Separate Opinion of Judge Parra-Aranguren

Document Number
090-19961212-JUD-01-04-EN
Parent Document Number
090-19961212-JUD-01-00-EN
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Bilingual Document File

SEPARATE OPINION OF JUDGE PARRA-ARANGUREN

1. Notwithstanding my agreement with the operative paragraphs of
the Judgment 1 consider it necessary to explain that, in my opinion, the
Court also has jurisdiction to entertain the claims made by Iran under
Article IV, paragraph 1, of the Treaty of 1955,which provides:

"Each High Contracting Party shall at al1times accord fair and
equitable treatment to nationals and companies of the other High
ContractingParty, and to their property and enterprises ;shallrefrain
from applying unreasonable or discriminatory measures that would
impair their legally acquired rights and interests; and shall assure

that their lawful contractual rights are afforded effectivemeans of
enforcement, in conformity with the applicable laws."

2. Paragraph 36 of the Judgment, after reproducing the contents of the

three sentences of Article IV, paragraph 1, of the Treaty of 1955,denies
the jurisdiction of the Court in the following terms:
"The whole of these provisions is aimed at the way in which the
natural persons and legal entities in question are, in the exercise of
their private or professional activities,to be treated by the State con-
cerned. In other words, these detailed provisions concern the treat-

ment by each party of the nationals and companies of the other
party, as well as their property and enterprises.Such provisions do
not cover the actions carried out in this case by the United States
against IvanA .rticle IV, paragraph 1, thus does not lay down any
noms applicable to this particular case. This Article cannot there-
fore form the basis of the Court's jurisdiction." (Emphasis added.)

3. The actions carried out by the United States in this case were
directed against the offshore oil platforms belonging to the National
Iranian Oil Company, not against Iran, as stated in paragraph 36 of the
Judgment; and the National Iranian Oil Company is a juridical person
different from Iran, even though Iran may own al1of its shares. Conse-
quently, as an Iranian corporation, the National Iranian Oil Company is
covered by Article IV, paragraph 1, of the Treaty of 1955,and shall be
accorded "fair and equitable treatment", and also protected against the
application of "unreasonable or discriminatory measures" that would
impair its legally acquired rights and interests. Therefore, in my opinion,
the Court hasjurisdiction to entertain the claimsmade by Iran under saidArticle IV, paragraph 1, on the basis of Article XXI, paragraph 2, of the
Treaty of 1955.

(Signed) Gonzalo PARRA-ARANGUREN.

Bilingual Content

SEPARATE OPINION OF JUDGE PARRA-ARANGUREN

1. Notwithstanding my agreement with the operative paragraphs of
the Judgment 1 consider it necessary to explain that, in my opinion, the
Court also has jurisdiction to entertain the claims made by Iran under
Article IV, paragraph 1, of the Treaty of 1955,which provides:

"Each High Contracting Party shall at al1times accord fair and
equitable treatment to nationals and companies of the other High
ContractingParty, and to their property and enterprises ;shallrefrain
from applying unreasonable or discriminatory measures that would
impair their legally acquired rights and interests; and shall assure

that their lawful contractual rights are afforded effectivemeans of
enforcement, in conformity with the applicable laws."

2. Paragraph 36 of the Judgment, after reproducing the contents of the

three sentences of Article IV, paragraph 1, of the Treaty of 1955,denies
the jurisdiction of the Court in the following terms:
"The whole of these provisions is aimed at the way in which the
natural persons and legal entities in question are, in the exercise of
their private or professional activities,to be treated by the State con-
cerned. In other words, these detailed provisions concern the treat-

ment by each party of the nationals and companies of the other
party, as well as their property and enterprises.Such provisions do
not cover the actions carried out in this case by the United States
against IvanA .rticle IV, paragraph 1, thus does not lay down any
noms applicable to this particular case. This Article cannot there-
fore form the basis of the Court's jurisdiction." (Emphasis added.)

