because it lacked totally the final clauses, i.e. the provisions regarding the coming into force of the document reservations thereto etc. For all these reasons the conference decided to redraft or at least review all the articles of the Refugee Convention which were to be applied to stateless persons and to adopt, instead of a protocol, a separate convention. There were doubts whether such a procedure would be in accordance with the terms of reference of the conference as expressed in the above resolution of the Economic and Social Council and the powers granted to the delegates by their governments some of whom had full powers to sign a protocol only. It was pointed out, however, that there were precedents of this nature and the doubts were solved in the sense that the credentials issued to sign a protocol were no bar to signing a convention. The Credentials Committee was of the opinion (and the conference adopted this view) that a government, in authorizing its representative to sign a protocol, did not intend to restrict him to a particular form of international instrument, but only intended to describe the contents of the 12 instrument. The decision to have a convention instead of a Protocol was taken by 12 votes to 13 none, with 3 abstentions. There was also the question whether the document should be linked with the Refugee Convention. The decision to have a totally separate instrument was taken by the same votes as 14 above. As already mentioned, the Ad Hoc Committee proposed to apply to stateless persons only some of the provisions of the Refugee Convention as it was drafted by the Ad Hoc Committee. Since the text of the proposed Refugee Convention was revised by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries, the Stateless Persons Conference discussed the final provisions of the Refugee Convention not the draft; it also referred in the discussion to the articles in the final text, instead of referring to the 15 articles in the draft. The draft Protocol had omitted reference to the following articles of the Refugee Convention: (a) Article 4 relating to the freedom of religion; (b) Article 8 and Article 9, concerning exceptional measures; (c) Article 11, relating to refugee seamen; (d) Article 17, paragraphs 2 and 3, dealing with particular aspects of employment; (e) Article 30, relating to transfer of assets; (f) Article 31, relating to illegal entry or sojourn by refugees; (g) Article 33, relating to prohibition of expulsion or return of refugees; (h) Article 35, relating to cooperation of national authorities with the United Nations. The conference included Articles 4, 8, 9, 11, 17 (3), 30 and 31. The work of the conference was concluded, as is usual in diplomatic conferences with the adoption of the Final Act. The Convention was opened for signature on September 28, 1954, at 2.30 p.m. It should, in conclusion, be mentioned that the conference at first discussed mainly the advisability of incorporating a certain Article 1n the Convention and its broad aspects. Final 16 decision on the article was taken at the second reading only. 12 SR. 10, p. 3. 13 SR. 12, p. 9. 14 Ibid. 15 The afore-mentioned memorandum by the Secretary-General included references to the final text of the Refugee Convention. 16 SR.15, p. 5 ff.