The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China notified the Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization by a note dated February 15, 1974, that "the Government of the People's Republic of China has decided to recognize the Convention on International Civil Aviation which the then Government of China signed in Chicago on December 9 [sic], 1944, and of which an instrument of ratification was deposited by it on February 20, 1946... The Government of the People's Republic of China has also decided to participate in the activities of the International Civil Aviation Organization as from this date." The Minister's note further stated that "For reasons of safety of flight and public safety and in the light of the provisions of Articles 5 and 9 of Chapter II of the Convention, any foreign civil aircraft engaged in non-scheduled flight that wishes to fly into Chinese territory is required to make prior application to the Chinese Government. Such aircraft may enter Chinese territory only after receiving a reply of approval and must observe the regulation of following the assigned route and landing at the designated airport. Application of Chapter XVIII of the Convention must be based on the principle of not infringing on China's sovereignty."
The Secretary General of ICAO, by a communication of May 31, 1974, transmitted to the Department of State a copy of the above-mentioned note and referred to the Secretary General's letter of November 22, 1971, informing the Department of State of the ICAO Council's Resolution of November 19, 1971, in which the Council decided "for the matters within its competence, to recognize the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the International Civil Aviation Organization."
Notification of adherence of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics contained two statements reading, in translation, as follows:
"In adhering to the Convention referred to above, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics declares that:
'The provisions of Article 2 of the Convention, according to which the territory of a State is deemed to be the territory under its sovereignty, protectorate or mandate, are outdated and conflict with the U.N. General Assembly Declaration on Granting Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (Resolution 1514 (XV) of December 14, 1960);
'The provisions of Articles 92 (a) and 93 of the Convention, pursuant to which a number of States are deprived of the opportunity to become parties to the Convention, are discriminatory in nature, and [the Soviet Union] considers that, in accordance with the principle of the sovereign equality of States, the Convention should be open to adherence of all interested States without any discrimination or limitation."
The accession of Panama contained the following statement designated as a "reservation":
"La República de Panamá se adhiere a dicha CONVENCIÓN con la reserva de que la República de Panamá no da su asentimiento a la palabra jurisdicción que aparece en el Artículo 2 de la versión española de la Convención, como equivalente del término suzerainty que aparece en el texto ingles".
("The Republic of Panama accedes to the said Convention with the reservation that the Republic of Panama does not give its assent to the word jurisdiction appearing in Article 2 of the Convention as equivalent to the term suzerainty which appears in the English text.")
Panama signed the Convention ad referendum, and subject to the following reservations:
1. Because of its strategic position and responsibility in the protection of the means of communication in its territory, which are of the utmost importance to world trade, and vital to the defense of the Western Hemisphere, the Republic of Panama reserves the right to take, with respect to all flights through the air space above its territory, all measures which in its judgment may be proper for its own security or the protection of said means of communication.
2. The Republic of Panama understands that the technical annexes to which reference is made in the Convention constitute recommendations only, and not binding obligations.
In the note which transmitted its instrument of adherence, the Government of Saudi Arabia stated the following: "The Saudi Arabian Government, in referring to Article 89, Chapter XIX of the Convention, intends to invoke the provisions of that Article vis-a-vis Israel."
The Minister of Switzerland made the following statement in the note transmitting the Swiss instrument of ratification: "My government has instructed me to notify you that the authorities in Switzerland have agreed with the authorities in the Principality of Liechtenstein that this Convention will be applicable to the territory of the Principality as well as to that of the Swiss Confederation, as long as the Treaty of March 29, 1923, integrating the whole territory of Liechtenstein with the Swiss customs territory will remain in force."