South West Africa (Liberia v. South Africa) - Hearing of 20 September 1965

The f ollo:.ririinfanation f rom Fhe Regist~y~ of the Interi-iational
Court of Justice is communicàtedto t31e Press:

, The International Coi~rt of Justice rnswned Li-IEpu-blicliearings
in the South I$est kf rlca cases (Ethiopia x. Sou-l;lAfrica;Liberia 1,
South 3 p.m. cini4onday, 20 Lep.Le.kex. in the Peace Palace
at The Hague.

Openklg the hearing, ths Presidcnt cxpressed the Court' s syrnpathy
on the sudden death of Judge Eadas.ri.on 4 August. The Court stooà

for one minute'~ silenez Tn tribute to ois niemry.

The forthcorrihg ssi.ttiizgr.rll1initially be devotecl to the hearing
of viitnesses and exgopis cnlledby Sou.th Africa, beginiîing with
Rev. J .S, Gericke, Vice-Chaima,n 02 the Synod of the Euteh Reiomed
Church of South Africa, who on IJonday was exaxized hy Dr. P .3. Rabie, S ,C.,
on behalf of South Africa, and cross-exafiined by Hon. Zrnest Grass
on behalf of the kpplicants.
Proceeciings ügainst; South Africa mre institcted on 4 PJovenber 1960
by Applications ofEth5~pk and Liberia. On 2Q Ehy1961the Court mde

an Order 21 whlch if;:round that Ethiopta and Lsoeria were iil the same
iriterest and joinedthc proc eedings sa jas tituted . Soutlz kfrica
thereafter filedprel&irav objections ,to tttejurisdiction of the Court,
aYidthe proceeriings on the merits wese suspended. On 21 Deceraber
1962 the Cou1-t delivered a Judgent iri7;Jtiichit rejected thefour
preluriinary objec'cions rüised by South Africa, 3rd upheld its
jurisdiction. thitten proceedings on the mer.its OS the dispute
continuedduring 1763 and 1964. Oral proceedjurgs opened on 15 Marcli
1965 and were adjoumied for the sumer on 14 Jdy. Durhg the darlier
part of the oral ~roçeodings the Court heard arguent by Counsel Cor

both sldes? and the evidence of certain rritnesses and experts called
Sy South Af rica.

As the Court. in its rcgular composition daes not 1ncl.ude upon
the bench judges of the natia~alities of the Parties, Ethiopia and
Liberia on th? one haridand South Afx5ça on the other have respectivelg
chosen ta sit as judges aù l~oc, in accordance with Article 31 of the
Statute of the Court, Sir Louis blwacil&$m bbanefo, Chief Justice of the
3astelm Regian of Nigeria, and the Han. Jacques Theodore van WyJc,
Judge of the Appellate Division of the Scupreme Court of'South Africa,

The Parties are represenked as follows:

The Empire of Ethiopic~:

Agents :

Han. Ernest A. Grass,
Wanber of the New York Bar;

Cons el: Hon. Edward R. Ihore,
Under Secretary of Stateof
Liberia;

i-r. Keitli Higllet,
kerdûer of the lqeitYork Bar;

. MI*. FrankG. Dawson,
Member of the itjetYork Bar.

The., .
...- -2-

. .. - .-
u

The Republic of Liberia:

Agents:

Hon. Rrnest A, Gross,
14erfiber othe New York Barg

Agent and Bon. Edirard R . Moore,
Counsel: Under Secretary of Ytate of Liberia;

Mr, Keith Highet
Counsel: Mernber of the New York Bar;

Mi=.Frank G. Ua-rlrson,
Mexber of the New York Bar.

