Order of 14 June 2024

14 JUIN 2024
ORDONNANCE
SENTENCE ARBITRALE DU 3 OCTOBRE 1899 (GUYANA c. VENEZUELA)
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ARBITRAL AWARD OF 3 OCTOBER 1899 (GUYANA v. VENEZUELA)
14 JUNE 2024
ORDER
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
YEAR 2024
2024
14 June
General List
No. 171
14 June 2024
ARBITRAL AWARD OF 3 OCTOBER 1899
(GUYANA v. VENEZUELA)
ORDER
Present: President SALAM; Vice-President SEBUTINDE; Judges TOMKA, ABRAHAM, YUSUF, XUE, BHANDARI, NOLTE, BRANT, GÓMEZ ROBLEDO, TLADI; Registrar GAUTIER.
The International Court of Justice,
Composed as above,
After deliberation,
Having regard to Article 48 of the Statute of the Court and to Articles 31, 44, 45, paragraph 2, and 48 of the Rules of Court,
Having regard to the Application filed in the Registry of the Court on 29 March 2018, whereby the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana (hereinafter “Guyana”) instituted proceedings against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (hereinafter “Venezuela”) with respect to a dispute concerning “the legal validity and binding effect of the Award regarding the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela, of 3 October 1899”,
Having regard to the Judgment dated 18 December 2020, whereby the Court found that it had jurisdiction to entertain the Application filed by Guyana in so far as it concerned the validity of the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 and the related question of the definitive settlement of the land boundary dispute between Guyana and Venezuela,
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Having regard to the Order dated 8 March 2021, whereby the Court fixed 8 March 2022 and 8 March 2023 as the respective time-limits for the filing of a Memorial by Guyana and a Counter-Memorial by Venezuela on the merits,
Having regard to the Memorial of Guyana filed within the time-limit thus fixed,
Having regard to the preliminary objection raised by the Government of Venezuela on 7 June 2022, which, under the provisions of Article 79bis, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court, had the effect of suspending the proceedings on the merits,
Having regard to the Judgment of 6 April 2023, whereby the Court rejected the preliminary objection raised by Venezuela and found that it could adjudicate upon the merits of the claims of Guyana, in so far as they fall within the scope of paragraph 138, subparagraph 1, of the Judgment of 18 December 2020,
Having regard to the Order of 6 April 2023, whereby the Court fixed 8 April 2024 as the new time-limit for the filing of the Counter-Memorial of Venezuela,
Having regard to the Counter-Memorial of Venezuela filed within the time-limit thus fixed;
Whereas, on 11 June 2024, a meeting was held by the President of the Court with the Agents of the Parties pursuant to Article 31 of the Rules of Court, in order to ascertain their views on the subsequent procedure in the case;
Whereas, at this meeting, the representatives of Guyana stated that a Reply was necessary in order to respond to arguments made by Venezuela in its Counter-Memorial and that Guyana would require, for the preparation of its Reply, a period of six months from the date of the filing of Venezuela’s Counter-Memorial or, preferably, until the end of October 2024; and whereas the Agent of Venezuela indicated that his Government also considered that a second round of written pleadings was necessary and asked for a period of twelve months, from the filing of the Reply, for the submission of the Rejoinder of Venezuela;
Taking into account the views of the Parties,
Authorizes the submission of a Reply by the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and a Rejoinder by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela;
Fixes the following time-limits for the filing of these written pleadings:
9 December 2024 for the Reply of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana;
11 August 2025 for the Rejoinder of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela;
Reserves the subsequent procedure for further decision.
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Done in French and in English, the French text being authoritative, at the Peace Palace, The Hague, this fourteenth day of June, two thousand and twenty-four, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives of the Court and the others transmitted to the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, respectively.
(Signed) Nawaf SALAM,
President.
(Signed) Philippe GAUTIER,
Registrar.
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