Legality of Use of Force (Yugoslavia v. United States of America) - Provisional measures - Court to give its decisions on Wednesday 2 June 1999 at 10.00 a.m.

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
unofficial
forimmediate release

No. 99/22

28 May 1999

Legality of Use of Force
(Yugoslavia v. Belgium) (Yugoslavia v. Canada) CYugoslavia v. France)
(Yugoslavia v. Germanyl <Yugoslavia v. ltalyl O'ugoslavia v. Netherlands)
(Yugoslavia v. Portugal} fYugoslavia v. Spain) fYugoslavia v. United Kingdom)

(Yugoslavia v. United States of America)

Provisional measures

Court to give its decisions on Wednesday 2 June 1999 at 10.00 a.m.

THE HAGUE, 28 May 1999. On Wednesday 2 June 1999, the International Court of Justice
(ICJ), the principal judicial organthe United Nations, will give its decisions on the requests for
the indicationf provisional measures submitted by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in
the above-mentioned cases.

A public sitting will take place at 10.00 a.m. at the Peace Palace in The Hague during which
the Vice-President of the Court, Judge Christopher Weeramantry, exercising the fonctioof the
presidency inthe ten cases, will announce the Court's decision in each case.

Special admission procedure

The admission procedure for this public sitting is similarat established for the hearings
of 10-12 May 1999.

Members of the Diplomatie Cotps and representatives of international organizations are kindly

requested to cali the Court swîtchboard (tel: + 31 70 302 23 23) by Tuesday 1 June 1999 in arder
to confirm that they will attend.

Members of the public are asked to do the same. They are, however, reminded that the
number of seats reserved for them in the Great Hall of Justice is restricted to 50.

Representatives of the Press are kindly requested to fill in the enclosed accreditation forrn and

to retum it by Tuesday 1 June 1999 to the Information Office (fax+ 31 70 302 23 38).

Background information

In its request for the indication ofprovisional measures, Yugoslavia asked the Courter

the States învolved to "cease immediately [their] acts of use of force" and to "refrain from any act
of threat or use of force" against the FRY. •:

- 2 -

At the opening of the hearings, on Monday 10 May 1999, five judges ad hoc took the oath
(Article 31 of the Court's Statute provides that parties which do not have any judge of their
nationality on the Bench may appoint a judge ad hoc). They are Messrs. Milenko Kreéa

(Yugoslavia), Patrick Duinslaeger (Belgium), Marc Lalande (Canada}, Giorgio Gaja (Italy) and
Santiago Torres Bemardez (Spain).

The Court then beard the Parties. Yugoslavia, as the applicant State, spoke first for two hours
in a common statement for ali ten cases. lt was followed by the respondent States in English

alphabetical arder. Each State bad one hour to submît its arguments. The first round of oral
arguments was concluded on Tuesday 11 May 1999. A second round of oral arguments was held
on Wednesday 12 May 1999, Yugoslavia having one hour at its disposai and the respondent States
15 minutes each.

Yugoslavia filed its requests for the indication of provisional measures on 29 April 1999
when it instituted proceedings before the Court against the ten above-mentioned States, accusing
them of bombing Yugosla v territory in violation of their obligation not to use force against another
State (for further details, see Press Communiqué 99/17).

*

NOTE FOR 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 turned off or set on silent mode. Any offending deviee will be temporarily confiscated.

2. The tables reserved for members of the Press are situated on the far left of the public
entrance to 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 Orders will be relayed through a loudspeaker.

5. At the end of the sitting, press releases (one for each case) and the full text of the Orders •
will be distributed in the Press Room.

6. The above-mentioned documents will be simultaneously available on the Court's website
(http://www .icj-cij.org).

7. Members of the Press who wish to make telephone caUs may use the phone located in the

Press Room for collect calls 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 0 fficer (te+: 31 70 302 2337), are available to deal with any
requests for information and for making arrangements for television coverage...

ACCREDITATION FORM
FOR THE PUBLIC SITTING OF 2 JUNE 1999
AT THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

(PLEASE USE CAPITAL LETTERS)

MEDIA:

CATEGORY: 0 written press 0 television D radio 0 photographer

COUNTRY:

PHONE:

FAX:

E-MAIL:

PERSONS TO BE ACCREDITED:

Name Function No. press Issuedby
card

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Please return this fonn BY TUESDAY 1 JUNE 1999 to the Information Office of the International
Court of Justice

Fax:+ 31 70 302 23 38