INTERNATIONAL COURTOF JUSTICE
Peace Palace,25 17KJTheHague.Te1.(3 1-70-30223 23). Cables:Intercourt,The Hague.
Telefax(31-70-36499 28).Telex32323. Internetaddress: http:/www-icj-cij-org
Communiqué -
unoffid
formediate release
No.99/40
16September1999
Sovereipniyover Puiamtan * and PuIauSipadan
~adoriesidMalaysia)
. .
ourt extendsthetirnie-lmltfor tfilUP ofa Counter-Me
0
THE HAGUE, 16 September1999. The InternationalCourtof Justice (IÇJ) has extended
untii 2 July200thethe-limit forthe ftlingof a Counter-Mernblyeachof thePartiesinthe
caseconcerningSv-tan . . and PuIauSipadan (InonesialMala\LsIa).
Takinginto accountthe provisionsof the Special AgreementbetweenPartieby which
îheysubmittedthecase,theCourt initiallyfix2 March2000 as thetime-limitfor the filing of
the two Counter-Mernoriais.
However,inajoint letteof18August 1939,theAgents ofIndonesiaandofMalaysiaasked
theCourftora four-monthextensionoftheabove-mentionedtirne-limit,statingthatnotleave
them sufficienttimto gddressissues that rnightbe raisedin their respective MemoThels.
Parties stressthatapartfromthis modification,the Specid Agreement rernainedunchanged,
includingthe timelimit fixedfor the filiMernorial(2 November 1999).
Taking accountoftheagreementoftheParties,the Courtgrantedthe requestedextensionby
a an Orderof 14 September1999.
The subsequentprocedurehm beenseservedfor furtherdecision.
Indonesia and Malaysiajointly seised the Court on 2 November 1998 of their dispute
concerningsovereignty over Pulau LigitanandPulauSipadan,two islands in the CeieSea.
Theydid so by notifiing the Court afSpeciaf Agreement, whichwas signed between hem
an 31 May 1997 atKualaLumpur and enteredintforce on14 May 1998.
In the SpecialAgreement, the PartiesrequestCourt "todetermineon the basiof the
treatieagreementsand any otherevidencefurnisheby [them],whetRersovereigntoverPulau
LigitanandPulau SipadanbeIongs tothe RepublicofIndonesiaor to Malaysia". Theyexpress
thewish to settltheirdispute"inthe spirit of iîiendly relations existingbetween [thern] as
enunciatedin the 1976TreatyofAmityandCs-operationiSoutheasAsia"and declareinadvance
thattheywill "açcetheJudgmen tftheCourtgivenpursuantto[the]SpecialAgreementas final
andbindingupon hem". UndertheRulesof Court i, a case unilaterallybroughtone SiateagainstanotherState
(by means of an application), the applicant submiasMernorial,to which the respondent
subsequentlyfilesaCaunter-Mernorial,withindifferenttime-Iimits. However, in a casebrought
jointlyby two States(undera special agreement),eachofthe partiessubmitsa Memorialand
subsequentlya Counter-Mernoria wlithithe same time-limits.
Thefull texof theOrder willshortlybe availablon theCourt' wsebsitat thefollowing
address:http:/knnv.icj-cij.org
InfornationOffice:
Ms.ArthurWitteveen, FirstSecretaryoftheCourt (tel+ 31 70302 2336)
Mrs.LaurenceBlairon,InformationOficer (tel:+ 32 79302 2337)
E-mailaddress:[email protected]
Sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge (Malaysia/Singapore) - The Court extends the time-limit for the filing of a Counter-Memorial by each of the Parties