Dispute regarding Navigational and Related Rights (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua) - The Court authorizes the submission of a Reply by Costa Rica and a Rejoinder by Nicaragua and fixes time-limits for the fi

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. 2007/24
12 October 2007

Dispute regarding Navigational and Related Rights
(Costa Rica v. Nicaragua)

The Court authorizes the submission of a Reply by Costa Rica and a Rejoinder by Nicaragua

and fixes time-limits for the filing of these pleadings

THE HAGUE, 12October2007. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal
judicial organ of the United Nations, has authorized the submission of a Reply by Costa Rica and a
Rejoinder by Nicaragua in the case concerning th e Dispute regarding Navigational and Related

Rights (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua).

In its Order dated 9 October 2007, the Court fixed 15 January 2008 and 15 July 2008 as the
respective time-limits for the filing of these written pleadings.

The Court made its decision taking account of the agreement of the Parties and of the
circumstances of the case. In its Order, it states that “at a meeting on 27 September 2007 between
the President of the Court and the Agents of the Parties, the Agents of Costa Rica and Nicaragua,
referring, inter alia , to the need for the further elaon of certain points which were still in
dispute between the Parties after the first round of written pleadings, and to the fact that Costa Rica

wished to present new information and documents, stated that their Governments had agreed to
request the Court to authorize the filing of a Reply by the Applicant and of a Rejoinder by the
Respondent”. The Court adds that the Agents argued that their Governments “had agreed on
time-limits for the filing of those pleadings”, namely 15 January and 15 July 2008 respectively.

The subsequent procedure has been reserved for further decision.

History of the proceedings

The history of the proceedings can be found in Press Releases No.2005/20 of
29September2005 and No. 2005/24 of 2 Decemb er 2005, available on the Court’s website

(www.icj-cij.org).

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The full text of the Order will be available shortly on the Court’s website. However, written
pleadings remain confidential until the Court decides to make them acc essible to the public,

generally at the opening of the oral proceedings.

___________

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)