Order of 18 July 2011

Document Number
151-20110718-ORD-01-00-EN
Document Type
Incidental Proceedings
Date of the Document
Document File
Bilingual Document File

COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE

RECUEIL DES ARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNANCES

DEMANDE EN INTERPRÉTATION
DE L’ARRÊT DU 15 JUIN 1962 EN L’AFFAIRE

DU TEMPLE DE PRÉAH VIHÉAR
(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

DEMANDE EN INDICATION
DE MESURES CONSERVATOIRES

ORDONNANCE DU 18 JUILLET 2011

2011

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS

REqUEST FOR INTERPRETATION
OF THE JUDGMENT OF 15 JUNE 1962 IN THE CASE

CONCERNING THE TEMPLE Of PREAH VIHEAR
(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

REqUEST FOR THE INDICATION
OF PROVISIONAL MEASURES

ORDER OF 18 JULY 2011

6 CIJ1023.indb 1 18/06/13 10:38 Mode officiel de citation :
Demande en interprétation de l’arrêt du 15 juin 1962 en l’affaire
du Temple de Préah Vihéar (Cambodge c. Thaïlande)
(Cambodge c. Thaïlande), mesures conservatoires, ordonnance du 18 juillet 2011,
C.I.J. Recueil 2011, p. 537

Official citation :

Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 15 June 1962 in the Case
concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand)
(Cambodia v. Thailand), Provisional Measures, Order of 18 July 2011,
I.C.J. Reports 2011, p. 537

o
N de vente:
ISSN 0074-4441 Sales number 1023
ISBN 978-92-1-071134-0

6 CIJ1023.indb 2 18/06/13 10:38 18 JUILLET 2011

ORDONNANCE

DEMANDE EN INTERPRÉTATION
DE L’ARRÊT DU 15 JUIN 1962 EN L’AFFAIRE

DU TEMPLE DE PRÉAH VIHÉAR
(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

DEMANDE EN INDICATION
DE MESURES CONSERVATOIRES

REqUEST FOR INTERPRETATION
OF THE JUDGMENT OF 15 JUNE 1962 IN THE CASE

CONCERNING THE TEMPLE Of PREAH VIHEAR
(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

REqUEST FOR THE INDICATION
OF PROVISIONAL MEASURES

18 JULY 2011

ORDER

6 CIJ1023.indb 3 18/06/13 10:38 537

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

YEAR 2011 2011
18 July
General List
18 July 2011 No. 151

REqUEST FOR INTERPRETATION

OF THE JUDGMENT OF 1 J5UNE1962 IN THE CASE
CONCERNING THE TEMPLE Of PREAH VIHEAR

(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

REqUEST FOR THE INDICATION
OF PROVISIONAL MEASURES

ORDER

Present : President OwadaVice‑President Tomka ;Judges Koroma,
Al-Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna,
Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwoffod, Xue,
Donoghue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ; Registrar

Couvreur.

The International Court of Justice,

Composed as above,
After deliberation,

Having regard to Articles 41 and 48 of the Statute of the Court and
Articles 73, 74 and 75 of the Rules of Court,
Having regard to the Application instituting proceedings filed in the
Registry on 28 April 2011 by the Kingdom of Cambodia (hereina-ter “Cam

4

6 CIJ1023.indb 5 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 538

bodia”), whereby, referring to Article 60 of the Statute of the Court and
Article 98 of the Rules of Court, Cambodia requests the Court to interpret

the Judgment it rendered on 15 June 1962 in the case concerning the Temple
of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand) (hereinafter the “1962 Judgment” ;)

Makes the following Order :

1. Whereas, in its Application, Cambodia states that, in the first
paragraph of the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment, the Court
declared that “the Temple of Preah Vihear is situated in territory under
the sovereignty of Cambodia” ; whereas it believes that the Court could
not have reached such a conclusion if it had not first recognized that aff

legally established frontier existed between the two Parties in the area in
question; whereas it implies that, in the reasoning of the 1962 Judgment,
the Court considered that the two Parties had, by their conduct, recog -
nized the line on the map in Annex I to Cambodia’s Memorial (herein-
after the “Annex I map”), a map drawn up in 1907 by the Franco-Siamese

