Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions between Qatar and Bahrain (Qatar v. Bahrain) - Conclusion of the public hearings on the merits of the dispute - Court ready to consider its Judgment

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: Il www.icj-cij.org

Conrmuniqué
unofficial
forimmediate release

No.2000122
29 June 2000

Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions between Qatar and Bahrain
(Qatar v. Bahrain)

Conclusion of the public hearings on the merits of the dispute

Court readv to consider its Judgment

THE HAGUE, 29 June 2000. The public hearings in the case concerning Maritime
Delimitation and Territorial Questions between Qatar and Bahrain (Qatar v. Bahrain), the longest
in the history of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), were concluded today. Members of the
Court will now start their deliberations.

During the hearings, which started on 29 May2000, the delegation of Qatar was led by
H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulatif Al-Muslemani, Secretary-Generalof the Cabinet, Agent and
Counsel, and the delegation of Bahrain by H.:Mr.Jawad Salim Al-Arayed, Minister of State,
as Agent.

The Court's Judgment, binding and without appeal, · will be delivered in four to
six months'time. It will read at a public hearing on a date to be announced in a forthcoming
press release.

Parties' submissions

The Parties have presented the following submissions to the Court at the end of the oral
proceedings.

For Qatar:
•
"The State of Qatar respectfully requests the Court, rejecting ail contrary claims
and submissions:

I. To adjudge and declare in accordance with international law:

A. (1) that the State of Qatar bas sovereignty aver the Hawar Islands;
(2) that Dibal and Qit'at Jaradah shoals are low-tide elevations which are under Qatar's
sovereignty;

B. (1) that the State ofBahrain has no sovereignty over the island of Janan;
(2) that the State of Bahrain bas no sovereignty over Zubarah;
(3) that any claim by Bahrain concerning archipelagic baselines and areas for fishing for
pearls and swimming fish would be irrelevant for the purpose of maritime
delimitation in the present case;

II. To draw a single maritime boundary between the maritime areas of seabed, subsoil
and superjacent waters appertaining respectively to the of Qatar and the State

of Bahrain on the basis that Zubarah, the Hawar Islands and the island of Janan
appertain to the State of Qatar and not to the State of Bahrain, that boundary -2-

starting from point 2 of the delimitation agreement concluded between Bahrain and

Iran in 1971 (51° 05' 54" E and 27° 02' 47" N), thence proceeding in a southerly
direction up toBLV (50° 57' 30" E and 26° 33' 35" N), then following the line of
the British decision of 23 December 1947 up to NSLB (50° 49' 48" E and 26° 21'
24" N) and up to point L (50° 43' 00" E and 25° 47' 27" N), thence proceeding to
point S1 of the delimitation agreement concluded by Bahrain and Saudi Arabi a in
1958 (50° 31'45" E and 25° 35'38" N)."

For Bahrain:

"May it please the Court, rejecting all contrary claims and submissions, ta
adjudge and declare that:

(1) Bahrain is sovereign over Zubarah.
(2) Bahrain is sovereign over the Hawar Islands, including Janan andadd Janan.

In view of Bahrain's sovereignty over aU the insular and other features,
including Fasht ad Dibal and Qit'at Jaradah, comprising the Bahraini archipelago, the
maritime boundary between Bahrain and Qatar is as described in Part Two of
Bahrain's Memorial."
•

*

Internai Judicial Practice of the Court with respect to deliberations

In accordance with the Internai Judicial Practice of the Court with respect to deliberations,
the judges will shortly hold a preliminary discussion, at which the President will outline the issues
which require discussionand a decision by the Court.

Each judge will then prepare a written Note setting out his views on the case. Each Note will
be distributed to the other judges. A full deliberationlbe held afterwards, at the end of whîch,
on the basis of the views expressed, a drafting committee will be chosen by secret ballot.
That committee will consist oftwo judges holding the majority view of the Court, together with the
President,if he shares that view.

The draft text will go through two readings during which amendments submitted by the
judges will be considered. Meanwhîle, judges who wîsh to do so may prepare a separate or •

dissenting opinion.

The final vote will be taken after adoption of the final text of the Judgment in the second
reading.

*

NOTEFORTHEPRESS

The full transcripts of the hearings of 29 May-29 June 2000 can be found on the Court's
website at the following address:ttp://www.icj-cij.org

Information Office.:

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