SEPARATE OPINION OF JUDGE GROS

[Translation]

Although my opinion on this case is not based on the Court's reasoning
as set out in the grounds of the Judgment, 1voted in favour of the opera-
tive clause because theJudgment puts an end to the action commenced by
the Applicant, and this coincides with the views of those who took the

SEPARATE OPINION OF JUDGE FORSTER

[Translationj

1voted in favour of the Judgment of 20 December 1974 whereby the
International Court of Justice has brought to an end the proceedings
instituted against France by Australia on account of the French nuclear
tests carried out at Mururoa, a French possession in the Pacific.
The Court finds in this Judgment that the Australian claim "no longer

President LACHSmakes the following declaration :

Good administration of justice and respect for the Court require
that the outcome of its deliberations be kept in strict secrecy and nothing

President LACHSmakes the following declaration :

Good administration of justice and respect for the Court require
that the outcome of its deliberations be kept in strict secrecy and nothing

DISSENTING OPINION OF JUDGE GROS

[Translation f

1. Becauseof theimportance of theJudgment from the standpoint of its
consequencesfor thelawapplicableto thedelimitation of maritime spaces,
1believe it necessary that 1 should set forth the grounds of my dissent.
2. The Parties have submitted to the Chamber some 7,600 pages of
pleadings and 2,000pages of oral arguments together with 300supporting

SEPARATE OPINION OF JUDGE SCHWEBEL

DISSENTING OPINION OF JUDGE S0RENSEN

To my great regret 1 find myself unable to concur in the decision of
theCourt,and 1wish to avail myself of the right under Article 57of the
Statute to state the reasons for my dissent.
On certain points 1 agree with the Court. 1 do not think that the
equidistance principle-even subject to modification in special circum-
stances-is inherent in the legal concept of the continental shelf or part
of that concept by necessary implication.

DISSENTJNG OPINION OF JUDGE LACHS

A disagreement has arisen concerning the delimitation of the continen-
tal shelf in the North Sea as between the Federal Republic of Germany
and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The two States have succeeded in
reaching agreement only on the delimitation of the coastal continental
shelf and concluded on I December 1964 a convention to this effect.

DISSENTING OPINION OF JUDGE MORELLI

1. The two Special Agreements asked the Court to indicate "what
principles and rules of international law are applicable to the delimita-
tion as between the Parties of the areas of the continental shelf in the
North Sea which appertain to each of them .. .".It is quite clear that
the principles and rules that the Court was called upon to establish could

Official citation:
North Sea Continental SheljJltdgment, I.C.JReports 1969, p. 3.

Mode officielde citation:
Plateau continental de la mer du Norarrêt,C.I.J.Recueil 1969,p.3.

Sales number
No de vente: 327 INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

YEAR 1969
1969
!OFebruary
gos.51 & 52t: 20 February 1969