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INTERNATIONAL COURTOFJUSTICE
Peace Palace, 2517 KJ The Hague. Tel.(31-70-302 23 23). Cables: Intercourt, The Hague.
Telefax (31-70-364 99 28). Telex 32323. Internet address: http: // www.icj-cij.org
Communiqué
unofficial
forimmediaterelease
No. 99111
5 March 1999
Case concerning Land and Maritime Boundarv between Cameroon and Nigeria
(Cameroon v. Nigeria)
Extension of the time-limit for the filing of Nigeria's Counter-Memorial
THE HAGUE, 5 March 1999. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) bas extended by two
months the time-limit for the filing of the Counter-Memorial ofNigeria in the case conceming the
Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria).
By an Order dated 3 March 1999 the Court fixed the new time-limi t at 31 May 1999.
By a letter dated 23 February 1999, Nigeria, referring to the Request for Interpretation of the
Court's Judgment of 11 June 1998 on Preliminary Objections, whîch it submitted in October 1998,
(see Press Communiqué 98/34), had stated that it "[would] not be in a position to complete its
Counter-Memorial until it fknew] the outcome of its Request for Interpretation".
By a letter of 24 February 1999, Cameroon, for its part, had stated that it was "resolutely
opposed" toany extension of the time-limit, explaining that the Court "would create a precedent
which in future would encourage parties .to make requests for interpretation or revision of
judgments on preliminary objections".
In the reasonîng to its decision, the Court stated that a request for interpretation "cannat in
itself suffice to justify the extension of a time·limit" but that, given the circumstances of the case,.
• it considered that it should grant Nigeria an extension of the time-limit.
The subsequent procedure has been reserved for further decision.
Background information
On 29 March 1994, Cameroon filed an application instituting proceedings against Nigeria in
a dispute conceming the question of sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula, which it claimed was
in part under mihtary occupation by Nigeria, and requested the Court to determine the course of
the maritime frontier between the two States in so far as that frontier had not already been
established by the Maroua Declaration signed by the Cameroonian and Nigerian Heads of State in
1975.
As a basis for the jurisdiction of the Court, Cameroon referred to the declarations made by
both States whereby they accept that jurisdiction as compulsory (Article 36, paragraph 2, of the
Statute of the Court). ~ 2 -
In an additional application filed on 6 June 1994, Cameroon extended the case to a further
dispute with Nigerîa over"a part of the territory of Cameroon in the area of Lake Chad", which it
claimed was also occupied by Nigeria. Cameroon asked the Court to specify definitively the
frontier between itself and Nigeria from Lakehad to the sea, to order the withdrawal of Nigerian
troops from Cameroonian territory and to determine reparation for the material and non-material
damage inflicted.
On 13 December 1995, Nigeria raised preliminary objections to the jurisdiction of the Court
and to the admissibility of Cameroon's daims. The proceedings on the merits were accordingly
suspended, by ·virtue of Article 79, paragraph 3, of the Rules of the Court. By an Order
of 10 January 1996, the then President of the Court, Judge Mohammed Bedjaoui, taking into
account the views expressed by the Parties, fixed 15 May 1996 as the time-limit within which
Cameroon had to present a written statement of its observations and submissions on the preliminary
objections raised by Nigeria. That statement was filed within the prescribed time-limit.
On 12 February 1996, Cameroon requested the Court to indicate provisional measures after
"serions armed incidents" bad taken place between Cameroonian and Nigerian forces in the Bakassi
Peninsula. Public hearings were held between 5 and 8 March 1996, and on 15 March 1996 the
Court made an Order stating that "both Parties should ensure that no action of any kind, and
particularly no action by their armed forces, is taken which might prejudice the rights of the·other
in respect of whatever judgment the Court may render in the case, or which might aggravate or
extend the dispute before it". The ICJ further ruled that the Parties "should observe the agreement
reached between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Kara, Togo, on 17 February 1996, for the
cessationof ali hostilities in the Bakassi Peninsula".
In a Judgment rendered on 11 June 1998, the Court rejected seven of the preliminary
objections raîsed by Nigeria and declared that an eighth one would have to be dealt with during the
proceedings on the merits. lt further declared that it bad jurisdiction in the case and found
Cameroon's claims admissible.
By an Order dated 30 June 1998, the Court, after ascertaîning the views of the Parties, fixed
31 March 1998 as the time-limit for the filing of the Counter·Memorîal of Nigeria.
•
Website of the Court: http://www.icj-cij.org
Information Office
Mr. Arthur Witteveen, Secretary of the Court (tel: 31-70-302 2336)
Mrs. Laurence Blairon, Information Officer (tel: 31-70-302 2337)
E-mail: information@icj·cij .org
Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria) - Extension of the time-limit for the filing of Nigeria's Counter-Memorial