Mixed Commission, as representing the frontier between Cambodia and
the Kingdom of Thailand (hereinafter “Thailand”) in the area of ffthe
Temple of Preah Vihear ; and whereas it recalls that, according to the
jurisprudence of the Court, while in principle any request for interpretffa-

tion must relate to the operative part of the judgment, it can also relaffte to
those reasons for the judgment which are inseparable from the operative ff
part ;
2. Whereas, in its Application, Cambodia states that, in the second
paragraph of the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment, the Court

declared that “Thailand is under an obligation to withdraw any militaffry
or police forces, or other guards or keepers, stationed by her at the Tem -
ple, or in its vicinity on Cambodian territory” ; whereas, according to
Cambodia, this obligation derives from the fact that the Temple of
Preah Vihear and its vicinity are situated in territory under Cambodian

sovereignty, as recognized by the Court in the first paragraph of the opera-
tive clause, and “goes beyond a withdrawal from only the precincts offf the
Temple itself and extends to the area of the Temple in general” ; and
whereas Cambodia argues that the setting forth of this obligation in theff

operative clause of the Judgment indicates that it must be understood asff
a general and continuing obligation incumbent upon Thailand not to
advance into Cambodian territory ;
3. Whereas, according to Cambodia, Thailand believes that Cambodia’s
sovereignty is confined to the Temple and does not extend to the area sur-

rounding it, authorizing Thailand to claim sovereignty over that area anffd to
occupy it; whereas Cambodia claims that Thailand considers that the fron -
tier in the area of the Temple has not been recognized by the Court and has
still to be determined in law ; whereas Cambodia asserts that, in the first
paragraph of the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment, the Court clearly

refused to confine Cambodia’s sovereignty solely to the Temple, by deter -
mining the ownership of the latter “on the basis of the sovereignty offver the

5

6 CIJ1023.indb 7 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 539

territory in which the Temple is situated”; and whereas a dispute therefore
exists, according to Cambodia, as to the meaning and scope of the 1962 Judg -

ment, in particular with regard to the extent of Cambodia’s sovereignff;ty
4. Whereas, in its Application, Cambodia maintains that the jurisdic -
tion of the Court to entertain a request for interpretation of one of itffs
judgments is based directly on Article 60 of the Statute, which stipulates
that, “[i]n the event of dispute as to the meaning or scope of the juffdgment,

the Court shall construe it upon the request of any party” ;
5. Whereas, at the end of its Application, Cambodia presents the fol -
lowing request :

“Given that ‘the Temple of Preah Vihear is situated in territory
under the sovereignty of Cambodia’ (first paragraph of the operativeff
clause), which is the legal consequence of the fact that the Temple is ff
situated on the Cambodian side of the frontier, as that frontier was
recognized by the Court in its Judgment, and on the basis of the facts

and legal arguments set forth above, Cambodia respectfully asks the
Court to adjudge and declare that :
The obligation incumbent upon Thailand to ‘withdraw any military
or police forces, or other guards or keepers, stationed by her at the
Temple, or in its vicinity on Cambodian territory’ (second paragraphff

of the operative clause) is a particular consequence of the general andff
continuing obligation to respect the integrity of the territory of Cam -
bodia, that territory having been delimited in the area of the Temple
and its vicinity by the line on the Annex I map, on which the Judgment
of the Court is based” ;

6. Whereas on 28 April 2011, having filed its Application, Cambodia,
referring to Article 41 of the Statute and Article 73 of the Rules of Court,
also submitted a request for the indication of provisional measures in

order to “cause [the] incursions onto its territory [by Thailand] to ffcease”
pending the Court’s ruling on the request for interpretation of the
1962 Judgment ;
7. Whereas, in its request for the indication of provisional measures,
Cambodia refers to the basis for the Court’s jurisdiction invoked in ffits

Application (see paragraph 4 above) ;
8. Whereas, in the said request, Cambodia claims that, since
22 April 2011, serious armed incidents have occurred in the area of the
Temple of Preah Vihear and at several locations situated along the bound -
ary between Cambodia and Thailand, and that those incidents have

caused fatalities, injuries and the evacuation of local inhabitants ; and
whereas Cambodia contends that Thailand is responsible for those inci -
dents ;
9. Whereas, in its request, Cambodia asserts that, if that request were
to be rejected and if Thailand persisted in its conduct, the damage causffed
to the Temple of Preah Vihear, as well as the loss of life and human suf -

fering as a result of those armed clashes, would become worse ;

