Dissenting Opinion of Vice-President Ammoun (translation)

Document Number
057-19730712-ADV-01-06-EN
Parent Document Number
057-19730712-ADV-01-00-EN
Document File
Bilingual Document File

DISSENTING OPINION OF VICE-PRESIDENT AMMOUN

(Translation]

1 fully share the Court's view concerning its competence and the
propriety of respontiing to the request for an advisory opinion, and 1
concur in its concluriionswith regard to Question II.
Where Question 1is concerned, however, 1regret that 1am unable to
subscribe to a viewthe effectof which is to dismiss the applicant's claims
for damages for injury to his professional reputation and future em-
ployment opportuni.ties, and for the reimbursement of the costs he
incurred through ha.ving, on account of the complexity of the case, to
travel from California to New York in May 1970and to hold frequent
transcontinental te1e:phoneconversations with his counsel before and

after then.
(1) Dismissal of the claimfor damagesfor injury fo the applicant'sprofes-
sionalreputationandfufure employment opportunities,inasmuchas the
Tribunal'srejection of it did not constitute afailure to exercisejuris-
diction

The reparation of injury caused by fault is a principle of universal
application in municipal law; in international law, it has also been said
that :

"The principle laid down by international practice is that the
victim must be put in the position in which he would have been if the
act which caused the injury had not occurred: the reparation is to
be matched as closely as possible with the damage suffered. The
reparation should be equivalent to the damage." (Personnaz, La
réparationdupréjudice en droit international publicp,. 98.)
Are there, however, any reasons why the United Nations Administra-
tive Tribunal could not give a decision on a claim for reparation, wholly

or in part? And in particular a claim for the reparation of injury to the
applicant's professicinalreputation and future employment opportunities?
The administration has queried the Tribunal's power to award the
damages which miglit otherwise be due in respect of such injury.

In its opinion, pa.ragraph 3 of Article 9 of the Tribunal's Statute was
never intended to create an independent obligation or even a power of the
Tribunal to award compensation in circumstances other than those
provided for in pariagraph 1 of Article 9, that is to say: non-observance
of the staff member'scontract of employment or the terms of his appoint-
ment. APPLICATIONFOR REVIEW (DISS. OP. AMMOUN) 247

Clearly, what is being argued here is that damages cannot be awarded
by the Tribunal by way of reparation for injury suffered by the applicant
to his professional reputation and future employment opportunities,
because these do not fall within the framework of the contract of em-
ployment or the terms of appointment.
Ido not have the impression that this can be correct.
This is because the reparation of injury caused by fault is one, if not
indeed the nlost important, of the principles common to nations in the
sense of Article 38, paragraph 1 (cl,of the Court's Statute, and one of the
traditional bases of law.
It may of course be pointed out that in this case we are dealing with a
provision determining a question of competence-that of the Admin-
istrative Tribunal-and not a text enshrining the principle of compensa-
tion for an act or omission amounting to a fault. But a logical interpreta-

tion of paragraph 1 of Article 9 will serve to reconcile the principle and
the cornpetence. In other words, one must consider what is the scope of
the contract linking the applicant and the administration, in order to
ascertain whether a c:ontractual fault may be imputed to the latter: this
would be-precisely--a non-observance of the contract of employment
or a breach of the terms of the applicant's appointment.
Now can there be any doubt but that the employer must, in his be-
haviour toward the employee, respect his personality and not injure him
in his dignity and honour? It is from the contract linking them that this
obligation arises, as itis also the normal terms of appointment which
require it.
If, therefore, it is proved that as aresult of the employer's incorrect
entries on the recor,d an employee has wrongly been described as in-
competent or otherwise blameworthy, is that not a fault on the part of

the employer which gives rise to an obligation to repair the injury
caused the employee?
1 would add that the responsibility and the resultant compensation
cannot be excluded, nor the consequences of the one and the amount of
the other be limited, in the contractual régimegoverning the administra-
tion and the applicant, unless both parties so agree (League of Nations,
Oficial Journal, 1927,pp. 206 f.). If the Tribunal, in refusing compensa-
tion wholly or in part, based itself on a practice or instructions-or on a
statement like that of 14 December 1950-which are not part of the
Staff Rules and Regulations or of the contract knowingly accepted,
would it not have be:enfailing to exercisejurisdiction, wholly or in part?
This is naturally a different matter from the sovereign discretion which a
tribunal deciding the merits of a case enjoys in the assessment of the
damages due.
1cannot, moreover, refrain from observing that I find the statement of
14 December 1950iinacceptable in view of the principle that a tribunal

may not, by a meas.ureor regulation of general scope, lay down a rule
which would reach out beyond the pending case to affect future pro-ceedings like a legislative text which is incompatible with the judicial
function.
ln fact, the applicant, in claim (n) in his application of 31 December
1970,asked the Tribunal to order the administration to pay him a sum
equivalent to five yerirs'net base salary as compensation for the injury
caused to his professional reputation and career prospects as a result of
the circulation by the administration, both within and outside the United
Nations, of incomplete and misleading information concerning him.