The Republlic of Sou-th Africa:

Agents: , Professor J .P. verLoren van Themat,
S.C ., Professor of Internat lonal Law
at the Universiby of SouthAfrica and
Consultant to the Uepartsent of
Foreign Affairsg

Mr. R, I~IcGregor,
Deput:? Ciilef State Attorney;

Mr. R.F. Botha,
Depart~xent of Foreign df fairs and

Advocate ol the S~prei~ Court of
Sai?.tlkf ricag

Mr. D.T. de Villiers, Ç .Ga,
Meniber of the South àfricanBar;

MY. C. van R. Fiulle , S .C.,
bIerrtbeor"the South African Barg

Ur.P. J. Eabie, S .C.,
$Iem%ierof the 5outi.i African Bar;

Sb, E .Pl Grosskopf ,
Member of the South African Barg

Dr. H,J.O. van Meerden,
%Ter>~bz~f.crtheSouth African Barg

14r. P.R. van Rooyen,
I~!izi~îr f the South Africm Bar;

Advisers : fi. H.J. Allen,
D epartmen'c of Bantu Administration
and Developn~ent ;

Mr. H. Reese,
Departzieilt of F'orciglîkf fairs and
Advocateof the :;uprmt Coud of
South Hfrica.

The Hague, 20 Septeïriber1965. -.----.------he 2ress

The Press i?oorii is i?ooiïi 5. Tliere are si]:telepnone booths in
the Fczce Palace Fost OiIice, The Court vil1 normally hold l~nblic
si.ttiligs fron 3 p.i.i. to 6 l>.iR. on ~oïiday ancl fron LC) a.i-1. to 1 p.i~.
:?e;~résenLztivcs of t;i~ Tjress 1.1ay be ~resent
on Tuesday - FriSay.
at ench public sitcin, anCi wilL find co?ie~ of L1.c verbatim
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of tiie norriiïig follor~iiiy t'le si ~tiiz:.;c hclr! ciilTuesc!tiy-Tric!q, and
at the beginning of TeesC~ng ni'tcrtoor, in tizc etl.se oT sittiligs ileli!

on IIoiid-ay, So~ies will ~lsu be available at khe Interilutional
Press Centre J~IJiei..:r~;~oort~~, Ilcfsii_gel 12, The lIngar, iii the evening
of tllc d:*y of sitti,l~s :iclc! fral.1 Tae5ci.n~ to Friday, nild at lcnchtiae
on T~~csCiajr in tfle case of sit tirlgs ilelcl .=iniio;ir?ny. Freiîch

trans7>.'cions iril.1 Sc $"vailable 2.; the sauc ;?lacesaI>:>ro::inately
2" ~I~QL'~S LI~CT.

i{oi~.-tiile$ail>.. çgilgv.glciuCs iil~l.icr;itiml; tl~c fiai.ieci? tk:e da;? '
s;jo~~~:~rs ::11;.k2;c tige of tlie i12::t guhlic si'~tiil~ v~ill not be

iseii,ed, c::cept tl;t..ithr, tii:ic of -tlic :~e;;t ;si~i.ilic sit'clfig 0t~ili 'rie
gl.ven 'oy coi;.iniiniqv.é ~rlzci-tc?rer:it ic fÉze6. ffor a =?.:?te o'ciler thüiz
tlic follorl?ing :~orkiiiz d-z.;~.

Iii accoydance i.litlithe Ca~irtl ,s 6.ecisioil au-kliorizifi~. the
;ple;~.diil~ç aii$. ::r?,a~ie::rzdd.ucc.i-le*r'in the Soui!l ':.Tesi;Af~ïc a cases to
be !~ade c.,c~essible tu the: ;A~,iublic, LVIO a~t~ O? these ~.GCU.L~EFL~S
have been ;:lacecl ii~ 'clle Ilss loon. ~-!ei.ihe?s of the Press tire

asl,:ec?.to co-oper.?.te $12 -c 5y:r~ctil;g tlie reqz1.e.c;t c;tai:i;~ed on the ce
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as the l?e,$is.kry hes aot tr;~rfficieii'c stocl:~ ta re,:;lace ail7 i:livslng
vol~iï,les, Gopies have alsu beei~ i3lnced iil the Feace Pa!.c.çe

Librarg.