6

6 CIJ1023.indb 9 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 540

10. Whereas Cambodia adds that “[m]easures are urgently required,
both to safeguard [its] rights . . . pending the Court’s decision — rights

relating to its sovereignty, its territorial integrity and to the duty offf
non-interference incumbent upon Thailand — and to avoid aggravation
of the dispute” ;
11. Whereas, at the end of its request for the indication of provisional meaff
sures, Cambodia asks the Court to indicate the following provisional mea-ff

sures pending the delivery of its judgment on the request for interpretafft:ion
“— an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Thai forces

from those parts of Cambodian territory situated in the area of
the Temple of Preah Vihear ;
— a ban on all military activity by Thailand in the area of the
Temple of Preah Vihear ;
— that Thailand refrain from any act or action which could inter -
fere with the rights of Cambodia or aggravate the dispute in

the principal proceedings” ;
and whereas it asks the Court, on account of the gravity of the situation,

to consider its request for the indication of provisional measures as a ff
matter of urgency ;
12. Whereas, on 28 April 2011, the date on which the Application and
the request for the indication of provisional measures were filed in theff
Registry, the Registrar informed the Thai Government of the filing of

these documents and forthwith sent it signed originals thereof, pursuantff
to Article 40, paragraph 2, of the Statute and Article 38, paragraph 4, and
Article 73, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Court ; and whereas the Registrar
also notified the Secretary-General of the United Nations of this filing ;

13. Whereas, on 4 May 2011, the Registrar informed the Parties that

the Court, pursuant to Article 74, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court,
had fixed 30 May 2011 as the opening date for the oral proceedings on
the request for the indication of provisional measures ;
14. Whereas, pending the notification provided for by Article 40, para -
graph 3, of the Statute and Article 42 of the Rules of Court by transmis -

sion of the printed bilingual text of the Application to the Members of ffthe
United Nations, the Registrar informed those States of the filing of theff
Application and its subject, and of the filing of the request for the inffdica-
tion of provisional measures ;
15. Whereas, since the Court includes upon the Bench no judge of the

nationality of the Parties, each of them proceeded, in exercise of the rffight
conferred by Article 31, paragraph 3, of the Statute, to choose a judge
ad hoc in the case ; whereas Cambodia chose Mr. Gilbert Guillaume for
this purpose and Thailand chose Mr. Jean-Pierre Cot ;
16. Whereas, at the public hearings held on 30 and 31 May 2011, in
accordance with Article 74, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court, oral

observations on the request for the indication of provisional measures
were presented by :

7

6 CIJ1023.indb 11 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 541

On behalf of Cambodia : H.E. Mr. Hor Namhong, Agent,
Sir Franklin Berman,

Mr. Jean-Marc Sorel ;
On behalf of Thailand : H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai, Agent,
Mr. Alain Pellet,

Mr. James Crawford,
Mr. Donald McRae ;

whereas, during the hearings, a question was put by a Member of the
Court to both Parties, to which replies were given in writing after the
closure of the oral proceedings ; and whereas each Party submitted to the
Court its comments on the replies given by the other Party to that ques -
tion ;

*
* *

17. Whereas, at the end of its second round of oral observations, the
Kingdom of Cambodia asked the Court to indicate the following provi -

sional measures :
“— an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Thai forces

from those parts of Cambodian territory situated in the area of
the Temple of Preah Vihear ;
— a ban on all military activity by Thailand in the area of the
Temple of Preah Vihear ;
— that Thailand refrain from any act or action which could inter -
fere with the rights of Cambodia or aggravate the dispute in

the principal proceedings” ;
18. Whereas, at the end of its second round of oral observations, the

Kingdom of Thailand asked the Court,
“[i]n accordance with Article 60 of the Rules of Court and having

regard to the request for the indication of provisional measures of the ff
Kingdom of Cambodia and its oral pleadings . . . to remove the case
introduced by the Kingdom of Cambodia on 28 April 2011 from the
General List” ;

*
* *

Dispute as to the Meaniffng or Scope of the 1962 Judgffment
and Jurisdiction of thffe Court

19. Whereas, when it receives a request for the indication of provi -

sional measures in the context of proceedings for interpretation of a juffd-
ment under Article 60 of the Statute, the Court has to consider whether

8

6 CIJ1023.indb 13 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 542

the conditions laid down by that Article for the Court to entertain a
request for interpretation appear to be satisfied ;

20. Whereas Article 60 provides that : “The judgment is final and with-
out appeal. In the event of dispute as to the meaning or scope of the juffdg -
ment, the Court shall construe it upon the request of any party” ; and
whereas this provision is supplemented by Article 98 of the Rules of
Court, paragraph 1 of which reads : “In the event of dispute as to the

meaning or scope of a judgment any party may make a request for its
interpretation . . .” ;
21. Whereas the Court’s jurisdiction on the basis of Article 60 of the
Statute is not preconditioned by the existence of any other basis of jurffis -
diction as between the parties to the original case; whereas it follows that,
even if the basis of jurisdiction in the original case lapses, the Courtff,

nevertheless, by virtue of Article 60 of the Statute, may entertain a request
for interpretation provided that there is a “dispute as to the meaninffg or
scope” of any judgment rendered by it ; whereas the Court may indicate
provisional measures in the context of proceedings for interpretation offf a
judgment only if it is satisfied that there appears prima facie to existff a