The Judgement dismisses this claim en bloc with certain others, without
there being the slightest reference in its reasoning to thenjury caused to
his professional repuitation and career prospects.
Contrary to what is asserted by the administration in its first written
statement to the Court (para. 22), this claim is not so bound up with a

number of other claims "concerning the means and diligence with which
the UNDP had tried to place Mr. Fasla" that the stated grounds of
decision concerning them may be taken to apply to it also, as is further
maintained. In any case, the grounds relating to certain so-called "inter-
dependent" questions resulted in decisions favourable to the applicant.
How, therefore, can it be admitted that the argument in the Judgement
taken as a whole, including these grounds, may be regarded as reasons for
the dismissal of clainl (nj?

What is more, the injury to professional reputation and career prospects
constitutes a contractual fault and a tort.

A tort, like a crime, has two components, one material, one moral.

To find upon a tort, it is necessary to discuss both itsmaterial and its
moral component.
What, 1now ask, ,didthe Tribunal do? Did it discuss the moral as well

as the material complonent?
1 agree that som~efacts entering into the material component were
discussed. But not al1of them. The Tribunal found that there had been
certain wrongful acts for which the administration was responsible; it
even annulled a false report. But it did not discuss these facts in their
entirety.
Byway of examplr:, 1would refer to the element of publicity. The degree
of injury to reputation depends on the amount of publicity given to the
false or incomplete information. But the element of publicity as such
was not treated by the Tribunal, which therefore failed to give reasons
for its rejection ofll the facts entering into the material component of the
injury to the applicant's professional reputation and future employment
opportunities.
The moral component is arrived at as follows: if the material facts,
including the degree:of publicity, have been established, were they likelyto have injured the applicant's reputation in his social circle and in the
context of his professional activity, and does that mean that his future
candidature for posts has been affected?
This moral componi:nt was ignored in theconsideranda of the Tribunal,
except in so far as it noted the applicant's reliance thereon.
It muçt therefore be concluded that the Tribunal, by not finding upon
the reparation due for the injury caused to the applicant's professional

reputation and future employment opportunities, failed to exercise its
jurisdiction.
(2) Refirsal, on the ground already meniioned, of the rrquestfor compensa-

tionfor necpssarjrand unai~oidah/~costs in excess of normal litigation
costs

An order for payment of costs by the losing party is a general principle,
unless the tribunal wi1.hgood reason decides otherwise.

The League of Nations Administrative Tribunal was the first interna-
tional tribunal to afirin that there is a general principle of law to the effect
that the costs are paid by the losing party (Judgement No. 13, Scl~umarin,
7 March 19341.

It has been denied in this connection that a practice can be regarded as
a general principle of law when it runs counter to the Common Law
system and, to a certain extent, the law of the United States of America.
The Memorandum A/CN.5/5 (paras. 11-14)which sets out this view is a
closely reasoned document, which however betrays a predominant
Anglo-American influience.The question being, of course, of considerable

importance, it will be as well to dwell upon it.
It should be observed that the law applied by the lnternational Court
of Justice, while it is close to Anglo-American law in certain fields, such
as in the notion of esitoppel, diverges from it radically through the adop-
tion of Article 59, in combination with Article 38, paragraph 1 (d), of
the Statute, which excludes the system of precedents, as well as through
the power to make an Order for costs, conferred by Article 64 of the

Statute, notwithstancling the attitude of Common Law, which itself is
more flexible than American practice. The United Nations and IL0
Administrative Tribunals, following the League of Nations Adininistra-
tive Tribunal, have consciously opted in favour of the continental prac-
tice, which is that of the International Court of Justice.
The fact is that a common administrative law is in course of formation,

in the same way as international law, in which continental law predom-
inates, but which is tending towards unity and becoming universal. It
cannot be otherwise with a principle like that of full reparation, including
damages and costs.
Furthermore, 1 arn not sure it is true that there is no relationship
between reparation and costs. As has been pointed out above, there is no
doubt that "the reparation should be eq~ial to the damage". But the

direct damage suffered by the victim includes, both equitably speakingandas a matter of logic, the expenses incurred in making good his rights;
in other words, as Per:sonnazexpresses it, "the victim must be put in the
position in which he would have been if the act which caused the injury
had not occurred". From the equitable viewpoint, this would not be the
case if, in order to b~:put in the same position, he had to bear costs,
sometimes heavy costs, which would correspondingly diminish any
damages awarded.
Thus the obligatiori on the losing party to bear the costs could be
regarded either as a g;eneral principle or law in itself, as stated by the
League of Nations Administrative Tribunal, or as an application of the
equity principle deriviizgfrom Article 38, paragraph 1 (c), of the Statute

of the Court.
It is true that the Statute and Rules of the Administrative Tribunal do
not include any provision laying down this principle, and setting out how
it is to be applied. Nonetheless, the Tribunal of the United Nations could
not wash its hands of it. Continuing the line of cases of the League of
Nations Tribunal, it has made awards of costs against the losing parties
in 17 cases, which confirms that the Tribunal has regarded the making of
an order for costs as a general principle, even though the Statute does not
rrovide for it.
In a number of these Judgements, the Tribunal considered that it was
justified in awardjng compensation for the fees of applicant's counsel,

