守。
1958年4月29日訂於日內瓦。
英文
GENEVA CONVENTION ON THE HIGH SEAS， 1958
THE STATES PARTIES TO THIS CONVENTION
DESIRING to codify the rules of international law relating to the highseas，
RECOGNISING that the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea，held at Geneva from February 24 to April 27， 1958， adopted the followingprovisions as generally declaratory of established principles ofinternational law，
HAVE AGREED as follows：
Article 1
The term “high seas” means all parts of the sea that are not includedin the territorial sea or in the internal waters of a State.
Article 2
The high seas being open to all nations， no State may validly purportto subject any part of them to its sovereignty. Freedom of the high seasis exercised under the conditions laid down by these Articles and by theother rules of international law. It comprises， inter alia， both forcoastal and non-coastal States：
（1） Freedom of navigation；
（2） Freedom of fishing；
（3） Freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines；
（4） Freedom to fly over the high seas.
These freedoms， and others which are recognised by the generalprinciples of international law， shall be exercised by all States withreasonable regard to the interests of other States in their exercise ofthe freedom of the high seas.
Article 3
1. In order to enjoy the freedom of the seas on equal terms withcoastal States， States having no sea-coast should have free access to thesea. To this end a State situated between the sea and a State having nosea-coast shall by common agreement with the latter and in conformity withexisting international conventions accord：
（a） to the State having no sea-coast， on a basis of reciprocity，free transit through their territory， and
（b） to ships flying the flag of that State treatment equal to thataccorded to their own ships， or to the ships of any other States， asregards access to sea ports and the use of such ports.
2. States situated between the sea and a State having no sea-coastshall settle， by mutual agreement with the latter， and taking into accountthe rights of the coastal State or State of transit and the specialconditions of the State having no sea-coast， all matters relating tofreedom of transit and equal treatment in ports， in case such States arenot already parties to existing international conventions.Article 4
Every State， whether coastal or not， has the right to sail ships underits flag on the high seas.
Article 5
1. Each State shall fix the conditions for the grant of itsnationality to ships， for the registration of ships in its territory， andfor the right to fly its flag. Ships have the nationality of the Statewhose flag they are entitled to fly. There must exist a genuine linkbetween the State and the ship， in particular， the State must effectivelyexercise its jurisdiction and control in administrative， technical andsocial matters over ships flying its flag.
2. Each State shall issue to ships to which it has granted the rightto fly its flag documents to that effect.
Article 6
1. Ships shall sail under the flag of one State only and， save inexceptional cases expressly provided for in international treaties or inthese Articles， shall be subject to its exclusive jurisdiction on the highseas. A ship may not change its flag during a voyage or while in a port ofcall， save in the case of a real transfer of ownership or change ofregistry.
2. A ship which sails under the flags of two or more States， usingthem according to convenience， may not claim any of the nationalities inquestion with respect to any other State， and may be assimilated to aship without nationality.
Article 7
The provisions of the preceding Articles do not prejudice the questionof ships employed on the official service of an intergovernmenta
lorganisation flying the flag of the organisation.
Article 8
1. Warships on the high seas have complete immunity from thejurisdiction of any State other than the flag State.
2. For the purposes of these Articles， the term “warship” means a shipbelonging to the naval forces of a State and bearing the external marksdistinguishing warships of its nationality， under the command of anofficer duly commissioned by the government and whose name appears in theNavy List， and manned by a crew who are under regular naval discipline.
Article 9
Ships owned or operated by a State and used only on governmentnon-commercial service shall， on the high seas， have complete immunityfrom the jurisdiction of any State other than the flag State.
Article 10
1. Every State shall take such measures for ships under its flag asare necessary to ensure safety at sea with regard inter alia to：
（a） the use of signals， the maintenance of communications and theprevention of collisions；
（b） the manning of ships and labour conditions for crews takinginto account the applicable international labour instruments；
（c） the construction， equipment and seaworthiness of ships.
2. In taking such measures each State is required to conform togenerally accepted international standards and to take any steps which maybe necessary to ensure their observance.
Article 11
1. In the event of a collision or of any other incident of navigationconcerning a ship on the high seas， involving the penal or disciplinaryresponsibility of the master or of any other person in the service of theship， no penal or disciplinary proceedings may be instituted against suchpersons except before the judicial or administrative authorities either ofthe flag State or of the State of which such person is a national.
2. In disciplinary matters the State which has issued a master'scertificate or a certificate of competence or licence shall alone becompetent， after due legal process， to pronounce the withdrawal of suchcertificates， even if the holder is not a national of the State whichissued them.
3. No arrest or detention of a ship， even as a measure ofinvestigation， shall be ordered by any authorities other than those of theflag State.
Article 12
1. Every State shall require the master of a ship sailing under itsflag， in so far as he can do so without serious danger to the ship， thecrew or the passengers，
（a） to render assistance to any person found at sea in danger ofbeing lost；
（b） to proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons indistress if informed of their need of assistance， in so far as such actionmay reasonably be expected of him；
（c） after a collision， to render assistance to the other ship， hercrew and her passengers and， where possible， to inform the other ship ofthe name of his own ship， her port of registry and the nearest port atwhich she will call.
