Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Georgia v. Russian Federation) - Preliminary Objections - Conclusion of the public hearings; - Cou

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. 2010/30
17 September 2010

Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Racial Discrimination (Georgia v. Russian Federation)

Preliminary Objections

Conclusion of the public hearings; Court to begin its deliberation

THE HAGUE, 17 September 2010. The public hearings on the preliminary objections raised

by the Russian Federation in the case concerningApplication of the International Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Georgia v. Russian Federation) were
concluded today. The Court will now begin its deliberation.

During the hearings, which opened on Monday 13 September 2010 at the Peace Palace, seat
of the Court, the delegation of the Russian Federation was led by TheirExcellencies

Mr.KirillGevorgian, Director, Legal Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian
Federation and Mr.RomanKolodkin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom
of the Netherlands, as Agents. The Republic of Georgia was led by Their Excellencies
Ms Tina Burjaliani, First Deputy-Minister of Justice and Mr. Shota Gvineria, Ambassador of

Georgia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as Agents.

The Court’s Judgment on these preliminary objec tions will be rendered at a public sitting,
the date of which will be announced in due course.

Submissions of the Parties

At the end of the oral proceedings, the Ag ents of the Parties presented the following
submissions to the Court:

For the Russian Federation:

“For the reasons advanced in the writte n Preliminary Objections and during the
oral pleadings, the Russian Federation requests the Court to adjudge and declare that it
lacks jurisdiction over the claims brought ag ainst the Russian Federation by Georgia,
referred to it by the Application of Georgia of 12 August 2008.”

For Georgia:

“For the reasons advanced in the Written Statement of Georgia on Preliminary
Objections and during the oral pleadings, Georgia respectfully requests the Court: 1. To dismiss the preliminary objections presented by the Russian Federation;

2. To hold that it has jurisdiction to hearthe claims presented by Georgia, and that
these claims are admissible.”

___________

The verbatim records of the hearings held between 13 and 17 September 2010 are available

on the Court’s website (www.icj-cij.org).

___________

Information Department:

Mr. Andrey Poskakukhin, First Secretary of the Court, Head of Department (+31 (0)70 302 2336)

Mr. Boris Heim, Information Officer (+31 (0)70 302 2337)
Ms Joanne Moore, Associate Information Officer (+31 (0)70 302 2394)
Ms Genoveva Madurga, Administrative Assistant (+31 (0)70 302 2396)