since its rules authorized the applicant to be represented by counsel
(United Nations Administrative Tribunal, Judgements Nos. 2,3, 15and
28-38 of 21 August 1953).For the IL0 Administrative Tribunal this has
also become practically a rule (Jurisclasseurde droit international, Les
Tribunauxadministratifs, para. 88; see in particular Judgments 17,18and
19of 26 April 1955,with the participation of Georges Scelleas a member
of the Tribunal).
There remains the question whether the obligation imposed on the
United Nations staff rnember. of restrictiue his choice of counsel to those
on a given list on pain of'inability to recover the fees, is not in certain
cases a breach of the riehts of the defence.
What is more, repayment of travel and subsistence costs incurred by

the applicants to attend sittings of the Tribunal away from Headquarters
has been granted bytheTribunal (Judgement No. 3, Aubert, and 14others,
26 July 1950;Judgement No. 15, Robinson, 11August 1952).Should this
not ais0 be the Case when the applicant must come from a place of
residence which is a long way from United Nations Headquarters?
It would seem that international administrative tribunals should take
into account the fact that staff members or employees who appear before
them may have to bear much heavier expenses than parties before a
municipal tribunal, because of the longer and more expensive journeys
which international officiaisare sometimes obliged to make. APPLICATIONFOR REVIEW(DISS. OP. AMMOUN) 251

In fact, the applicarit asked the Tribunal to order the administration to
pay him the sum of $1,000 for expenses in view of the fact that, although
he was represented by a member of the panel of counsel, the complexity
of the case necessitaled the applicant's travel from California to New
York in May 1970as well as frequent transcontinental telephone calls to
his counsel before and after then.

The Tribunal did not answer this request, as witness the following
clause of the Judgement, which does not refer to the telephone calls and
concerns only the assistance of counsel :

"The Applicant requests payment of one thousand dollars for
exceptional costc;in preparing the case. Since the Applicant had the
assistance of a nnember of the panel of counsel, the Tribunal finds
this requestunfc~undedand rejects it."

In sum, it appear!; to me that by not finding upon this request the
Tribunal again failed to exercise itsjurisdiction.

(Signed) Fouad AMMOUN.

Bilingual Content

OPINION DISSIDENTE DE M. AMMOUN, VICE-PRÉSIDENT

Je partage pleinement l'opinion de la Cour en ce qui concerne sa com-
pétenceet l'opportunité de répondre à la demande d'avis, et je souscris
aux conclusions relativeà la question II.
Je ne puis cependant, à mon regret, adopter l'opinion qui a abouti,à
propos de la question 1, au rejet des demandes du requérant tendant à
obtenir des dommages-intérêts en raison du tort causà sa réputationetà
son avenir professionnels, ainsi que le remboursement des frais qu'il a
encourus du fait qu'il a dû,cause de la complexitéde l'affaire,se rendre
de Californie àNew York en mai 1970et échanger descommunications
téléphoniques transcontinentales fréquentesavec son conseil avant et

aprèscette date.
1) Rejet de la demande concernantl'atteinteà la réputationetà l'avenir
professionnels durequérant,motifpris de ce que leTribunal,en la reje-
tant, n'apas omisd'exercersajuridiction

La réparation du dommage fautif est un principe de portéeuniverselle
en droit interne; en droit international, ilégalementdit:

«Le principe posépar la pratique internationale est que la victime
doit êtrerétablie dans l'étatoù elle se trouverait si l'acte domma-
geable n'était passurvenu: la réparation se calque aussi exactement
que possible sur le préjudice. Laéparatior.doit êtreéquivalenteau
préjudice.)) (Personnaz, La réparationdu préjudiceen droit interna-
tionalpublic, p. 98.)

Y a-t-il cependant des raisons pour lesquelles le Tribunal administratif
des Nations Unies ne pouvait se prononcer sur une demande de répara-
tion, en totalitéou en partie? Et en particulier la réparation du préjudice
causé àla réputationetà l'avenir professionnelsdu requérant?
L'administration a discuté la compétencedu Tribunal pour allouer les
dommages-intérêtq sui seraientdus, lecaséchéant,n raison du préjudice
qui vient d'être mentionné.
Dans l'opinion.de l'administration, le paragraphe 3 de l'article 9 du
statut du Tribunal n'a jamais eu pour objet de créer pour ce dernier
l'obligation indépendante ou même,précise-t-elle, lepouvoir d'accorder
une indemnitédans des circonstances autres que cellesqui sont prévuesau
paragraphe 1dudit article, c'est-à-dire: inobservation du contrat d'enga-
gement du fonctionnaire et conditions de son emploi. DISSENTING OPINION OF VICE-PRESIDENT AMMOUN

(Translation]

