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. 2000/21
28 June 2000
Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment
of the Crime of Genocide (Croatia v. Yugoslavia)
New extension of the time-limits for the filing of written pleadings
THE HAGUE, 28 June 2000. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has again 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 27 June 2000, the Court extended to 14 March 2001 the time-limit for the
filing of a Memorial by the Republic of Croatia and to 16 September 2002 the time-limit for the
filing of a Counter-Memorial by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
This new extension was made at the request of Croatia, which wanted an additional period of
six months for the filing of its Memorial.
Yugoslavia had asked that, if the Court granted the extension requested by Croatia, then
Yugoslavia should be allowed an identical total period for the preparation of its Counter-Memorial,
namely 18 months.
The subsequent procedure has been reserved for further decision.
History of the proceedings
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 “by directly controlling the activity of its armed
forces, intelligence agents, and various paramilitary de tachments, 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 the se 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 reassertelegitimate 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 20,000 dead,
55,000 injured and over 3,000 indi viduals still unaccounted for. Furthermore, 10percent of the - 2 -
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
some 300,000 hectares of arable land unusable, an d that around 25 per cent 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 Court, Croatia invokes Article IX of the Genocide
Convention to which, it states, both Croatia and Y ugoslavia 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 initially fixed 14 March and
14September2000 as the time-limits for the filing of a Memorial by Croatia and a
Counter-Memorial by Yugoslavia. By an Order of 10 March 2000, these time-limits had been
respectively extended to 14 September 2000 and 14 September 2001.
_____________
The full text of the Order will shortly be av ailable 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) - New extension of the time-limits for the filing of written pleadings