Order of 28 April 1995

Document Number
087-19950428-ORD-01-00-EN
Document Type
Date of the Document
Document File
Bilingual Document File

INTERNATIONAL COUOF JUSTICE

REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS

CASE CONCERNING MARITIME DELIMITATION

AND TERRITORIAL QUESTIONS
BETWEEN QATAR AND BAHRAIN

(QATAR vBAHRAIN)

ORDER OF 28 APRIL 1995

COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE

RECUEIL DES ARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNANCES

AFFAIRE DE LA DÉLIMITATION MARITIME
ET DES QUESTIONS TERRITORIALES

ENTRE QATAR ET BAHREÏN

(QATAR c. BAHREÏN)

ORDONNANCE DU 28 AVRIL 1995 Officia1citatio:
Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions
between Qatar and Bahrain, Order of 28 April 1995,
1.C.J. Reports 1995, p. 83

Mode officiel de citation:
Délimitation nzaritime et questions territoriales
entre Qatar etBai~rein,ordonnance du 28 avril 1995,
C.I.J. Recueil 1995, p. 83

Sales number
ISSN 0074-4441 No de vente: 659
ISBN 92-1-070722-2 INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

1995 YEAR 1995
28 April
General List
No. 87 28 April1995

CASECONCERNING MARITIME DELIMITATION

AND TERRITORIAL QUESTIONS

BETWEEN QATAR AND BAHRAIN

(QATAR v.BAHRAIN)

ORDER

Pvesent: Pvesident BEDJAOUI; ice-Plesident SCHWEBEJ;dges ODA,
Sir Robert JENNINGS,UILLAUME S,HAHABUDDEEN,AGUILAR-
MAWDSLEY,WEERAMANTRY R,ANJEVA,HERCZEGH,SHI,
FLEISCHHAUE KO,ROMA V,ERESHCHETIJNu;dgad hoc TORRES
BERNARDEZ; Registvar VALENCIA-OSPINA.

The International Court of Justice,

Composed as above,
After deliberation,
Having regard to Article of the Statute of the Court and to Ar-
ticle4 of the Rules of Court,

Having regard to the Order dated 11October 1991,bywhich the Presi-
dent of the Court, having consulted the Parties in accordance with Ar-
ticle 31 of theles of Court, decided that the written pleadings should
first be addressed to the questions of the jurisdiction of the Court to
entertain the dispute and of the admissibility of the Application, and
fixed time-limits for a Memorial by Qatar and a Counter-Mernorial by
Bahrain on those questions;
Having regard to the Order dated 26 June 1992,by which the Court,considering that the filing of further pleadings by the Parties was neces-
sary, directed that a Reply by Qatar and a Rejoinder by Bahrain be filed
on the same questions;

Having regard to the Judgrnent of 1 July 1994, by which the Court
found that the exchanges of letters of December 1987between the King
of Saudi Arabia and the Amirs of Qatar and Bahrain, and the Minutes
signed at Doha on 25 December 1990, were international agreements
creating rights and obligations for the Parties, and that, by the terms of
those agreements, the Parties had undertaken to submit to it the whole of
the dispute between them, as circumscribed by the "Bahraini formula";
decided to afford the Parties the opportunity to submit to it the whole of
the dispute; fixed 30November 1994as the time-limit within which the
Parties werejointly or separately to take action to that end; and reserved
any other matters for subsequent decision;

Having regard to the Judgrnent dated 15February 1995, bywhich the
Court found that it has jurisdiction to adjudicate upon the dispute
between Qatar and Bahrain which has been submitted to it; that it is now
seised of the whole of the dispute; and that the Application of Qatar as
formulated on 30 November 1994is admissible;
Whereas in paragraph 39 of the Judgment that it delivered on 1 July
1994the Court expressed itself in the following terms:

"On the completion thus of the reference of the whole dispute to
the Court, the Court willfixtime-limits for the simultaneous filingof
pleadings, i.e., each Party will filea Memorial and then a Counter-
Memorial within the same time-limits";

and whereas in paragraph 49 of the Judgment that it delivered on 15 Feb-
ruary 1995,the Court gave the following clarification:
"Within the framework thus defined,it falls to Qatar to present its
submissions to the Court,as it falls to Bahrain to present its own. To
this end, after it has ascertained the views of the Parties, the Court
will issue anOrder fixing the time-limits for the simultaneous filing

of the written pleadings, in accordance with paragraph 39 of the
Judgment of 1July 1994" ;
Whereas time-limits have now to be fixed for the written proceedings
on the merits;