“dispute” within the meaning of Article 60 of the Statute; and whereas, at
this stage, it need not satisfy itself in a definitive manner that such ffa dis-
pute exists ;
22. Whereas a dispute within the meaning of Article 60 of the Statute
must be understood as a difference of opinion or views between the par -

ties as to the meaning or scope of a judgment rendered by the Court ; and
whereas the existence of such a dispute does not require the same criterffia
to be fulfilled as those determining the existence of a dispute under Arffti -
cle 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute (Interpretation of Judgments Nos. 7
and 8 (factory at Chorzów), Judgment No. 11, 1927, P.C.I.J., Series A,
No. 13, pp. 10-12 ; Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of

31 March 2004 in the Case concerning Avena and Other Mexican Nation -
als (Mexico v. United States of America) (Mexico v. United States of
America), Provisional Measures, Order of 16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports
2008, p. 325, para. 53) ;
23. Whereas, moreover, it is established that a dispute within the

meaning of Article 60 of the Statute must relate to the operative clause of
the judgment in question and cannot concern the reasons for the judg -
ment except in so far as these are inseparable from the operative clauseff
(Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 11 June 1998 in the Case
concerning the Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and

Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria), Preliminary Objections (Nigeria v. Cam ‑
eroon), Judgment, I.C.J. Reports 1999 (I), p. 35, para. 10 ; Request for
Interpretation of the Judgment of 31 March 2004 in the Case concerning
Avena and Other Mexican Nationals (Mexico v. United States of Amer -
ica) (Mexico v. United States of America), Provisional Measures, Order of
16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports 2008, p. 323, para. 47) ;

* *

9

6 CIJ1023.indb 15 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 543

24. Whereas the Court must now ascertain whether a dispute appears
to exist between the Parties in the present case, within the meaning of ff

Article 60 of the Statute ;
25. Whereas Cambodia asserts that a dispute exists between the Parties
as to the meaning and scope of the 1962 Judgment in three respects ;
26. Whereas Cambodia argues, first, that the conclusion reached by
the Court in the first paragraph of the operative clause of the 1962 Judffg -

ment, in which it asserts that the Temple “is situated in territory uffnder
the sovereignty of Cambodia”, and the conclusion which it reaches “ffin
consequence” in the second paragraph, namely that Thailand “is undffer
an obligation to withdraw any military or police forces, or other guardsff
or keepers, stationed by her at the Temple, or in its vicinity on Cambo -
dian territory”, are based on the Court’s prior recognition, in thffe reason-

ing of the Judgment, of the frontier line between Cambodia and Thailand ff
in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear, as represented by the line on
the Annex I map ; and whereas, according to Cambodia, Thailand dis -
putes this interpretation of the 1962 Judgment ;

27. Whereas Cambodia maintains, secondly, that a dispute exists
between the Parties as to the meaning and scope of the phrase “viciniffty
on Cambodian territory” used in the second paragraph of the operativeff
clause of the 1962 Judgment to designate the area from which the Thai
forces were obliged to withdraw ; whereas, according to Cambodia, Thai -

land, believing that the frontier in the area of the Temple has not been
established, is laying claim to “territory beyond the strict precinctffs of the
Temple” and occupying that area regardless of the Judgment, in particu -
lar the second paragraph of the operative clause ;
28. Whereas Cambodia argues, thirdly, that a dispute exists as to

whether, as it claims, the obligation deriving from the second paragraph
of the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment is of a general and continuff -
ing character, in so far as it is the consequence of the obligation incuffm -
bent upon Thailand not to infringe Cambodia’s territorial sovereigntyff in
the area of the Temple ;

*

29. Whereas Thailand maintains that there is no dispute as to the
meaning or scope of the 1962 Judgment ; whereas it does not dispute the
fact that the Temple of Preah Vihear is situated in Cambodian territory,ff

as is recognized in the first paragraph of the operative clause of that ffJudg -
ment; whereas it claims furthermore not to dispute the fact that Thailand
was under an obligation, pursuant to the second paragraph of the opera -
tive clause, to withdraw its military forces from the Temple or from itsff
vicinity in so far as those forces were situated in Cambodian territory ;
whereas it asserts that this “instantaneous” obligation has been fffully met

by Thailand and cannot give rise to an interpretative judgment ; and
whereas Thailand maintains, in consequence, that the Court manifestly

10

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lacks jurisdiction “to rule on Cambodia’s request for interpretatiffon” and,
therefore, to indicate the provisional measures requested ;