1 fully share the Court's view concerning its competence and the
propriety of respontiing to the request for an advisory opinion, and 1
concur in its concluriionswith regard to Question II.
Where Question 1is concerned, however, 1regret that 1am unable to
subscribe to a viewthe effectof which is to dismiss the applicant's claims
for damages for injury to his professional reputation and future em-
ployment opportuni.ties, and for the reimbursement of the costs he
incurred through ha.ving, on account of the complexity of the case, to
travel from California to New York in May 1970and to hold frequent
transcontinental te1e:phoneconversations with his counsel before and

after then.
(1) Dismissal of the claimfor damagesfor injury fo the applicant'sprofes-
sionalreputationandfufure employment opportunities,inasmuchas the
Tribunal'srejection of it did not constitute afailure to exercisejuris-
diction

The reparation of injury caused by fault is a principle of universal
application in municipal law; in international law, it has also been said
that :

"The principle laid down by international practice is that the
victim must be put in the position in which he would have been if the
act which caused the injury had not occurred: the reparation is to
be matched as closely as possible with the damage suffered. The
reparation should be equivalent to the damage." (Personnaz, La
réparationdupréjudice en droit international publicp,. 98.)
Are there, however, any reasons why the United Nations Administra-
tive Tribunal could not give a decision on a claim for reparation, wholly

or in part? And in particular a claim for the reparation of injury to the
applicant's professicinalreputation and future employment opportunities?
The administration has queried the Tribunal's power to award the
damages which miglit otherwise be due in respect of such injury.

In its opinion, pa.ragraph 3 of Article 9 of the Tribunal's Statute was
never intended to create an independent obligation or even a power of the
Tribunal to award compensation in circumstances other than those
provided for in pariagraph 1 of Article 9, that is to say: non-observance
of the staff member'scontract of employment or the terms of his appoint-
ment. On veut manifestement soutenir que des dommages-intérêtsne peuvent
êtreaccordéspar le Tribunal en réparation du préjudiceque le requérant
aurait subi dans sa réputation et son avenir professionnels, parce que ne
rentrant pas dans le cadre du contrat d'engagement et des conditions
d'emploi.
II ne semble pas qu'il puisseen êtreainsi.
En effet,l'undes principes communs aux nations au sens del'article 38,
paragraphe Ic), du Statutde la Cour, sinon le plus important de ces prin-
cipes, et l'une des bases traditionnelles du droit, est que tout dommage
fautif doit êtreréparé.
Sans doute peut-on dire qu'il s'agiten l'occurrence d'une disposition

tranchant une question de compétence - celle du Tribunal administratif
- et non d'un texte consacrant le principe de la réparation d'une action
ou d'une omission fautive. Mais une interprétation logique du para-
graphe 1de l'article9 est de nature à concilier principe et compétence.11
faut se demander, en d'autres termes, quelle est la portéedu contrat liant
le requérant et l'administration, afin de savoir si une faute contractuelle
peut êtreimputée à celle-ci: une faute contractuelle qui serait justement
une inobservation du contrat d'engagement ou une violation descondi-
tions d'emploi du demandeur.
Or peut-on douter que l'employeur doive,par son coinportenient vis-à-
vis de l'employé,respecter sa personnalitéet ne point porter atteinte àsa
dignitéet à son honneur? C'estdu contrat qui les lie que naît cette obliga-

tion, comme aussi ce sont les conditions normales de l'emploi qui I'exi-
gent.
S'il est donc établi que, par suite d'annotations inexactes de I'em-
ployeur, un employéa étéprésentéfaussement comme étant incapable,
ou comme s'exposant à des reproches pour une autre raison, n'est-ce pas
là une faute de l'employeur entraînant l'obligation de réparer le tort qui
a étéfait à l'employé?
Ajoutons que la responsabilité et la réparation qu'elle entraîne ne
sauraient êtreécartées ou limitées dans le droit contractuel qui régit
l'administration et le requérant - la responsabilité quant à ses consé-
quences et la réparation-pour son quantum - que ?il y a accord des
parties (Société desNations, Journal ofJiciel, 1927, supplément 107.
p. 206-207). En se prévalantd'une pratique ou d'instructions, ou d'une

déclaration telle que celle du 14décembre1950qui ne font pas partie du
statut, du règlenient ou du contrat accepté en connaissance de cause,
pour refuser au requérant tout ou partie de la réparation, le Tribunal
n'aurait-il pasomis d'exercer, en tout ou en partie, :a juridiction? Ce qui
diffère naturellement du droit du juge du fond d'apprécier souveraine-
ment les dommages-intérêtsdus.
Je ne peux, en outre, m'empêcherde souligner que la déclaration du
14 décembre 1950 me parait inacceptable au regard du principe qu'un
juge ne saurait établir, par une mesure ou un règlementde caractèregéné-
ral, une règle dont la portée, dépassant un procès qui lui est soumis, APPLICATIONFOR REVIEW (DISS. OP. AMMOUN) 247

