Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)

OVERVIEW OF THE CASE

On 17 November 2008, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia filed in the Registry of the Court an Application instituting proceedings against the Hellenic Republic in respect of a dispute concerning the interpretation and implementation of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995. In particular, the Applicant sought to establish that, by objecting to the Applicant’s admission to NATO, the Respondent had breached Article 11, paragraph 1, of the said Accord, which provides that:

“Upon entry into force of this Interim Accord, the Party of the First Part agrees not to object to the application by or the membership of the Party of the Second Part in international, multilateral and regional organizations and institutions of which the Party of the First Part is a member; however, the Party of the First Part reserves the right to object to any membership referred to above if and to the extent the Party of the Second Part is to be referred to in such organization or institution differently than in paragraph 2 of United Nations Security Council resolution 817 (1993).”

In paragraph 2 of resolution 817, the Security Council recommended that the Applicant be admitted to membership in the United Nations, being “provisionally referred to for all purposes within the United Nations as ‘the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’ pending settlement of the difference that has arisen over the name of the State”. In the period following the adoption of the Interim Accord, the Applicant was granted membership in a number of international organizations of which the Respondent was already a member. The Applicant’s NATO candidacy was considered in a meeting of NATO member States in Bucharest (hereinafter the “Bucharest Summit”) on 2 and 3 April 2008 but the Applicant was not invited to begin talks on accession to the organization. The communiqué issued at the end of the Bucharest Summit stated that an invitation would be extended to the Applicant “as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue has been reached”.

In its Judgment of 5 December 2011, the Court first addressed the Respondent’s claim that the Court had no jurisdiction to entertain the case and that the Application was inadmissible for several reasons. The Court upheld none of those objections and concluded that it had jurisdiction over the dispute and that the Application was admissible. Turning to the merits of the case, the Court considered whether the Respondent objected to the Applicant’s admission to NATO, within the meaning of the first clause of Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord. In the view of the Court, the evidence submitted to it demonstrated that through formal diplomatic correspondence and through statements of its senior officials, the Respondent had made clear before, during and after the Bucharest Summit that the resolution of the difference over the name was the “decisive criterion” for the Respondent to accept the Applicant’s admission to NATO. The Court therefore concluded that the Respondent had objected to the Applicant’s admission to NATO, within the meaning of the first clause of Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord.

The Court then considered whether the Respondent’s objection to the Applicant’s admission to NATO at the Bucharest Summit fell within the exception contained in the second clause of Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord, finding that it did not.

The Court thus concluded that the Respondent had failed to comply with its obligation under Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord by objecting to the Applicant’s admission to NATO at the Bucharest Summit. It also rejected the Respondent’s alternative arguments that its objection had been made in response to the Applicant’s breaches of the Interim Accord.

As to possible remedies for the violation by the Respondent of its obligation under Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord, the Court found that a declaration that the Respondent had violated its obligation not to object to the Applicant’s admission to or membership in NATO was warranted and that such finding constituted appropriate satisfaction. The Court did not consider it necessary, however, to order the Respondent, as the Applicant requested, to refrain from any future conduct that violated its obligation under Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord.


This overview is provided for information only and in no way involves the responsibility of the Court.

Institution of proceedings


Written proceedings

19 January 2010
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27 October 2010
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Oral proceedings

Verbatim record 2011/5 (bilingual version)
Public sitting held on Monday 21 March 2011, at 3 p.m., at the Peace Palace, President Owada presiding, in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)
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Translation
(bilingual version) Translation
Verbatim record 2011/6 (bilingual version)
Public sitting held on Tuesday 22 March 2011, at 10 a.m., at the Peace Palace, President Owada presiding, in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)
Available in:
Translation
(bilingual version) Translation
Verbatim record 2011/7 (bilingual version)
Public sitting held on Tuesday 22 March 2011, at 3 p.m., at the Peace Palace, President Owada presiding, in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)
Available in:
Translation
(bilingual version) Translation
Verbatim record 2011/8 (bilingual version)
Public sitting held on Thursday 24 March 2011, at 3 p.m., at the Peace Palace, President Owada presiding, in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)
Available in:
Translation
(bilingual version) Translation
Verbatim record 2011/9 (bilingual version)
Public sitting held on Friday 25 March 2011, at 10 a.m., at the Peace Palace, President Owada presiding, in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)
Available in:
Translation
(bilingual version) Translation
Verbatim record 2011/10 (bilingual version)
Public sitting held on Friday 25 March 2011, at 3 p.m., at the Peace Palace, President Owada presiding, in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)
Available in:
Translation
(bilingual version) Translation
Verbatim record 2011/11 (bilingual version)
Public sitting held on Monday 28 March 2011, at 10 a.m., at the Peace Palace, President Owada presiding, in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)
Available in:
Translation
(bilingual version) Translation
Verbatim record 2011/12 (bilingual version)
Public sitting held on Wednesday 30 March 2011, at 3 p.m., at the Peace Palace, President Owada presiding, in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)
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Translation
(bilingual version) Translation

Other documents


Orders

Fixing of time-limits: Memorial and Counter-Memorial
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Fixing of time-limits
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Judgments


Summaries of Judgments and Orders

Summary of the Judgment of 5 December 2011
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Press releases

17 November 2008
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia institutes proceedings against Greece for a violation of Article 11 of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995
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22 January 2009
Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece) - Fixing of time-limits for the filing of the initial pleadings
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16 March 2010
Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece) - The Court authorizes the submission of a Reply by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and a Rejoinder by Greece, and fixes time-limits for the filing of these pleadings
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9 February 2011
Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece) - The Court to hold public hearings from Monday 21 to Wednesday 30 March 2011
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30 March 2011
Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece) - Conclusion of the public hearings - Court to begin its deliberation
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24 November 2011
Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece) - The Court to deliver its Judgment on Monday 5 December 2011 at 10 a.m.
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5 December 2011
The Court finds that Greece, by objecting to the admission of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to NATO, has breached its obligation under Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995
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