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2. Before the property of an estate is handed over to the heirs or is sent abroad, the duties payable on the value of the estate shall be paid and other claims against the estate presented and substantiated by heirs or other persons living in the receiving country shall be satisfied. This obligation on the part of the consul shall lapse unless within six months after the death of the deceased the claims are shown to have been recognized as valid or to be under the consideration of the competent authorities.

3. In the case of immovable property the applicable law shall be the law of the country in which the property is situated.

1. Consuls may appoint guardians and curators for citizens of the sending State. They shall be entitled to supervise the activities of guardians and curators.

2. If a consul learns that the property of a citizen of the sending State is without an administrator, he may appoint a trustee in accordance with the laws of the receiving country.

1. A consul may, personally or through his agents, extend every assistance and co-operation to merchant vessels and warships which sail under his country's flag and which enter a port in his consular district.

2. If the authorities of the receiving State intend to carry out any measures of constraint on board merchant vessels of the sending State, the appropriate consul shall be notified in advance so that he may be present when the said measures are carried out. This provision shall not apply to customs, passport and health control of the vessel, crew and passengers.

If a vessel sailing under the flag of one Contracting Party is wrecked, or runs aground or is stranded on the coast of the other Contracting Party, or is otherwise damaged, the competent authorities shall immediately notify the consul of the occurrence and inform him of the measures they have taken to save lives, the vessel and the cargo. They shall extend the necessary co-operation to the consul in his action in connexion with the damage to the vessel.

The provisions of articles 23 and 24 of this Convention shall apply mutatis mutandis to aircraft.

No. 4609