30. Whereas Thailand claims that the sole aim of Cambodia’s Applica-
tion is to have the Court decide that the frontier between the two coun -
tries derives from the Annex I map ; whereas Thailand observes that
while, in the reasoning of its 1962 Judgment, the Court did indeed base ff
itself on the Annex I map in order to decide that the Temple was situated

in Cambodian territory, it did not deduce that the entire frontier in thffis
area derived from that map ; and whereas Thailand further notes that the
Court clearly refused to rule, in the operative clause of its Judgment, ffon
Cambodia’s submissions to it regarding both the legal status of the
Annex I map and the frontier line in the disputed area ;

*

31. Whereas, in the light of the positions adopted by the Parties, a dif -
ference of opinion or views appears to exist between them as to the meanff -

ing or scope of the 1962 Judgment ; whereas this difference appears to
relate, in the first place, to the meaning and scope of the phrase “vfficinity
on Cambodian territory” used in the second paragraph of the operativeff
clause of the Judgment ; whereas this difference of opinion or views
appears to relate, next, to the nature of the obligation imposed on Thaiff -

land, in the second paragraph of the operative clause of the Judgment, tffo
“withdraw any military or police forces, or other guards or keepers”ff, and,
in particular, to the question of whether this obligation is of a continffuing
or an instantaneous character ; and whereas this difference of opinion or
views appears to relate, finally, to the question of whether the Judgmenfft
did or did not recognize with binding force the line shown on the Annex I

map as representing the frontier between the two Parties ; whereas the
Permanent Court of International Justice previously had occasion to state
that a difference of opinion as to whether a particular point has or hasff
not been decided with binding force also constitutes a case which comes ff
within the terms of Article 60 of the Statute (Interpretation of Judgments

Nos. 7 and 8 (factory at Chorzów), Judgment No. 11, 1927, P.C.I.J.,
Series A, No. 13, pp. 11-12) ;
32. Whereas a dispute thus appears to exist between the Parties as to
the meaning or scope of the 1962 Judgment, and whereas it therefore
appears that the Court may, pursuant to Article 60 of the Statute, enter -

tain the request for interpretation of the said Judgment submitted by
Cambodia; whereas, in consequence, the Court cannot accede to the
request by Thailand that the case be removed from the General List ; and
whereas there is a sufficient basis for the Court to be able to indicatffe the
provisional measures requested by Cambodia, if the necessary conditions
are fulfilled ;

* *

11

6 CIJ1023.indb 19 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 545

Plausible Character offf the Alleged Rights

in the Principal Requesfft and Link
between these Rights ffand the Measures Requeffsted

33. Whereas the power of the Court to indicate provisional measures
under Article 41 of the Statute has as its object the preservation of the

respective rights of the parties pending the decision of the Court ; whereas
it follows that the Court must be concerned to preserve by such measuresff
the rights which may subsequently be adjudged by the Court to belong to ff
either party; whereas the Court may exercise this power only if it is satis -
fied that the rights asserted by a party are at least plausible (Certain

Activities Carried Out by Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v.
Nicaragua), Provisional Measures, Order of 8 March 2011, I.C.J. Reports
2011 (I), p. 18, para. 53) ; and whereas, in proceedings under Article 60
of the Statute, this supposes that the rights which the party requestingff
provisional measures claims to derive from the judgment in question, in

the light of its interpretation of that judgment, are at least plausibleff;

34. Whereas, moreover, a link must be established between the alleged
rights and the provisional measures sought to protect them (see Request
for Interpretation of the Judgment of 31 March 2004 in the Case concern ‑

ing Avena and Other Mexican Nationals (Mexico v. United States of
America) (Mexico v. United States of America), Provisional Measures,
Order of 16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports 2008, p. 327, para. 58); and whereas,
in proceedings under Article 60 of the Statute, this supposes that there is
a link between the provisional measures requested by a party and the

rights which it claims to derive from the judgment in question, in the lffight
of the interpretation it gives to that judgment ;

* *

Plausible Character of the Alleged Rights in the Principal Request

35. Whereas Cambodia contends that, in order to demonstrate the
plausible character of the rights which it alleges in its request for inffte-pre
tation and which it is seeking to protect — namely, the right to respect for
its sovereignty in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear and, more gen -
erally, its right to territorial integrity —, it is sufficient for it to establish

that the existence of these rights may reasonably be argued ; and whereas
Cambodia points out that these rights are plausible in a number of
respects, and in particular because they were determined with binding
force by a judgment of the Court ;

