The Ministry for Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia and has the honour to refer to the request by Latvia to accede to the Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of precious Metals, done at Vienna on 15 November 1972, for which the Government of Sweden is the depositary.

Under Article 12, paragraph 1, of the Convention, it is open for accession by any State Member of the United Nations having arrangements for the assay and marking of articles of precious metals necessary to comply with the requirements of the Convention. Any such State may accede to the Convention upon invitation by all Contracting States.

The Government of Sweden, in its capacity as depositary, has received a Recommendation by the Standing Committee set up under the Convention concerning the accession of Latvia to the Convention.

The Government of Sweden has requested all the Contracting States to inform the Government whether they agree that an invitation to accede to the Convention be extended to Latvia. If a reply was not received within four months from the request, the Government of Sweden should, in accordance with the Recommendation, consider the proposal as having been accepted.

No objection has been received within the four months' period.

Therefore, on behalf of the Contracting States, the Government of Sweden has the honour to invite the Republic of Latvia to accede to the Convention. The accession shall become effective three months after the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Swedish Government in accordance with Article 12, paragraph 3.

The Ministry takes this opportunity to inform the Embassy that on 9 January 2001 the standing Committee adopted an Amendment to the Convention. The amendment has been submitted by the Government of Sweden to all Contracting States for acceptance but has not yet entered into force. As Latvia is about to accede to the Convention, the Ministry would suggest that Latvia considers whether to accept this amendment and include it in the instrument of accession. The following documents are annexed.

PMC/W 7/99 (Rev. 4), 4 October 2001

PMC/W 8/99 (Rev. 4), 4 October 2001

PMC/W 9/99 (Rev. 3), 25 January 2001

Status of Acceptance as of 15 October 2003

Furthermore, the Ministry would like to draw attention to an Amendment to Annex II of the Convention, proposed by the Standing Committee on 15 October 2002. This amendment has been submitted by the Government of Sweden to all Contracting States for acceptance but has not yet entered into force. As Latvia is about to accede to the Convention, the Ministry would suggest that Latvia considers whether to accept this amendment also and include it in the instrument of accession.

A copy of this amendment is also annexed, Document PMC/W 5/2002, 21 October 2002.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of Republic of Latvia the assurances of its highest consideration.

Stockholm, 15 October 2003