Passage through the Great Belt (Finland v. Denmark) - Request for the indication of provisional measures - Hearings to open on 1 July 1991

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
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Peace Palace, 2517 KJ The Hague. Tel. (070- 3924441). Cables:Intercourt, The Hague.
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No. 91/16
31 May 1991

Passage through the Great Belt
(Finiand v. Denmark)

The following iiiformation is communicated to the Press by the
Registry of the Inte~mtional Court of Justice:

Hearims on the request for provisional measures, filed by Finland

on 23 May 1991, in the case conc&ing Passage through the ~reat Belt
(Finland v. Denmark) :, will open on Monday 1 July 1991 at 10 a.m., in the
Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace, The Hague.

As reported in I?ress Communiqué 91/14 of 17 May 1991, the Republic
of Finland, on 17 May 1991, filed in the Registry of the Court an
Application instituting proceedings against the Kingdom of Denmark in
respect of a dispute concerning the question of passage through the
Great Belt (Store Baelt - one of the three straits linking the Baltic to
the Kattegat and theiice to the North Sea).

In its request :€or provisional measures, filed on 23 May 1991
(see Press Communiquii!No. 91/15 of 24 May 19911, Finland requested the
Court to indicate th3 following measures:

"(1) Denmark should, pending the decision by the Court on
the merits of tlhe present case, refrain £rom continuing or
otherwise proceieding with such construction works in connection
with the planneti bridge project over the East Channel of the
Great Belt as w13uld impede the passage of ships, including
drill ships and oil rigs, to and £rom Finnish ports and
shipyards ;"

and
"(2) Denmark should refrain £rom any other action that
might pre judice the outcome of the present proceedings ." NOTEFORTHE PRESS

1. The public sitting will be held in the Great Hall of Juatice of
the Peace Palace. Members of the Press will be antitled to attend on
presentation of an admission card, which may be obtained upon
application. The tables reserved for them are situated on the far left

of the public entrance of the courtroom.

2. Photographs may be taken bef ore the opening, during the f irst
five minutes of the sittings; and also for a few minutes towards the
end. Filming for cinema or television purposes is however subject to
special authorization.

3. In the Press Room, located on the ground floor of the
Peace Palace (Room 51, the oral proceedings will be relayed through a

loudspeaker .

4. Members of the Press may use only the public telephones in the
Post Office in the basement of the Palace.

5. Mr. Witteveen, Secretary of the Court (telephone extension 233)
or, in his absence, Mrs. El-Erian (telephone extension 2341, will be
available to deal with any requests for information by members of the

Press.