INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)70 302 2323 Fax: +31 (0)70 364 9928
Website: www.icj-cij.org
Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2000/9
17 March 2000
Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment
of the Crime of Genocide (Croatia v. Yugoslavia)
Extension of the time-limits for the filing of written pleadings
THE HAGUE, 17 March 2000. The President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has
extended the time-limits for the filing of written pleadings in the case concerning Application of
the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Croatia v.
Yugoslavia).
By an Order dated 10 March2000, Pr esident Gilbert Guillaume extended to
14September2000 the time-limit for the filing of a Memorial by the Republic of Croatia and to
14 September 2001 the time-limit for the filing of a Counter-Memorial by the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia. This extension was made on the request of Croatia and after the views of Yugoslavia
had been ascertained.
The subsequent procedure has been reserved for further decision.
Background information
On 2 July 1999 the Republic of Croatia ins tituted proceedings before the Court against the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for violations of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide alleged to have been committed between 1991 and 1995.
In its Application, Croatia contends that “y directly controlling the activity of its armed
forces, intelligence agents, and various paramilitary detachments, on the territory of . . . Croatia, in
the Knin region, eastern and western Slavonia, and Dalmatia, [Yugoslavia] is liable [for] the
‘ethnic cleansing’ of Croatian citizens from th ese areas . . . as well as extensive property
destruction — and is required to provide repara tion for the resulting damage”. Croatia goes on to
state that “in addition, by directing, encouraging, and urging Croatian citizens of Serb ethnicity in
the Knin region to evacuate the area in 1995, as .. . Croatia reasserted its legitimate governmental
authority . . . [Yugoslavia] engaged in conduct amounting to a second round of ‘ethnic cleansing’“.
According to Croatia, “the aggression wage d by [Yugoslavia]” resulted in 20,000dead,
55,000injured and over 3,000 indivi duals still unaccounted for. Furthermore, 10percent of the
country’s housing capacity is alleged to have been destroyed, while cultural monuments, historical
sites and Croatian catholic churches were also destroyed or damaged. Croatia further claims that a
great number of explosive devices of various kinds were planted in Croatia, currently rendering - 2 -
some 300,000hectares of arable land unusable, and that around 25percent of its total economic
capacity, including major facilities such as the Adriatic pipeline, was damaged or destroyed.
Accordingly, Croatia requests the Court to adjudge and declare that Yugoslavia “has
breached its legal obligations” to Croatia under the Genocide Convention and that it “has an
obligation to pay to . . . Croatia, in its own right and as parens patriae for its citizens, reparations for
damages to persons and property, as well as to the Croatian economy and environment caused by
the foregoing violations of international law in a sum to be determined by the Court”.
As a basis for the jurisdiction of the Cour t, Croatia invokes ArticleIX of the Genocide
Convention to which, it states, both Croatia and Yugos lavia are parties. That Article provides that
disputes between contracting parties relating to the interpretation, application or fulfilment of the
Convention shall be submitted to the International Court of Justice.
By an Order of 14 September 1999, the Court had fixed 14 March and 14 September 2000 as
the time-limits for the filing of a Memorial by Croatia and a Counter-Memorial by Yugoslavia
respectively.
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The full text of the Order will shortly be available on the Court’s website at the following
address: http://www.icj-cij.org
_____________
Information Department:
Mr. Arthur Witteveen, First Secretary (+ 31 (0)70 302 23 36)
Mrs. Laurence Blairon, Information Officer (+ 31 (0)70 302 23 37)
E-mail address: [email protected]
Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Croatia v. Serbia and Montenegro) - Extension of the time-limits for the filing of written pleadings