2. Every coastal State shall promote the establishment and maintenanceof an adequate and effective search and rescue service regarding safety onand over the sea and-where circumstances so require-by way of mutualregional arrangements co-operate with neighbouring States for thispurpose.
Article 13
Every State shall adopt effective measures to prevent and punish thetransport of slaves in ships authorised to fly its flag， and to preventthe unlawful use of its flag for that purpose. Any slave taking refuge onboard any ship， whatever its flag， shall ipso facto be free.
Article 14
All States shall co-operate to the fullest possible extent in therepression of piracy on the high seas or in any other place outside thejurisdiction of any State.
Article 15
Piracy consists of any of the following acts：
（1） Any illegal acts of violence， detention or any act ofdepredation， c
ommitted for private ends by the crew or the passengers of aprivate ship or a private aircraft， and directed：
（a） On the high seas， against another ship or aircraft， oragainst persons or property on board such ship or aircraft；
（b） Against a ship， aircraft， persons or property in a placeoutside the jurisdiction of any State；
（2） Any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a shipor of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship oraircraft；
（3） Any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an actdescribed in subparagraph （1） or subparagraph （2） of this Article.
Article 16
The acts of piracy， as defined in Article 15， committed by a warship，government ship or government aircraft whose crew has mutinied and takencontrol of the ship or aircraft are assimilated to acts committed by aprivate ship.
Article 17
A ship or aircraft is considered a pirate ship or aircraft if it isintended by the persons in dominant control to be used for the purpose ofcommitting one of the acts referred to in Article 15. The same applies ifthe ship or aircraft has been used to commit any such act， so long as itremains under the control of the persons guilty of that act.
Article 18
A ship or aircraft may retain its nationality although it has become apirate ship or aircraft. The retention or loss of nationality isdetermined by the law of the State from which such nationality wasoriginally derived.
Article 19
On the high seas， or in any other place outside the jurisdiction ofany State， every State may seize a pirate ship or aircraft， or a shiptaken by piracy and under the control of pirates， and arrest the personsand seize the property on board. The courts of the State which carried outthe seizure may decide upon the penalties to be imposed， and may alsodetermine the action to be taken with regard to the ships， aircraft orproperty， subject to the rights of third parties acting in good faith.
Article 20
Where the seizure of a ship or aircraft on suspicion of piracy hasbeen effected without adequate grounds， the State making the seizure shallbe liable to the State the nationality of which is possessed by the shipor aircraft， for any loss or damage caused by the seizure.
Article 21
A seizure on account of piracy may only be carried out by warships ormilitary aircraft， or other ships or aircraft on government serviceauthorised to that effect.
Article 22
1. Except where acts of interference derive from powers conferred bytreaty， a warship which encounters a foreign merchant ship on the highseas is not justified in boarding her unless there is reasonable groundfor suspecting：
（a） That the ship is engaged in piracy； or
（b） That the ship is engaged in the slave trade； or
（c） That， though flying a foreign flag or refusing to show itsflag， the ship is， in reality， of the same nationality as the warship.
2. In the cases provided for in subparagraphs （a）， （b） and （c） above，the warship may proceed to verify the ship's right to fly its flag. Tothis end， it may send a boat under the command of an officer to thesuspected ship. If suspicion remains after the documents have beenchecked， it may proceed to a further examination on board the ship， whichmust be carried out with all possible consideration.
3. If the suspicions prove to be unfounded， and provided that the shipboarded has not committed any act justifying them， it shall be compensatedfor any loss or damage that may have been sustained.
Article 23
1. The hot pursuit of a foreign ship may be undertaken when thecompetent authorities of the coastal State have good reason to believethat the ship has violated the laws and regulations of that State. Suchpursuit must be commenced when the foreign ship or one of its boats iswithin the internal wat
ers or the territorial sea or the contiguous zoneof the pursuing State， and may only be continued outside the territorialsea or the contiguous zone if the pursuit has not been interrupted. It isnot necessary that， at the time when the foreign ship within theterritorial sea or the contiguous zone receives the order to stop， theship giving the order should likewise be within the territorial sea or thecontiguous zone. If the foreign ship is within a contiguous zone， asdefined in Article 24 of the Convention on the Territorial Sea and theContiguous Zone， the pursuit may only be undertaken if there has been aviolation of the rights for the protection of which the zone wasestablished.
2. The right of hot pursuit ceases as soon as the ship pursued entersthe territorial sea of its own country or of a third State.
3. Hot pursuit is not deemed to have begun unless the pursuing shiphas satisfied itself by such practicable means as may be available thatthe ship pursued or one of its boats or other craft working as a team andusing the ship pursued as a mother ship are within the limits of theterritorial sea， or as the case may be within the contiguous zone. Thepursuit may only be commenced after a visual or auditory signal to stophas been given at a distance which enables it to be seen or heard by theforeign ship.
4. The right of hot pursuit may be exercised only by warships ormilitary aircraft， or other ships or aircraft on government servicespecially authorised to that effect.
