Territorial and Maritime Dispute (Nicaragua v. Colombia) - Conclusion of the public hearings on the Preliminary Objections - Court ready to begin its deliberation

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. 2007/16
8 June 2007

Territorial and Maritime Dispute (Nicaragua v. Colombia)

Conclusion of the public hearings on the Preliminary Objections

Court ready to begin its deliberation

THE HAGUE, 8 June2007. The public hearings on the Preliminary Objections in the case

concerning the Territorial and Maritime Dispute (Nicaraguav. Colombia) were concluded today.
The Court will now start its deliberation.

During the hearings, which opened on 4 June 2007 at the Peace Palace, seat of the Court, the
delegation of Colombia was led by H.E.Mr.Ju lioLondoño Paredes, Ambassador, as Agent. The
delegation of Nicaragua was led by H.E.Mr. Carlos José Argüello Gómez, Ambassador of

Nicaragua to the Netherlands, as Agent.

The Court’s judgment will be rendered at a public sitting, the date of which will be
announced in due course.

Final submissions of the Parties

At the conclusion of the oral proceedings, the Parties presented the following final
submissions to the Court:

For Colombia:

“Pursuant to Article 60 of the Rules of Court, having regard to Colombia’s pleadings, written
and oral, Colombia respectfully requests the Court to adjudge and declare that:

(1) under the Pact of Bogotá, and in particular in pursuance of Articles VI and XXXIV, the Court

declares itself to be without jurisdiction to h ear the controversy submitted to it by Nicaragua
under Article XXXI, and declares that controversy ended;

(2) under Article36, paragraph2, of the Statute of the Court, the Court has no jurisdiction to
entertain Nicaragua’s Application; and that

(3) Nicaragua’s Application is dismissed.” - 2 -

For Nicaragua:

“In accordance with Article60 of the Rules of Court and having regard to the pleadings,
written and oral, the Republic of Nicaragua respec tfully requests to the Court, to adjudge and
declare that:

1. The Preliminary Objections submitted by th e Republic of Colombia, both in respect of the
jurisdiction based upon the Pact of Bogotá, a nd in respect of the jurisdiction based upon
Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the Court, are invalid.

2. In the alternative, the Court is requested to adjudge and declare, in accordance with the
provisions of Article79, paragraph7, of the Rules of Court that the Objections submitted by
the Republic of Colombia do not have an exclusively preliminary character.

3. In addition, the Republic of Nicaragua requests the Court to reject the request of the Republic

of Colombia to declare the controversy submitted to it by Nicaragua under Article XXXI of the
Pact of Bogotá ‘ended’, in accordance with Articles VI and XXXIV of the same instrument.

4. Any other matters not explicitly dealt with in the foregoing Written Statement and oral

pleadings, are expressly reserved for the merits phase of this proceeding.”

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The verbatim records of the hearings held between 4 and 8June2007 are available on the
Court’s website (www.icj-cij.org). The history of the proceedings can be found in Press Release
No. 2006/37 of 15 November 2006.

___________

Information Department:

Mrs. Laurence Blairon, Secretary of the Court, Head of the Department (+31 70 302 23 36)
Messrs. Boris Heim and Maxime Schouppe, Information Officers (+31 70 302 23 37)

Ms Joanne Moore, Associate Information Officer (+31 70 302 23 94)