The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents his compliments to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and has the honor to enclose a copy of a letter dated October 26, 1999, from His Excellency Mr. Álvaro de Mendonça e Moura, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations at Geneva.
November 2, 1999
From: Permanent Mission of Portugal Geneva
To: Mr. Kamil Idris, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva
Geneva 26 October 1999
Mr. Director-General,
Upon instructions from my Government, I have the honour to refer to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, of 9 September 1886 as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971 as amended on 2 October 1979 (and as amended on 28 September 1979) (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention"), which applies to Macau at present and to state as follows.
In conformity with the Joint Declaration of the Government of the Portuguese Republic and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the question of Macau, signed on 13 April 1987, the Portuguese Republic will continue to have international responsibility for Macau until 19 December 1999 and, from that date onwards, the People's Republic of China will resume the exercise of sovereignty over Macau with effect from 20 December 1999.
From 20 December 1999 onwards, the Portuguese Republic will cease to be responsible for the international rights and obligations arising from the application of the Convention to Macau.
I should be grateful if the contents of this letter of notification could be formally put on record and brought to the attention of the other Parties to the Convention.
Please accept, Mr. Director-General, the assurances of my highest consideration.
(signed:)
Alvaro de Mendonça e Moura
Ambassador
Permanent Representative of Portugal