Ambatielos (Greece v. United Kingdom) - Greece files an Application instituting proceedings against the United Kingdom

Gommuniqué No. 51/8.

(Unof fid al)

The folloidng information from the Intermtianal Court of Justice

has been c~mnie~ted to the Press;

On April 9th, 1951, the Gseek Minister et The Hague filed an
Application ~viththe Registryof the Internaticinal Court of Justice

instituthg proceedings bzfors the Court against .the Govarnnent af the
United Kingdom In regard to the riyhts of N,E, Hrnbatielos, a keek
ncttional.

According ta the terms of the Application, M. Anibatielos, a
Greek shipowner, who had concluded a contsact with the United Kingdom
Goverment in 1919 for the purch2se of nine stemships, suffssed
pre judice owing t o the non-delivery of the said ships within the
specified tirne-lirnits. It is alleged that he was unableto obtain
recognitio nf his rights in the competent British courts; that the

latter failed to observc, in regard to his case, certain essential
rules of British procedure, thus centravening the international
customary law and the Treaty of Commerce 2nd Navigation of Novmber
10th, 1886, bctwsen Great Britain and Gresce; and thet the Hellen2fl
Govcrnment, having adapted the cause of its national, then-proposed a
rzcourse to arbitration to the Goverment of tho United Kingdom, in
application of one of thc clzusesof the abovo-mentiansd trezty.
This proposa1is stated to have been refused, thuç bringing into
oper'ation another internationa act-the Greco-Britann iccaty af
Commerce ad Navigation of July llkh, 1426,-and thereby opening the
way to a recourse to ths International Court of Justice.

The Application concludes by requesting the Court to declare
that effsct must bc givcnta the arbitral pracedur~ refersed to in the
Treaty of 1886.

The Hellenic Govermentis Application has &en communicate do
the Unitad Kingdom, and the other custonary natificztions in regard
to it will be mdz forthtsith,

The Hague, April 13th, 1951.