*
36. Whereas Thailand maintains that Cambodia, in order to establish the

violation of the rights it claims to possess under the 1962 Judgment, refffers

12

6 CIJ1023.indb 21 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 546

to incidents that occurred at locations some distance from the Temple ;
whereas it asserts that, no matter how the 1962 Judgment is construed, the

Court did not decide anything about such incidents or the localities wheffre
they occurred; whereas, according to Thailand, Cambodia has no plausible
right under Article60 of the Statute to obtain an interpretation in respect of
those incidents; whereas, moreover, the rights invoked in the request for
interpretation must be based on the facts examined in the 1962 Judgment
and not on facts subsequent to that Judgment ; whereas Thailand claims

that the rights invoked by Cambodia in its request nonetheless concern fffacts
which took place long after the 1962 Judgment ; and whereas, therefore,
according to Thailand, such rights are not plausible for the purpose of ffthe
present request for the indication of provisional measures ;

*
37. Whereas it should, at the outset, be made clear that Article 60 of

the Statute does not impose any time-limit on requests for interpretation ;
whereas the Court may entertain a request for interpretation in so far affs
there exists a dispute as to the meaning or scope of a judgment ; and
whereas such a dispute can, in itself, certainly arise from facts subseqffuent
to the delivery of that judgment ;
38. Whereas, at this stage in the proceedings, the Court does not have to

rule definitively on the interpretation put forward by Cambodia of the 1ff962
Judgment and on the rights it claims to derive therefro;m and whereas, for the
purposes of considering the request for the indication of provisional meffasures,
the Court need only determine whether those rights are at least plausib;lffe
39. Whereas, in the operative clause of its 1962 Judgment, the Court

declared in particular that the Temple of Preah Vihear was situated in
territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia, and that Thailand was
under an obligation to withdraw any military forces stationed at the Temff -
ple or in its vicinity on Cambodian territory ; whereas the interpretation
of the 1962 Judgment put forward by Cambodia in order to assert its
rights — namely, the right to respect for its sovereignty in the area of the

Temple of Preah Vihear and its right to territorial integrity — is that the
Court was only able to reach these conclusions once it had recognized thffe
existence of a frontier between the two States and found that the Templeff
and its “vicinity” were on the Cambodian side of that frontier ; whereas,
according to Cambodia, the phrase “vicinity on Cambodian territory”ff
includes the area surrounding the precincts of the Temple ; and whereas,

consequently, in Cambodia’s opinion, Thailand has a continuing obligaff -
tion not to infringe Cambodia’s sovereignty over that area ;
40. Whereas the rights claimed by Cambodia, in so far as they are
based on the 1962 Judgment as interpreted by Cambodia, are plausible ;
41. Whereas this conclusion does not prejudge the outcome of the main

proceedings; whereas it is nonetheless sufficient for the purposes of consid -
ering the present request for the indication of provisional measures ;

* *

13

6 CIJ1023.indb 23 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 547

Link between the Alleged Rights and the Measures Requested

42. Whereas Cambodia maintains that the aim of the provisional mea -

sures requested is to protect rights which it invokes in its request forff inte-r
pretation of the 1962 Judgment, namely, its sovereignty over the area of
the Temple of Preah Vihear and, more generally, its territorial integrity ;
whereas it notes that Thailand’s territorial claims cover the entire ffarea of
the Temple, beyond the strict precincts of the latter, and that these clffaims
are reflected in the presence of Thai armed forces in that area, forces

which Cambodia requests be withdrawn immediately and uncondition -
ally; whereas Cambodia also asks the Court to indicate the measures
requested so as to avoid an aggravation of the dispute in the principal ff
proceedings; and whereas it is upon the rights thus asserted by Cambodia
that the Court, in Cambodia’s view, must focus in its consideration offf the

request for the indication of provisional measures ;

*

43. Whereas Thailand claims that Cambodia’s request for the indica -
tion of provisional measures does not meet the condition whereby a link ff
must exist between the rights which form the subject of the proceedings ff
before the Court on the merits of the case and the provisional measures ff
being sought ; whereas Thailand asserts in particular that Cambodia’s

request refers to a matter that cannot be the subject of an interpreta -
tion — the status of the Annex I map — and that it is based on allega -
tions made in respect of facts that occurred in an area remote from that
of the Temple of Preah Vihear and, consequently, unrelated to the area
covered by the request for interpretation ;