5. Where hot pursuit is effected by an aircraft：
（a） The provisions of paragraphs 1 to 3 of the present Articleshall apply mutaits mutandis；
（b） The aircraft giving the order to stop must itself activelypursue the ship until a ship or aircraft of the coastal State， summoned bythe aircraft， arrives to take over the pursuit， unless the aircraft isitself able to arrest the ship. It does not suffice to justify an arreston the high seas that the ship was merely sighted by the aircraft as anoffender or suspected offender， if it was not both ordered to stop andpursued by the aircraft itself or other aircraft or ships which continuethe pursuit without interruption.
6. The release of a ship arrested within the jurisdiction of a Stateand escorted to a port of that State for the purposes of an enquiry beforethe competent authorities， may not be claimed solely on the ground thatthe ship， in the course of its voyage， was escorted across a portion ofthe high seas， if the circumstances rendered this necessary.
7. Where a ship has been stopped or arrested on the high seas incircumstances which do not justify the exercise of the right of hotpursuit， it shall be compensated for any loss or damage that may have beenthereby sustained.Article 24
Every State shall draw up regulations to prevent pollution of the seasby the discharge of oil from ships or pipelines or resulting from theexploitation and exploration of the seabed and its subsoil， taking accountof existing treaty provisions on the subject.
Article 25
1. Every State shall take measures to prevent pollution of the seasfrom the dumping of radioactive waste， taking into account any standardsand regulations which may be formulated by the competent internationalorganisations.
2. All States shall co-operate with the competent internationalorganisations in taking measures for the prevention of pollution of theseas or air space above， resulting from any activities with radioactivematerials or other harmful agents.
Article 26
1. All States shall be entitled to lay submarine cables and pipelineson the bed of the high seas.
2. Subject to its right to take reasonable measures for theexploration of the continental shelf and the exploitation of its naturalresources， the coastal State may not impede the laying or maintenance ofsuch cables or pipelines.
3. When laying such cables or pi
pelines the State in question shallpay due regard to cables or pipelines already in position on the seabed. In particular， possibilities of repairing existing cables or pipelinesshall not be prejudiced.
Article 27
Every State shall take the necessary legislative measures to providethat the breaking or injury by a ship flying its flag or by a personsubject to its jurisdiction of a submarine cable beneath the high seasdone wilfully or through culpable negligence， in such a manner as to beliable to interrupt or obstruct telegraphic or telephonic communications，and similarly the breaking or injury of a submarine pipeline orhigh-voltage power cable shall be a punishable offence. This provisionshall not apply to any break or injury caused by persons who acted merelywith the legitimate object of saving their lives or their ships， afterhaving taken all necessary precautions to avoid such break or injury.
Article 28
Every State shall take the necessary legislative measures to providethat， if persons subject to its jurisdiction who are the owners of a cableor pipeline beneath the high seas， in laying or repairing that cable orpipeline， cause a break in or injury to another cable or pipeline， theyshall bear the cost of the repairs.
Article 29
Every State shall take the necessary legislative measures to ensurethat the owners of ships who can prove that they have sacrificed ananchor， a net or any other fishing gear， in order to avoid injuring asubmarine cable or pipeline， shall be indemnified by the owner of thecable or pipeline， provided that the owner of the ship has taken allreasonable precautionary measures beforehand.
Article 30
The provisions of this Convention shall not affect Conventions orother international agreements already in force， as between States Partiesto them.
Article 31
This Convention shall， until October 31， 1958， be open for signatureby all States Members of the United Nations or of any of the SpecialisedAgencies and by any other State invited by the General Assembly to becomea Party to the Convention.
Article 32
This Convention is subject to ratification. The instruments ofratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the UnitedNations.
Article 33
This Convention shall be open for accession by any States belonging toany of the categories mentioned in Article 31. The instruments ofaccession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the UnitedNations.
Article 34
1. This Convention shall come into force on the thirtieth dayfollowing the date of deposit of the twenty-second instrument ofratification or accession with the Secretary-General of the UnitedNations.
2. For each State ratifying or acceding to the Convention after thedeposit of the twenty-second instrument of ratification or accession， theConvention shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after deposit bysuch State of its instruments of ratification or accession.
Article 35
1. After the expiration of a period of five years from the date onwhich this Convention shall enter into force a request for the revision ofthis Convention may be made at any time by any Contracting Party by meansof a notification in writing addressed to the Secretary-General.
2. The General Assembly of the United Nations shall decide upon thesteps， if any， to be taken in respect of such request.
Article 36
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall inform all StatesMembers of the United Nations and the other States referred to in Article31：
（a） Of signatures to this Convention and of the deposit ofinstruments of ratification or accession， in accordance with Articles 31，32 and 33；
（b） Of the date on which this Convention will come into force， inaccordance with Article 34；
（c） Of requests for revision in accordance
with Article 35.
Article 37
The original of this Convention of which the Chinese， English， French，Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic， shall be deposited withthe Secretary-General of the United Nations who shall send certifiedcopies thereof to all States referred to in Article 31.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned Plenipotentiaries， being dulyauthorised thereto by their respective Governments， have signed thisConvention.
DONE AT GENEVA， this twenty-ninth day of April one thousand ninehundred and fifty eight.
