INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)70 302 2323 Fax: +31 (0)70 364 9928
Website: www.icj-cij.org
Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2003/39
7 November 2003
Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo
(Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda)
The public hearings scheduled to open on Monday 10 November 2003
have been postponed
THE HAGUE, 7 November 2003. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), principal judicial
organ of the United Nations, has postponed the hearings that were to open on 10 November 2003 in
the case concerning Armed Activities on the Territo ry of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the
Congo v. Uganda).
In a letter dated 5 November 2003, the Democratic Republic of the Congo raised the
question whether the case might be adjourned to a late r date, in April 2004, in order to enable the
diplomatic negotiations engaged by the Parties to be conducted inan atmosphere of calm. By a
letter of 6 November 2003, Uganda indicated that it supported the proposal and adopted the request
of the Congo.
By a letter dated 6 November 2003, the Registra r informed the Parties that the Court, acting
under Article54, paragraph1, of the Rules of Court, and taking account of the representations
made to it by the Parties, had decided that the opening of the oral proceedings would be postponed
but had also decided that it was impossible to fix a date in April 2004 for the adjourned hearings.
As the Court’s judicial calendar for the periofrom now until well into 2004 had been adopted
some time ago, providing for the hearing of, and deliberation on, a number of other cases, the new
date for the opening of the oral proceedings in the present case would be fixed in due course.
It is regrettable that the present unexpected situation will make it necessary for the Court to
re-examine its schedule of work in order to make the most efficient and economical use of its
judicial time.
History of the proceedings
For the history of the proceedings, please refe r to press release No. 2003/24 on the website
of the Court (www.icj-cij.org). Click on “Docket” and then on the hyperlink for the case
concerning Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v.
Uganda).
___________
Information Department:
Mr. Arthur Th. Witteveen, First Secretary (+31 70 302 23 36)
Mrs. Laurence Blairon and Mr. Boris Heim, Information Officers (+31 70 302 23 37)
E-mail address: [email protected]
Armed activities on the territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo v. Uganda) - The public hearings scheduled to open on Monday 10 November 2003 have been postponed