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. 2008/36
21 October 2008
Accordance with International Law of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence
by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo
(Request for Advisory Opinion)
The Court makes an Order organizing the proceedings; it fixes the time-limits for the
presentation of written statements and of written comments on those statements
THE HAGUE, 21 October 2008. Following th e request by the General Assembly of the
United Nations to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) asking it to render an advisory opinion on
the question of the accordance with international la w of the unilateral declaration of independence
by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Govern ment of Kosovo (see Press Release2008/34 of
10 October 2008), the Court has made an Order organizing the proceedings.
In its Order dated 17October2008, the Cour t decided that “the United Nations and its
Member States are considered likely to be able to furnish information on the question submitted to
the Court for an advisory opinion”. It has fixed 17April2009 as the time-limit within which
written statements on the question may be presented to the Court and 17 July 2009 as the time-limit
within which States and organizations having presented written statements may submit written
comments on the other statements.
The Court also decided that “taking account of the fact that the unilateral declaration of
independence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo of 17 February 2008 is
the subject of the question submitted to the Court fo r an advisory opinion, the authors of the above
declaration are considered likely to be able to furnish information on the question”, and has
therefore decided “to invite them to make writte n contributions to the Court within the above
time-limits”.
The subsequent procedure was reserved for further decision.
History of the proceedings
On 8October2008, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolution63/3
(A/63/L.2) in which, referring to Article65 of th e Statute of the Court, it requested the Court to
render an advisory opinion on the following question:
“Is the unilateral declaration of independence by the Provisional Institutions of
Self-Government of Kosovo in accordance with international law?” - 2 -
Certified true copies of the English and French texts of that resolution were transmitted to
the Court under cover of a letter from the Secr etary-General of the United Nations dated
9October2008 and received by fax on 10October 2008. In his letter, the Secretary-General
indicated that, pursuant to Article65, paragraph2, of the Statute, all documents likely to throw
light upon the question would be transmitted to the Court as soon as possible.
By letters dated 10October2008, the Registrar gave notice of the request for an advisory
opinion to all States entitled to appear before the C ourt, pursuant to Article 66, paragraph 1, of the
Statute.
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The full text of the Order will shortly be available on the Court’s website (www.icj-cij.org).
Written statements and written comments on tho se statements and written contributions are
confidential at this stage in the proceedings.
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Information Department:
Mrs. Laurence Blairon, Secretary of the Court, Head of Department (+31 (0)70 302 2336)
Messrs. Boris Heim and Maxime Schouppe, Information Officers (+31 (0)70 302 2337)
Ms Joanne Moore, Associate Information Officer (+31 (0)70 302 2394)
Accordance with International Law of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo (Request for Advisory Opinion) - The Court makes an Order organizing the proceedings; it fixes the time-limits for the presentation of written statements and of written comments on those statements