*

44. Whereas, in proceedings on interpretation, the Court is called upon
to clarify the meaning and the scope of what the Court decided with

binding force in a judgment (Request for Interpretation of the Judgment
of 20 November 1950 in the Asylum Case (Colombia v. Peru), Judgment,
I.C.J. Reports 1950, p. 402 ; Application for Revision and Interpretation of
the Judgment of 24 february 1982 in the Case concerning the Continental
Shelf (Tunisia/Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) (Tunisia v. Libyan Arab Jama ‑
hiriya), Judgment, I.C.J. Reports 1985, p. 223, para. 56; Request for Inter‑

pretation of the Judgment of 31 March 2004 in the Case concerning Avena
and Other Mexican Nationals (Mexico v. United States of America)
(Mexico v. United States of America), Provisional Measures, Order of
16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports 2008, p. 328, para. 63) ; whereas Cambodia is
seeking clarification of the meaning and the scope of what the Court

decided with binding force in the 1962 Judgment in the case concerning
the Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand); whereas, in its Appli -

14

6 CIJ1023.indb 25 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 548

cation, Cambodia requests the Court to specify the meaning and scope of
the operative clause of that Judgment in respect of the extent of its soffver-

eignty in the area of the Temple (see paragraph 5 above) ; and whereas, in
its request for the indication of provisional measures (see paragraph 11
above), Cambodia, pending the Court’s final decision, is precisely sffeeking
the protection of the rights to sovereignty over this area which it claims to
derive from the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment ;

45. Whereas the provisional measures sought thus aim to protect the
rights that Cambodia invokes in its request for interpretation ; and
whereas the necessary link between the alleged rights and the measures
requested is therefore established ;

*
* *

Risk of Irreparable Prejffudice ; Urgency

46. Whereas the Court, pursuant to Article 41 of its Statute, has the
power to indicate provisional measures when irreparable prejudice could ff
be caused to rights which are the subject of the judicial proceedings (ffsee,
for example, Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 31 March 2004
in the Case concerning Avena and Other Mexican Nationals (Mexico v.

United States of America) (Mexico v. United States of America), Provi ‑
sional Measures, Order of 16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports 2008, p. 328,
para. 65 ; Certain Activities Carried Out by Nicaragua in the Border Area
(Costa Rica v. Nicaragua), Provisional Measures, Order of 8 March 2011,
I.C.J. Reports 2011 (I), p. 21, para. 63) ;
47. Whereas the power of the Court to indicate provisional measures

will be exercised only if there is urgency, in the sense that there is aff real
and imminent risk that irreparable prejudice may be caused to the rights
in dispute before the Court has given its final decision (see, for examffple,
ibid., pp. 21-22, para. 64) ; and whereas the Court must consider whether,
in these proceedings, such a risk exists ;

* *

48. Whereas Cambodia refers to numerous armed incidents which
allegedly took place as from 15 July 2008 along the frontier between the

two States in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear after the Temple was
included on the UNESCO World Heritage List; whereas these armed inci-
dents allegedly caused damage to the Temple, as well as loss of human lifffe
and bodily injuries ; whereas Cambodia points out that, in a letter dated
21 July 2008 and addressed to the President of the Security Council, the
Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations stated that

his Government claimed an area “adjacent” to the Temple of Preah Vffihear
and indicated that the frontier between Cambodia and Thailand in that

15

6 CIJ1023.indb 27 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 549

area was the subject of negotiations between the two States; whereas Cam-
bodia also refers to armed incidents which are said to have taken place

between the Parties in the area of the Temple in October 2008 and on
2 and 3 April 2009 ; whereas it adds that armed incidents occurred again
between the Parties in that area between 4 and 7 February 2011 ; whereas
Cambodia notes that these incidents led, on its initiative, to a meetingff of
the Security Council on 14 February 2011, where the Security Council

called for a permanent ceasefire to be established between the two Partiffes
and expressed its support for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(hereinafter “ASEAN”) in its efforts to find a solution to the cffonflict ;
whereas Cambodia refers in this respect to the proposal by the Chair of
ASEAN to send Indonesian observers into the field so as to ensure the
said ceasefire, and alleges that this proposal failed because of the conffdi -

tions laid down by Thailand for its acceptance; whereas Cambodia claims
that further incidents took place from 22 April 2011, not only in the area
of the Temple of Preah Vihear, but also along the frontier near the Tem -
ples of Ta Moan/Ta Muen and Ta Krabei/Ta Kwai, situated approxi -
mately 150 kilometres to the west of the Temple of Preah Vihear, while

making it clear that these latest incidents are not included in its requffest for
the indication of provisional measures; whereas it maintains that the inci -
dents which took place in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear, and
which are attributable to Thailand, have not only caused irreparable
damage to the Temple itself, a UNESCO World Heritage site, but above

all have resulted in the loss of human life, bodily injuries and the disffplace
ment of local people; and whereas Cambodia therefore requests the Court
“to indicate provisional measures in order to stop any more destructiffon of
the Temple once and for all, to prevent further casualties, and to preseffrve
its rights over the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear” ;

