. I.C.J. Comminiqué 57/41
(unof f icial)
The îollowing information franthe R2gistry of the Internat ional
Court of Justice is oom~unicated to the press:
On October 16th, 1957, the ijiinister of Israel in the Netherlands
handed to the Ee'gistrar of the International Coui-t of Justice an
Application instituting proceedinis against the People's Republic of
Bulgaria in respect of an aerial incident which occurred on July S')th,
1955.
The Application recalls t,iïat on tn;t date an aircraft belonging to
Zn Israeli airline ccflpany was shot dolm on Bulgarian ierritory by units
of the Bulgarian Security Forces. The fifty-one passengers 2nd seven
crew memberç were killed. The Government of Israel hus claimed damages
from the Bulgarian Governr~eni throuzh diplornatic channels. The
nego-tiations not having proved successful, it requests the Court to
declare that Bulgaria is reuponsible under international law for the
darmge caused and to ..determine the amount of ~o~npensation due.
The Application adds tk?,i a nurnber or" the victiins were nationals
of other countries and the C;overninsi?t oî Israel understands ihat the
States of wjiich these victimç were naiionals have also submitted claims
agairis t the Bulgarian kvernr~zent .
For the purpose of establishing the Jurisdiction of tne Court, the
Application invokes the declarations by the two States involved accepting
the cornpu1sor;y jurisdiction of the Court, namely, the ùeclaration of
Israel d.esosi'~ed with 'tiie Secretarixl; of the United Z\iations on October 17th,
1956, in respect of all legal disputes Itconcerning situations or facts
~ihici? nm,yarise sirbsequent to 25 October, 1951ti, and the Declaration of
Bulgaria in respect of r~hich an instrument of ratii'ication was deposited
on August 12th, 1921, recognising as compulsory the jurisdiction of the
Permanent Court of International Ju,.tice in relation io any other
l'iernber or State accepting the sme obligation.
The Iiagu-e, October 17th, 1957.
The Government of Israel files an Application instituting proceedings against the People's Republic of Bulgaria