Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan (Indonesia/Malaysia) - Fixing of time-limits for the filing of written pleadings

INTERNATIONAL COURTOFJUSTICE

Peace Palace, 2517 KJ The Hague. Tel.(31~7 23 23)0C2ables: Intercourt, The Hague.
Telefax (31-70-364 99 28). Telex 32323. Internet address: http: Il www.icj-cij.org

Communiqué
unofficial
for immediaterelease

No. 98/37
11 November 1998

Case concerning Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan
andonesia/Malaysia)

Fixing of time-limits for the filing of written pleadings

THE HAGUE, 1l November 1998. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) bas fixed
time-limits for the filing ofwritten pleadings in the case concerning Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan

and Pulau Sipadan (lndonesia/Malaysia).

By an Order of 10 November 1998, it decided that each of the Parties would file a Memorial
by 2 November 1999 and a Counter-Memorial by 2 March 2000, taking into account the wishes

expressed by the Parties in the Special Agreement by which they brought the case to the Court.

The subsequent procedure bas been reserved.

Indonesia and Malaysia jointly seised the Court on 2 November last of their dispute
conceming sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan, two islands in the Celebes Sea.
They did so by notifying the Court of a Special Agreement, which was signed between them
on 31 May 1997 at Kuala Lumpur and entered into force on 14 May 1998.

In the Special Agreement, the Parties request the Court "to determine on the basis of the
treaties, agreements and any other evidence furnished by [them], whether sovereignty over
Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan belongs to the Republic of Indonesia or to Malaysia". They express

the wish to settle their dispute the spirit of friendly relations existing between [them] as
enunciated in the 1976Treaty of Amity and Co-operation in Southeast Asîa" and declare in advance
that they willccept the Judgment of the Court given pursuant to [the] Special Agreement as final
and binding upon them".

The Rulesof Court provide that, in a case unilaterally brought by one State against another
State (by means of an application), the applicant submits a Memorial and the respondent
subsequently a Counter-Memorial, within different time-limits. In a case brought jointly by two

States (by the notification special agreement), however, each of the parties submits a Memorial
and subsequently a Counter-Memorial, within the same time-limits.

Website addressof the Court: http://www.icj-cij.org
Information Office:

Mr. Arthur Witteveen, Secretary of the Court (tel: 31-70 302 2336)
Mrs. Laurence Blairon, Information Officer (tel: 302 2337)
E-mail address: [email protected]