Clearly, what is being argued here is that damages cannot be awarded
by the Tribunal by way of reparation for injury suffered by the applicant
to his professional reputation and future employment opportunities,
because these do not fall within the framework of the contract of em-
ployment or the terms of appointment.
Ido not have the impression that this can be correct.
This is because the reparation of injury caused by fault is one, if not
indeed the nlost important, of the principles common to nations in the
sense of Article 38, paragraph 1 (cl,of the Court's Statute, and one of the
traditional bases of law.
It may of course be pointed out that in this case we are dealing with a
provision determining a question of competence-that of the Admin-
istrative Tribunal-and not a text enshrining the principle of compensa-
tion for an act or omission amounting to a fault. But a logical interpreta-

tion of paragraph 1 of Article 9 will serve to reconcile the principle and
the cornpetence. In other words, one must consider what is the scope of
the contract linking the applicant and the administration, in order to
ascertain whether a c:ontractual fault may be imputed to the latter: this
would be-precisely--a non-observance of the contract of employment
or a breach of the terms of the applicant's appointment.
Now can there be any doubt but that the employer must, in his be-
haviour toward the employee, respect his personality and not injure him
in his dignity and honour? It is from the contract linking them that this
obligation arises, as itis also the normal terms of appointment which
require it.
If, therefore, it is proved that as aresult of the employer's incorrect
entries on the recor,d an employee has wrongly been described as in-
competent or otherwise blameworthy, is that not a fault on the part of

the employer which gives rise to an obligation to repair the injury
caused the employee?
1 would add that the responsibility and the resultant compensation
cannot be excluded, nor the consequences of the one and the amount of
the other be limited, in the contractual régimegoverning the administra-
tion and the applicant, unless both parties so agree (League of Nations,
Oficial Journal, 1927,pp. 206 f.). If the Tribunal, in refusing compensa-
tion wholly or in part, based itself on a practice or instructions-or on a
statement like that of 14 December 1950-which are not part of the
Staff Rules and Regulations or of the contract knowingly accepted,
would it not have be:enfailing to exercisejurisdiction, wholly or in part?
This is naturally a different matter from the sovereign discretion which a
tribunal deciding the merits of a case enjoys in the assessment of the
damages due.
1cannot, moreover, refrain from observing that I find the statement of
14 December 1950iinacceptable in view of the principle that a tribunal

may not, by a meas.ureor regulation of general scope, lay down a rule
which would reach out beyond the pending case to affect future pro-s'étendrait,tel un texte législatifincompatible avec la fonction judiciaire,
aux procès à venir.
En fait, le requérant, dans sa demanden) figurant dans sa requêtedu
31 décembre1970,a priéle Tribunal d'ordonner à I'administration de lui
verser une somme équivalantau montant net de son traitement de base
pour une périodede cinq ans et ce à titre de réparation du tort que la
diffusion par I'administration,àl'intérieuretà l'extérieurde l'ONU, de
divulgation par le défendeur, à l'intérieuretà l'extérieurde l'ONU, de
renseignements incomplets et fallacieux le concernant, lui a causésur le
plan de sa réputation etde son avenir professionnels.
Le jugement rejette cette demande en bloc avec certaines autres, sans

que dans ses motifs il y ait la moindre référenau tort causéà sa réputa-
tion età son avenir professionnels.
Contrairement àce que soutient l'administration dans son premier ex-
poséprésenté à la Cour (paragraphe 22), cette demande ne se grefferait
pas sur d'autres demandes ((concernant les moyens employés et la
diligence manifestéepar le PNUD pour essayer de trouver un poste à
M. Fasla)), au point de bénéficier des motifs lsoncernant comme il est
encore soutenu.
D'ailleurs lesmotifs concernant certaines questions dites ((interdépen-
dantes)) ont abouti à des décisionsfavorables au requérant. Comment
admettre, par conséquent,que les motifs dujugement dans leur ensemble,

y compris ceux-la, puissent êtreconsidéréscomme des motifs justifiant le
rejet de la demande n)?
D'autre part, I'atteinàela réputation eà l'avenir professionnels cons-
titue une faute contractuelle et un délit civil. Lesdeux notions peuvent se
cumuler.
Un délit,pénalou civil, est constituéde deux éléments:I'élémenm t a-
térielet I'élémenmt oral.
Pour se prononcer sur un délit,il faut en discuter et l'élémt atériel
et I'élémenm t oral.
Je me demande maintenant ce qu'a fait le Tribunal. A-t-il discutél'élé-
ment matérielaussi bien que I'élémenm t oral?
Je conviens que certains faits constitutifs de I'élémet atérielont été

discutés.Mais pastous. LeTribunal a reconnu l'existencede faits dolosifs
à la charge de I'administration; il a mêmeannuléun faux rapport, mais
n'a pas discutél'intégralitéde ces faits.

Je donne pour exemple le facteur publicité.L'atteinte à la réputation
est fonction de la publicité desrenseignements faux ou incomplets. La
publicitéen tant que telle n'a pas étéévoquéepar le Tribunal. Le Tribu-
nal n'a donc pas motivéson rejet de tous les faits constitutifs de I'élément
matérielde l'atteinteàla réputation età l'avenir professionnelsdu requé-
rant.