Whereas, for the purpose of ascertaining the views of the Parties with
regard to those time-limits, the President invited the Agents to attend a
meeting the date of which was fixed as 27 April 1995;
Whereas, in a letter dated 24 April 1995 and received in the Registry
on the same day by facsimile, the Agent of Bahrain, referring to a docu-
ment entitled "Officia1Declaration by the Government of the State of
Bahrain in connection with its position regarding the new Judgment of
the Court, issued on 15 February 1995", the text of which he had trans-
mitted to the Court under cover of a letter dated 7 March 1995,indicated85 MARITIME DELIMITATION AND TERRITORIAL QUESTIONS (ORD2 .8 IV 95)

inter alia that, for the reasons set forth in that Declaration, he could not
"respond positively to the invitation of the President to attend the meet-
ing scheduled on 27 April 1995";

Having ascertained the views of Qatar and having given Bahrain an
opportunity of stating its views,

Fixes 29 February 1996as the time-limit for the filing by each of the
Parties of a Memorial on the merits; and
Reserves the subsequent procedure for further decision.

Done in English and in French, the English text beingauthoritative, at
the Peace Palace, The Hague, this twenty-eighth day of April, one thou-

Sand nine hundred and ninety-five, in three copies, one of which will be
placed in the archives of the Court and the others transmitted to the
Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the State of
Bahrain, respectively.

(Signed) Mohammed BEDJAOUI,
President.

(Signed) Eduardo VALENCIA-OSPINA,
Registrar.

Bilingual Content

INTERNATIONAL COUOF JUSTICE

REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS

CASE CONCERNING MARITIME DELIMITATION

AND TERRITORIAL QUESTIONS
BETWEEN QATAR AND BAHRAIN

(QATAR vBAHRAIN)

ORDER OF 28 APRIL 1995

COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE

RECUEIL DES ARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNANCES

AFFAIRE DE LA DÉLIMITATION MARITIME
ET DES QUESTIONS TERRITORIALES

ENTRE QATAR ET BAHREÏN

(QATAR c. BAHREÏN)

ORDONNANCE DU 28 AVRIL 1995 Officia1citatio:
Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions
between Qatar and Bahrain, Order of 28 April 1995,
1.C.J. Reports 1995, p. 83

Mode officiel de citation:
Délimitation nzaritime et questions territoriales
entre Qatar etBai~rein,ordonnance du 28 avril 1995,
C.I.J. Recueil 1995, p. 83

Sales number
ISSN 0074-4441 No de vente: 659
ISBN 92-1-070722-2 INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

1995 YEAR 1995
28 April
General List
No. 87 28 April1995

CASECONCERNING MARITIME DELIMITATION

AND TERRITORIAL QUESTIONS

BETWEEN QATAR AND BAHRAIN

(QATAR v.BAHRAIN)

ORDER

Pvesent: Pvesident BEDJAOUI; ice-Plesident SCHWEBEJ;dges ODA,
Sir Robert JENNINGS,UILLAUME S,HAHABUDDEEN,AGUILAR-
MAWDSLEY,WEERAMANTRY R,ANJEVA,HERCZEGH,SHI,
FLEISCHHAUE KO,ROMA V,ERESHCHETIJNu;dgad hoc TORRES
BERNARDEZ; Registvar VALENCIA-OSPINA.

The International Court of Justice,

Composed as above,
After deliberation,
Having regard to Article of the Statute of the Court and to Ar-
ticle4 of the Rules of Court,

Having regard to the Order dated 11October 1991,bywhich the Presi-
dent of the Court, having consulted the Parties in accordance with Ar-
ticle 31 of theles of Court, decided that the written pleadings should
first be addressed to the questions of the jurisdiction of the Court to
entertain the dispute and of the admissibility of the Application, and
fixed time-limits for a Memorial by Qatar and a Counter-Mernorial by
Bahrain on those questions;
Having regard to the Order dated 26 June 1992,by which the Court, COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE

ANNÉE 1995 1995
28avril
Rôle général
28 avril1995 no87

AFFAIRE DE LA DÉLIMITATION MARITIME
ET DES QUESTIONS TERRITORIALES

ENTRE QATAR ET BAHREÏN

ORDONNANCE

Présents: M. BEDJAOUI,Président;. SCHWEBELV , ice-Président;
M. ODA,sir Robert JENNINGS, GUILLAUME S,HAHABUD-

DEENA, GUILAR-MAWDSW LEEE,RAMANTRRAY, JEVH,ERCZEGH,
SHI,FLEISCHHAUERO,ROMAV,ERESHCHETjIg,es; M. TORRES
BERNARDEjuZ,e ad hoc;. VALENCIA-OSPINGA~,ef$er.

