Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. United States of America) - Hearing to open on the merits

un0fficial
for ~mmediaterslesse

Dist. Judges and staff.
The Hague list P.P. P.O. (1600)
No. 85/16
10 September 1985

List P.P. P.O. (O5100)

Militaryand Paramilitary Activitiesin and against
Nicaragua(Nicaragua v. UnitedStatesof America)

Hearingto open on the merits

The following informatio is communicated to the pressby the
Registry ofthe International Courtof Justice:

On Thursday 12 September 1985, at 10 a.m., at the Peace Palacein
The Hague,the Courtwill begin oralproceedingson the meritsof the
case concerningMilitaryand Paramilitary Activities inand against
Nicaragua, between Nicaragu aad theUnitedStatesof America.

The casewas submittedto the Courton 9April 1984by an Application

of the Republicof Nicaragua instituting proceedin agsainstthe United
Statesof Americtain respectof a disputeconcerningresponsYbility for
militaryand paramilitary activitiesin and against Nicaragua. Nicaragua
filedat the time a requestfor the indicationof provisional measures
underArticle 41 of the Statuteof the Court.

By an Orderdated 10 May 1984, the Court indicateda numberof
provisional measureasnd also decidedthat the proceedings would first
be addressedto the questionsof the jurisdiction of the Court to
entertainthe disputeand ofthe admissibility of the Application.

The Republicof El Salvador having file addeclarationof intervention

underArticle63 of theStatute,on 4 October 1984 the Courtmade an Order
in which it decidednot to hold a hearingon the declarationof intervention
of the Republicof El Salvador,also decidingthat this declaration was
inadmissiblein.asmucahs it relatedto thephase of theproceedings
concerningjuri.sdictio and admissibility.

The Court heardthe representatives of Nicaraguaand ofthe
UnitedStatesin publicsittingsheld between 8 and 18October 1984.
On 26 November1984, it delivereda Judgmentin whichit found thatit
had jurisdictionto entertainthe case andthat the Applicationof
Nicaragua wasadmissible.

By... By a letterdated 18 January 1985, the Agent of the UnitedStates
made it known that, notwithstandint ghe Judgmentof 26 November 1984,
in the view of the United States"the Court is without jurisdiction
to entertainthe dispute andthat theNicaraguan Applicatioo nf
9 April 1984 isinadmissible" and that accordingly"the-United States
intendsnot to participatein any further proceedings i connection
with this case". On 22 January1985 the Agent of Nicaragua informed
the Presidentthat his Government nlaintalnedits application and availed

itselfof the rightsprovidedfor in Article53 of the Statutewhenever
one of the Parties does not appearbefore the Court or£ails to defend
its case. . .,

By an Order dated 22 January 1985 (I.C.J.Reports 1985, p. 3),
the Presidentfixed time-limitsfor the filingof pleadingson the
merits. The Government of Nicaragua filed it; ~emorialwithin the
prescribedtime-limit(30April 1985). No Counter-Memorial has been
filedby the Government ofthe United States within the time-limit 'II
allottedto it, which expiredon 31 May 1985,andno extensionof such
time-limitwas requestedby that Government.

The casebeing ready for hearing,the President decided, under
Article54 of theRules of Court, to fix 12September1985 as the date

for the openingof the oral proceedingsin the case.

NOTE FOR THE PRESS

1. The public sittingwill be held in the GreatHall of Justiceof
the Peace Palace. Membersof the presswill be entitledto attendit
after presentationof a press identificatioc nard or an admissioncard,
which may be obtained upon application. The tables reserved fot rhem r
are situatedon the far left ofthe publicentranceto the courtroom.

2. Photographsmay be takenbefore the opening andduringthe first
few minutesof the sitting. Filming for cinemaor televisionpurposesis
however subject to specialauthorization.

3. In the Press Room,locatedon the groundfloor ofthe Peace Palace
(Room 5), the oral proceedingswill be relayed through a loudspeaker.

4. Membersof the pressmay use only the publictelephone inthe
Post Office inthe basementof the Palace.

5. Mr. C. Poux, First Secretary of the Court (telephone extension233),
or, in his absence, Mr. Noble (extension248) will be availableto deal
with any requests forinformationby membersof the press.