Quant à I'élémenm t oral, il est constitué comme suit: si les faits maté-
riels ont été établisl,a publicité incluse, est-ce que ces faits étaient deceedings like a legislative text which is incompatible with the judicial
function.
ln fact, the applicant, in claim (n) in his application of 31 December
1970,asked the Tribunal to order the administration to pay him a sum
equivalent to five yerirs'net base salary as compensation for the injury
caused to his professional reputation and career prospects as a result of
the circulation by the administration, both within and outside the United
Nations, of incomplete and misleading information concerning him.

The Judgement dismisses this claim en bloc with certain others, without
there being the slightest reference in its reasoning to thenjury caused to
his professional repuitation and career prospects.
Contrary to what is asserted by the administration in its first written
statement to the Court (para. 22), this claim is not so bound up with a

number of other claims "concerning the means and diligence with which
the UNDP had tried to place Mr. Fasla" that the stated grounds of
decision concerning them may be taken to apply to it also, as is further
maintained. In any case, the grounds relating to certain so-called "inter-
dependent" questions resulted in decisions favourable to the applicant.
How, therefore, can it be admitted that the argument in the Judgement
taken as a whole, including these grounds, may be regarded as reasons for
the dismissal of clainl (nj?

What is more, the injury to professional reputation and career prospects
constitutes a contractual fault and a tort.

A tort, like a crime, has two components, one material, one moral.

To find upon a tort, it is necessary to discuss both itsmaterial and its
moral component.
What, 1now ask, ,didthe Tribunal do? Did it discuss the moral as well

as the material complonent?
1 agree that som~efacts entering into the material component were
discussed. But not al1of them. The Tribunal found that there had been
certain wrongful acts for which the administration was responsible; it
even annulled a false report. But it did not discuss these facts in their
entirety.
Byway of examplr:, 1would refer to the element of publicity. The degree
of injury to reputation depends on the amount of publicity given to the
false or incomplete information. But the element of publicity as such
was not treated by the Tribunal, which therefore failed to give reasons
for its rejection ofll the facts entering into the material component of the
injury to the applicant's professional reputation and future employment
opportunities.
The moral component is arrived at as follows: if the material facts,
including the degree:of publicity, have been established, were they likelynature à porter préjudiceà la réputation du requérant dans son milieu
social et dans le cadre de son activité professionnelle, et son avenir de

candidat à une fonction en a-t-il été affecté?
Cet élément moralaétéignorédans lesconsidérantsdu Tribunal, sinon
pour rappeler que le requérant en a fait état.
On doit donc conclure que le Tribunal en ne se prononçant pas sur la
réparation due pour le dommage causé à la réputation età l'avenir pro-
fessionnels du requérant, a omis d'exercer sajuridiction.

2) Rejet,pour Ir motif citéci-dessus,de la demandede remboursementdes
dépensnécessaires etiné~itablesquiexcèderltlemontant normal des,frais
résultant d'un procès
La condamnation de la partie perdante aux dépens est un principe
général,à moins que lejuge n'en décideautrement pour des motifs perti-
nents.
Le Tribunal administratif de ladN a été la premièrejuridiction inter-

nationale à avoir affirmé qu'il existeun principe généralde droit aux
termes duquel la partie perdante doit rembourser les dépens (jugement
Schumann no 13du 7 mars 1934).
On a contesté à ce propos qu'une pratique puisse êtretenue pour un
principe généralde droit quand elle a contre elle la common law et, dans
une certaine mesure, la loi des Etats-Unis de l'Amérique du Nord. Le
mémorandum AlCN.515 (paragraphes 11à 14)qui le relate est un docu-
ment d'une argumentation serrée, qui dénote toutefois une influence
anglo-américaine prépondérante. ~a-question revêt,certes, une grande
importance et il convient de s'y arrêter.
Ily a lieu de remarquer que le droit qui régitla Cour internationale de
Justice, tout en se rapprochant en certaines matières du droit anglo-
américain, comme à propos de la notion de l'estoppel, s'enécartefoncière-
ment par l'adoption de l'article 59 exclusif du case law, combiné avec
l'article 38, paragrapheId), ainsi que par la facultéde condamner aux

dépens, énoncée àl'article 64 du Statut de la Cour, nonobstant l'attitude
contraire de la common law, que tempère déjàla pratique américaine. Les
Tribunaux administratifs de l'ONU et de l'OIT, après le Tribunal admi-
nistratif de ladN, ont opté,en connaissance de cause, pour la pratique
continentale, qui est celle de la Cour internationale de Justice.

