Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 11 June 1998 in the Case concerning the Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria), Preliminary Objections (Nigeria v.

INTERNATIONAL COURTOFJUSTICE
Peace Palace, 2517 KJ The Hague. Tel.(31-70-302 23 23). Cables: Intercourt, The Hague.

Telefax (31-70-364 99 28). Telex 32323. Internet address: http: www.icj-cij.org

Communiqué

forimmediate release

No. 99/13
22 March 1999

Reguest for Interpretationof the Judgment of 11 June 1998 in the Case concerning the
Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria),
Preliminary Objections (Nigeria v. Cameroon)

Court to announce its decision on Thursday 25 March 1999

THE HAGUE, 22 March 1999. On Thursday 25 March 1999 the International Court of
Justice (ICJ) will announcits decision on Nigeria's request for interpretation of the Judgment
• delivered by the Court on 11 June 1998 in the case concerning the Land and Maritime Boundary
between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria), Preliminazy Objections.

A public sitting wîll take place at 3 p.m.e Peace Palace in The Hague, during which
thePresident of the Court, Judge Stephen M. Schwebel, will read the Court's Judgment.

This is the first time that the Court is set to rule on a request for interpretation
on prelîminary objections while the proceedings on the meritse case are still pending.

Background information

On 28 October 1998 Nigeria filed a request for interpretation of the Judgment delivered on
11 June 1998 by the Court on the prelîminary objections raised by that State with regard to the
jurisdictionf the Court and the admissibility of Cameroon's Applications in the case conceming
the Land and MaritimeBoundazy between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria).

In its request, Nigeria stated thataspect of the case before the Court is the alleged
international responsibility borneigeria for certain incidents said to have occurred at varions

places in Bakassi and Lake Chad and along the lengththe frontier between those two regions".
• Nigeria contended that Cameroon bad made "allegations involving aber of such incidents in
its Applicationf 29 March 1994, its Additional Application of 6 June 1994, its observations
of 30 April 1996 on Nigeria's preliminary objections, and during the oral hearings held from
2-11 March 1998", and that Cameroon bad also said that it "would be able to provide information
as to otherncidents" on sorne unspecified future occasion.

In Nigeria's vîew, the Court's Judgment of 11 June 1998 "does not specify which of these
alleged incidents are to be considereds part of the merits of the case" and accordingly,
"the meaning and scope of the Judgment requires interpretation" as provided by Article 98 of
the Rules of Court.

The full text Nigeria's submissions reads as follows:

"Nigeria requests the Court to adjudge and declare that the Court's
Judgment of 11 June 1998 is to be interpreted as meaning that:

so far as concerns the international responsibility which Nigeria is said
for certain alleged incidents: - 2 -

ill the dispute before the Court does not include any alleged incidents other than
(at most) those specified in Cameroon's Application of 29 March 1994 and
Additional Application of 6 June 1994;

.Q;ù Cameroon's freedom to present additional facts and legal considerations relates
(at most) only to those specified in Cameroon's Application of 29 March 1994

and Additional Application of 6 June 1994; and

(çl the question whether facts alleged by Cameroon are established or not relates (at
most) only to those specified in Cameroon's Application of 29 March 1994 and
Additional Application of 6 June 1994."

Nigeria's request was transmitted ta Cameroon. Judge Oda, Senior Judge, acting President
of the Court, fixed 3 December 1998 as the time-lîmit for Cameroon ta file written observations.

These written observations were filed within the prescribed time-limit.

In light of the dossier thus submitted ta it, the Court, considering that it had sufficient
information on the positions of the Parties, did not deem it necessary ta invite them "to fumish •
further written or oral explanations", as Article 98, paragraph 4, of the Rules allows it to do.

Since the Court included upon the Bench no judge of the nationality of the Parties, each of
them availed itself of the right to choose a judge ad hoc to sit in the case: Nigeria chose Judge

Bola Ajibola and Cameroon Judge KébaMbaye. Bath made the solemn declaration provided for
in Article20 of the Statute of the Court at a public sitting held on 17 February 1999.

*

NOTE TO THE PRESS

1. The public sitting will be held in the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace in

The Hague, Netherlands. Mobile telephones and beepers are allowed in the courtroom provided
they are turoed off or set on sileot mode. Any offending deviee will be temporarily retained.

2. Members of the Press will be entitled 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.

3. Photographs may be taken for a few minutes at the opening and at the end of the sitting.
•
Television crews may film, but advance notice should be given to the Information Office (see
paragraph 8).

4. In the Press Room, located on the ground floor of the Peace Palace (Room 5), the reading
of the Court's decision will be relayed through a loudspeaker.

5. At the end of the sitting, a press release, a summary of the Judgment and its full text will
be distributed in the Press Room.

6. Ail the above-mentioned documents will be simultaneously available on the Website of the
Court (http://www.icj-cij.org).

7. Members of the Press who wish to make telephone calls may use the phone located in the
Press Room or the public telephones in the Post Office in the basement of the Peace Palace.

8. Mr. Arthur Witteveen, Secretary of the Court (tel: 31-70-302 2336), and

Mrs. Laurence Blairon, Information Officer (tel: 31-70-302 2337), are available to deal with any
requests for information and for making arrangements for television coverage.