La Cour internationale de Justice,
Ainsi composée,

Après délibéen chambre du conseil,
Vu l'articledu Statut de la Cour et l'article 44 de son Règlement,

Vu l'ordonnance en date ductobre 1991,par laquelle le Président
de la Cour, après avoir consulté les Parties en vertu de l'article 31 du
Règlement, a décidéque les pièces de la procédure écrite porteraient
d'abord sur la question de la compétencede la Cour pour connaître du
différend etsur celle de la recevabilitéde la requête,et a fixéla date
d'expiration pour le dépôt d'un mémoire de Qatar et d'une-
mémoirede Bahreïn sur ces questions;
Vu l'ordonnance en date du 26 juin 1992,par laquelle la Cour, consi-considering that the filing of further pleadings by the Parties was neces-
sary, directed that a Reply by Qatar and a Rejoinder by Bahrain be filed
on the same questions;

Having regard to the Judgrnent of 1 July 1994, by which the Court
found that the exchanges of letters of December 1987between the King
of Saudi Arabia and the Amirs of Qatar and Bahrain, and the Minutes
signed at Doha on 25 December 1990, were international agreements
creating rights and obligations for the Parties, and that, by the terms of
those agreements, the Parties had undertaken to submit to it the whole of
the dispute between them, as circumscribed by the "Bahraini formula";
decided to afford the Parties the opportunity to submit to it the whole of
the dispute; fixed 30November 1994as the time-limit within which the
Parties werejointly or separately to take action to that end; and reserved
any other matters for subsequent decision;

Having regard to the Judgrnent dated 15February 1995, bywhich the
Court found that it has jurisdiction to adjudicate upon the dispute
between Qatar and Bahrain which has been submitted to it; that it is now
seised of the whole of the dispute; and that the Application of Qatar as
formulated on 30 November 1994is admissible;
Whereas in paragraph 39 of the Judgment that it delivered on 1 July
1994the Court expressed itself in the following terms:

"On the completion thus of the reference of the whole dispute to
the Court, the Court willfixtime-limits for the simultaneous filingof
pleadings, i.e., each Party will filea Memorial and then a Counter-
Memorial within the same time-limits";

and whereas in paragraph 49 of the Judgment that it delivered on 15 Feb-
ruary 1995,the Court gave the following clarification:
"Within the framework thus defined,it falls to Qatar to present its
submissions to the Court,as it falls to Bahrain to present its own. To
this end, after it has ascertained the views of the Parties, the Court
will issue anOrder fixing the time-limits for the simultaneous filing

of the written pleadings, in accordance with paragraph 39 of the
Judgment of 1July 1994" ;
Whereas time-limits have now to be fixed for the written proceedings
on the merits;

Whereas, for the purpose of ascertaining the views of the Parties with
regard to those time-limits, the President invited the Agents to attend a
meeting the date of which was fixed as 27 April 1995;
Whereas, in a letter dated 24 April 1995 and received in the Registry
on the same day by facsimile, the Agent of Bahrain, referring to a docu-
ment entitled "Officia1Declaration by the Government of the State of
Bahrain in connection with its position regarding the new Judgment of
the Court, issued on 15 February 1995", the text of which he had trans-
mitted to the Court under cover of a letter dated 7 March 1995,indicateddérant que la présentation d'autres piècesde procédure par les Parties
était nécessaire, a prescrit la présentation d'une réplique deQatar et

d'une duplique de Bahreïn sur les mêmesquestions;
Vu l'arrêten date du le' juillet 1994,par lequel la Cour a dit que les
échanges delettres de décembre1987entre le roi d'Arabie saoudite et les
émirsde Qatar et de Bahreïn, ainsi que le procès-verbal signé à Doha le
25 décembre 1990, constituaient des accords internationaux créant des
droits et des obligations pour les Parties, et qu'aux termes de ces accords
les Parties avaient pris l'engagement de lui soumettre I'ensemble du dif-
férend quiles oppose, tel que circonscrit par la «formule bahreïnite)); a
décidéde donner aux Parties l'occasion de lui soumettre I'ensemble du
différend; afixéau 30 novembre 1994la date d'expiration du délaidans

lequel les Parties devaient agir conjointement ou individuellement cette
fin; et a réservétoute autre question pour décisionultérieure;
Vu l'arrêten date du 15février1995,par lequel la Cour a dit qu'elle a
compétencepour statuer sur le différendentre Qatar et Bahreïn, qui lui
est soumis; qu'elle est maintenant saisie de l'ensemble du différend; et
que la requête deQatar telle que formuléele 30 novembre 1994est rece-
vable ;