C'est qu'un droit administratif commun est en voie de formation, à
l'instar du droit des gens, où prédomine le droit continental, mais qui
tend à l'unitéet a l'universalisme. 11ne peut qu'en êtreainsi d'un principe
comme celui de la réparation intégralecomprenant dommages-intérêtset
dépens.
D'autre part, je ne sais s'il est vrai qu'aucun rapport n'existe entre
réparation et dépens.Ainsi qu'ila étérelevé ci-dessus,il est hors dedoute
que «la réparation doit êtreéquivalenteau préjudice)).Or le préjudice
direct qu'a subi la victime inclut logiquement et équitablement les fraisto have injured the applicant's reputation in his social circle and in the
context of his professional activity, and does that mean that his future
candidature for posts has been affected?
This moral componi:nt was ignored in theconsideranda of the Tribunal,
except in so far as it noted the applicant's reliance thereon.
It muçt therefore be concluded that the Tribunal, by not finding upon
the reparation due for the injury caused to the applicant's professional

reputation and future employment opportunities, failed to exercise its
jurisdiction.
(2) Refirsal, on the ground already meniioned, of the rrquestfor compensa-

tionfor necpssarjrand unai~oidah/~costs in excess of normal litigation
costs

An order for payment of costs by the losing party is a general principle,
unless the tribunal wi1.hgood reason decides otherwise.

The League of Nations Administrative Tribunal was the first interna-
tional tribunal to afirin that there is a general principle of law to the effect
that the costs are paid by the losing party (Judgement No. 13, Scl~umarin,
7 March 19341.

It has been denied in this connection that a practice can be regarded as
a general principle of law when it runs counter to the Common Law
system and, to a certain extent, the law of the United States of America.
The Memorandum A/CN.5/5 (paras. 11-14)which sets out this view is a
closely reasoned document, which however betrays a predominant
Anglo-American influience.The question being, of course, of considerable

importance, it will be as well to dwell upon it.
It should be observed that the law applied by the lnternational Court
of Justice, while it is close to Anglo-American law in certain fields, such
as in the notion of esitoppel, diverges from it radically through the adop-
tion of Article 59, in combination with Article 38, paragraph 1 (d), of
the Statute, which excludes the system of precedents, as well as through
the power to make an Order for costs, conferred by Article 64 of the

Statute, notwithstancling the attitude of Common Law, which itself is
more flexible than American practice. The United Nations and IL0
Administrative Tribunals, following the League of Nations Adininistra-
tive Tribunal, have consciously opted in favour of the continental prac-
tice, which is that of the International Court of Justice.
The fact is that a common administrative law is in course of formation,

in the same way as international law, in which continental law predom-
inates, but which is tending towards unity and becoming universal. It
cannot be otherwise with a principle like that of full reparation, including
damages and costs.
Furthermore, 1 arn not sure it is true that there is no relationship
between reparation and costs. As has been pointed out above, there is no
doubt that "the reparation should be eq~ial to the damage". But the

direct damage suffered by the victim includes, both equitably speakingqu'elle a assuméspour rentrer dans son droit; autrement dit, selon Per-
sonnaz, «la victime doit êtrerétablie dans l'étatou elle se trouverait si

l'acte dommageable n'était pas survenu)). Elle ne le serait pas, selon
l'équité,si elle devait assumer, pour y êtrerétablie, des frais, parfois
considérables,qui diminueraient d'autant la condamnation aux domma-
ges-intérêts.

Aussi bien l'obligationà la charge de la partie perdante d'assumer les
dépens pourrait-elle êtreconsidérée soitcomme un principe généralde
droit, ainsi que'a dit le Tribunal administratif de la Sociédes Nations,
soit comme une application de l'équitédérivant del'article 38, paragraphe
1c), du Statut de la Cour.
11est vrai que le statut et le règlement du Tribunal administratif ne
comportent pas de disposition établissant ce principe et déterminant ses
modalités d'application. Néanmoins,le Tribunal de I'ONU ne pouvait
l'ignorer. Continuant la jurisprudence du Tribunal de la SdN, il a con-

damnéauxdépensles parties perdantes dans dix-sept affaires: ce qui con-
firme bien que le Tribunal a considéréla condamnation aux dépens
comme un principe général,alorsque le statut ne la prévoitpas.

Dans un certain nombre de ces jugements, le Tribunal s'est estimé
fondé a allouer une indemnitépour le paiement des honoraires du conseil
du requérant, puisque son règlement autorise celui-ci à êtrereprésenté
par un avocat (TANU, jugements nos2, 3, 15,28 à 38 du 21 août 1953).
Pour le Tribunal administratif de l'OIT, c'est également devenupratique-
ment une règle (Jurisclasseurde droit international,«Les Tribunaux ad-
ministratifs)),o 88; voir notamment lesjugements nos17, 18et 19du 26
avril 1955avecla participation de M. Georges Scelle,juge).