3. The actions carried out by the United States in this case were
directed against the offshore oil platforms belonging to the National
Iranian Oil Company, not against Iran, as stated in paragraph 36 of the
Judgment; and the National Iranian Oil Company is a juridical person
different from Iran, even though Iran may own al1of its shares. Conse-
quently, as an Iranian corporation, the National Iranian Oil Company is
covered by Article IV, paragraph 1, of the Treaty of 1955,and shall be
accorded "fair and equitable treatment", and also protected against the
application of "unreasonable or discriminatory measures" that would
impair its legally acquired rights and interests. Therefore, in my opinion,
the Court hasjurisdiction to entertain the claimsmade by Iran under said OPINION INDIVIDUELLE DE M. PARRA-ARANGUREN

[Traduction]

1. Bien que je souscrive au dispositif de l'arrêt,j'estime nécessaire
d'expliquer pourquoi, à mon avis, la Cour est également compétente
pour connaître des demandes de l'Iran formuléesau titre de l'article IV,
paragraphe 1, du traitéde 1955,ainsi libellé:

((Chacune des Hautes Parties contractantes accordera en tout
temps un traitement juste et équitable aux ressortissants et aux
sociétésde l'autre Haute Partie contractante, ainsi qu'à leurs biens et
à leurs entreprises; elle ne prendra aucune mesure arbitraire ou dis-
criminatoire pouvant porter atteinteàleurs droits ouà leurs intérêts
légalementacquiset, en conformité deslois applicablesen la matière,
elle assurera des voies d'exécutionefficacesà leurs droits contrac-

tuels légitimementnés.»
2. Après avoir rappeléla teneur des trois phrases de l'article IV,para-
graphe 1, du traité de 1955, au paragraphe 36 de son arrêt,la Cour se

déclare incompétente,dans les termes suivants:
((L'ensembledecesdispositions visela manièredont les personnes
physiques et morales en cause doivent, dans l'exercicede leurs acti-

vités privéeou professionnelles, êtretraitéespar1'Etatconcerné. En
d'autres termes, ces dispositions détailléesont pour objet le traite-
ment par chacune des parties des ressortissants et sociétde l'autre
partie ainsi que de leurs biens et entreprises. De tellesdispositions ne
couvrent pas les actions menéesen l'espècepar les Etats-Uniscontre
l'Iran.Le paragraphe 1 de l'article IV ne pose donc pas de normes
applicables au cas particulier. Cet article ne saurait dès lorsfonder la
compétencede la Cour.)) (Les italiques sont de moi.)

3. Les actions menéespar les Etats-Unis en l'espèceétaient dirigées
contre des plates-formes pétrolièresen mer appartenant à la compagnie
nationale iranienne des pétroles, et non contre l'Iran, comme il est dit
au paragraphe 36 de l'arrêt;or, la compagnie nationale iranienne des
pétrolesest une personne juridique distincte del'Iran, mêmesi l'Iran en
était l'actionnaireunique. En conséquence, entant qu'entreprise iranienne,

la compagnie nationale iranienne des pétrolesest viséepar l'article IV,
paragraphe 1, du traitéde 1955 et elle doit se voir accorder «un traite-
ment juste et équitable))et êtreprotégéecontre toute ((mesure arbitraire
ou discriminatoire)) de nature à porter atteinteà ses droits ou intérêts
légalement acquis. C'estpourquoi, à mon sens, la Cour est compétenteArticle IV, paragraph 1, on the basis of Article XXI, paragraph 2, of the
Treaty of 1955.

(Signed) Gonzalo PARRA-ARANGUREN.pour connaître des demandes de l'Iran formuléesau titre dudit article IV,
paragraphe 1, sur la base de l'article XXI, paragraphe 2, du traité
de 1955.

(SignéG)onzalo PARRA-ARANGUREN.

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Separate Opinion of Judge Parra-Aranguren

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