Considérant qu'au paragraphe 39 de l'arrêtqu'elle a rendu le le'juillet
1994la Cour s'est expriméedans les termes suivants:
«Une fois l'ensemble du différendsoumis à la Cour, celle-ci fixera
les délaisdans lesquels il sera procédéau dépôtsimultanédes pièces
de la procédureécrite,chaque Partie déposant dans les mêmes délais
un mémoire,puis un contre-mémoire));

et considérantqu'au paragraphe 49 de l'arrêtqu'ellea rendu le 15février
1995la Cour a préciséce qui suit:

«Dans le cadre ainsi défini,il appartient Qatar de présenter à la
Cour ses propres conclusions comme il appartient à Bahreïn de pré-
senter les siennes. A cet effet, la Cour fixera par voie d'ordonnance,
après s'être renseignéaeuprès des Parties, les délaisdans lesquels il
sera procédéau dépôt simultané des piècesde la procédure écrite,
conformément au paragraphe 39 de l'arrêtdu le'juillet 1994));

Considérant qu'il convient donc à présent de fixer des délaispour la
procédureécritesur le fond;
Considérant qu'aux fins de se renseigner auprès des Parties sur ces
délaisle Président ainvitéleurs agentsà prendre part à une réuniondont
la date a étéfixéeau 27 avril 1995;
Considérant que, dans une lettre datée du 24 avril 1995 et reçue au
Greffe le mêmejour par télécopie, l'agentde Bahreïn, se référant à un

document intitulé ((Déclaration officielledu Gouvernement de 1'Etat de
Bahreïn concernant sa position à l'égard du nouvel arrêtde la Cour
rendu le 15février 1995», dont il avait fait tenir le tàxla Cour sous le
couvert d'une lettre du 7 mars 1995,a notamment indiqué que,pour les85 MARITIME DELIMITATION AND TERRITORIAL QUESTIONS (ORD2 .8 IV 95)

inter alia that, for the reasons set forth in that Declaration, he could not
"respond positively to the invitation of the President to attend the meet-
ing scheduled on 27 April 1995";

Having ascertained the views of Qatar and having given Bahrain an
opportunity of stating its views,

Fixes 29 February 1996as the time-limit for the filing by each of the
Parties of a Memorial on the merits; and
Reserves the subsequent procedure for further decision.

Done in English and in French, the English text beingauthoritative, at
the Peace Palace, The Hague, this twenty-eighth day of April, one thou-

Sand nine hundred and ninety-five, in three copies, one of which will be
placed in the archives of the Court and the others transmitted to the
Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the State of
Bahrain, respectively.

(Signed) Mohammed BEDJAOUI,
President.

(Signed) Eduardo VALENCIA-OSPINA,
Registrar.raisons exposéesdans ladite déclaration, il ne pouvait ((répondrepositi-
vement à l'invitation du Présidentà assisterà la réunion du 27 avril

1995 D;
Aprèsavoir recueilli les vues de Qatar et avoir donnà Bahreïn la pos-
sibilité defaire connaître les siennes,

Fixe au 29 février1996la date d'expiration du délaipour le dépôt par
chacune des Parties d'un mémoiresur le fond;
Réservela suite de la procédure.

Fait en anglais et en français, le texte anglais faisant foi, au Palais de la
Paix, àLa Haye, le vingt-huit avril mil neuf cent quatre-vingt-quinze, en
trois exemplaires, dont l'un restera déposéaux archives de la Cour et les
autres seront transmis respectivement au Gouvernement de 1'Etat de
Qatar et au Gouvernement de 1'Etatde Bahreïn.

Le Président,

(Signé) Mohammed BEDJAOUI.
Le Greffier,

(Signé) Eduardo VALENCIA-OSPINA.

ICJ document subtitle

Fixing of time-limit: Memorials (Merits)

Document file FR
Document Long Title

Order of 28 April 1995

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