Reste à savoir si l'obligation imposéeau fonctionnaire de l'ONU de
limiter son choix aux conseils inscrits sur une liste déterminéesous peine
de ne pouvoir récupérerles honoraires, ne constitue pas, dans certains
cas, une atteinte aux droits de la défense.
D'autre part, le remboursement des frais de voyage et de subsistance
des requérants pour assister aux audiences du Tribunal en dehors du
siègede I'ONU a été accordépar le Tribunal (jugements no 3, Aubert, et
quatorzeautres, 29juillet 1950;no 15,Robinson, 11août 1952).Ne doit-il
pas en êtrede mêmequand le requérant doit venir de son domicile très
éloignéau siègede I'ONU?
11semble que les tribunaux administratifs internationaux devraient
prendre en considération que les fonctionnaires ou employésqui com-
paraissent devant eux peuvent avoir à supporter des frais plus consi-
dérablesque les partiesdevant un tribunal national, en raison des voyages
plus longs et plus coûteuxauxquels lesfonctionnairesinternationaux sont

parfois astreints. $andas a matter of logic, the expenses incurred in making good his rights;
in other words, as Per:sonnazexpresses it, "the victim must be put in the
position in which he would have been if the act which caused the injury
had not occurred". From the equitable viewpoint, this would not be the
case if, in order to b~:put in the same position, he had to bear costs,
sometimes heavy costs, which would correspondingly diminish any
damages awarded.
Thus the obligatiori on the losing party to bear the costs could be
regarded either as a g;eneral principle or law in itself, as stated by the
League of Nations Administrative Tribunal, or as an application of the
equity principle deriviizgfrom Article 38, paragraph 1 (c), of the Statute

of the Court.
It is true that the Statute and Rules of the Administrative Tribunal do
not include any provision laying down this principle, and setting out how
it is to be applied. Nonetheless, the Tribunal of the United Nations could
not wash its hands of it. Continuing the line of cases of the League of
Nations Tribunal, it has made awards of costs against the losing parties
in 17 cases, which confirms that the Tribunal has regarded the making of
an order for costs as a general principle, even though the Statute does not
rrovide for it.
In a number of these Judgements, the Tribunal considered that it was
justified in awardjng compensation for the fees of applicant's counsel,

since its rules authorized the applicant to be represented by counsel
(United Nations Administrative Tribunal, Judgements Nos. 2,3, 15and
28-38 of 21 August 1953).For the IL0 Administrative Tribunal this has
also become practically a rule (Jurisclasseurde droit international, Les
Tribunauxadministratifs, para. 88; see in particular Judgments 17,18and
19of 26 April 1955,with the participation of Georges Scelleas a member
of the Tribunal).
There remains the question whether the obligation imposed on the
United Nations staff rnember. of restrictiue his choice of counsel to those
on a given list on pain of'inability to recover the fees, is not in certain
cases a breach of the riehts of the defence.
What is more, repayment of travel and subsistence costs incurred by

the applicants to attend sittings of the Tribunal away from Headquarters
has been granted bytheTribunal (Judgement No. 3, Aubert, and 14others,
26 July 1950;Judgement No. 15, Robinson, 11August 1952).Should this
not ais0 be the Case when the applicant must come from a place of
residence which is a long way from United Nations Headquarters?
It would seem that international administrative tribunals should take
into account the fact that staff members or employees who appear before
them may have to bear much heavier expenses than parties before a
municipal tribunal, because of the longer and more expensive journeys
which international officiaisare sometimes obliged to make. En fait, le requérant avait demandéau Tribunal d'ordonner a l'ad-
ministration de lui verser une somme de mille dollars pour ses frais, eu
égard au fait que, bien qu'il ait étéreprésentépar un fonctionnaire inscrit
sur la liste des conseils, le requérant a dû, en raison de la complexité de

l'affaire, serendre de Californie New York en mai 1970et échanger des
communications téléphoniques transcontinentales fréquentes avec son
conseil avant et après cette date.
Le Tribunal n'a pasrépondu à cette demande; preuve en est le considé-
rant suivant qui ne fait pas étatdesdites communications et ne vise que
l'assistance du conseil
((Le requérant demande l'octroi de mille dollars pour frais excep-

tionnels dans la préparation del'affaire. Lerequérant ayantbénéficié
de I'assistance d'un fonctionnaire figurant sur la liste des conseils, le
Tribunal ne voit pas de justificationà cette demande, qui est reje-
tée»
En définitive,le Tribunal, en ne se prononçant pas sur ladite demande,
me paraît avoir également omis d'exercer sajuridiction.

(Signé) Fouad AMMOUN. APPLICATIONFOR REVIEW(DISS. OP. AMMOUN) 251

In fact, the applicarit asked the Tribunal to order the administration to
pay him the sum of $1,000 for expenses in view of the fact that, although
he was represented by a member of the panel of counsel, the complexity
of the case necessitaled the applicant's travel from California to New
York in May 1970as well as frequent transcontinental telephone calls to
his counsel before and after then.

The Tribunal did not answer this request, as witness the following
clause of the Judgement, which does not refer to the telephone calls and
concerns only the assistance of counsel :

"The Applicant requests payment of one thousand dollars for
exceptional costc;in preparing the case. Since the Applicant had the
assistance of a nnember of the panel of counsel, the Tribunal finds
this requestunfc~undedand rejects it."

In sum, it appear!; to me that by not finding upon this request the
Tribunal again failed to exercise itsjurisdiction.

(Signed) Fouad AMMOUN.

Document file FR
Document Long Title

Dissenting Opinion of Vice-President Ammoun (translation)

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