49. Whereas Cambodia maintains that, while Thailand appears to be
observing the oral ceasefire negotiated on 28 April 2011, several facts sug -
gest that this situation is fragile and that there is a risk of aggravatffion of
the dispute; and whereas it contends in particular that, since 28 April 2011,
the conflict has not ceased but shifted to another frontier area, situated

some 150 kilometres to the west of the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear;

50. Whereas Cambodia alleges that, if its request were to be rejected,
and if Thailand persisted in its conduct, the damage to the Temple of
Preah Vihear, as well as human suffering and loss of life, would become ff

worse; and that measures are urgently required, both to safeguard the
rights of Cambodia and to avoid aggravation of the dispute ;

*

51. Whereas, according to Thailand, the numerous armed incidents
which have taken place in the area of the Temple were provoked by the

16

6 CIJ1023.indb 29 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 550

Cambodian armed forces and caused loss of human life, bodily injuries,
the displacement of local people, and material damage in Thailand’s tffer-

ritory; whereas it claims that the Thai armed forces responded to these
attacks “with restraint and proportionality”, duly exercising Thaiffland’s
right to self-defence; whereas it observes in particular that, between 4 and
7 February 2011, armed incidents took place at several locations along
the frontier or in Thai territory within a radius of approximately 10 kilo -

metres from the Temple of Preah Vihear ; whereas it adds that similar
incidents took place between 22 April and 3 May 2011 near the Temples
of Ta Krabei/Ta Kwai and Ta Moan/Ta Muen, situated 150 kilometres
from the Temple of Preah Vihear, and observes that these temples,
because of their distance from the Temple of Preah Vihear, are not, how -
ever, covered by the 1962 Judgment ; whereas Thailand nevertheless

acknowledges that, on 26 April 2011, a 20-minute exchange of fire took
place between the two sides some 2 kilometres from the Temple of Preah
Vihear; and whereas it maintains that the oral ceasefire of 28 April 2011
concerns the sector of the Ta Krabei/Ta Kwai and Ta Moan/Ta Muen
Temples, and not that of the Temple of Preah Vihear ;

52. Whereas, according to Thailand, the only incidents that Cambodia
can rely on for the purposes of a provisional measure are the incidents ff
that took place in February 2011, “almost three months before the request
for provisional measures was made”, the exchange of fire on 26 April 2011,
which resulted in no casualties, and the other incidents in April 2011

which occurred well beyond the area to which the request for interpreta -
tion relates ; whereas Thailand further maintains that a team of Indone -
sian observers was created to help monitor the military situation betweeffn
the two States in the border area ; and whereas it concludes from the fore -
going that there is no real and imminent risk that irreparable prejudiceff

may be caused to the rights in dispute ;

* *

53. Whereas, at this stage in the proceedings, the Court is only required
to consider whether the circumstances brought to its attention call for ffthe

indication of provisional measures ; whereas, in this case, the Court notes
that it is apparent from the case file that incidents have occurred on
various occasions between the Parties in the area of the Temple of
Preah Vihear; whereas it observes that, since 15 July 2008, armed clashes
have taken place and have continued to take place in that area, in par -

ticular between 4 and 7 February 2011, leading to fatalities, injuries and
the displacement of local inhabitants ; whereas damage has been caused
to the Temple and to the property associated with it ; whereas the Court
notes that, on 14 February 2011, the Security Council called for a perma -
nent ceasefire to be established between the two Parties and expressed iffts
support for ASEAN in seeking a solution to the conflict ; whereas the

Chair of ASEAN therefore proposed to the Parties that observers be
deployed along their boundary, but whereas this proposal was not put

17

6 CIJ1023.indb 31 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 551

into effect, however, because the Parties failed to agree on how it shouffld
be implemented; and whereas, in spite of these attempts to settle the dis -

pute peacefully, there was a further exchange of fire between the Partieffs
on 26 April 2011 in the area of the Temple ;
54. Whereas the Court observes that the existence of a ceasefire “does
not . . . deprive [it] of the rights and duties pertaining to it in the case
brought before it” (Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and

Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria), Provisional Measures, Order of 15 March
1996, I.C.J. Reports 1996 (I), p. 22, para. 37) ; and whereas it is therefore
not obliged to establish, at this stage in the proceedings, whether the oral
ceasefire negotiated between the Parties’ military commanders on 28 April
2011 did or did not cover the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear ;

55. Whereas the rights which Cambodia claims to hold under the terms
of the 1962 Judgment in the area of the Temple might suffer irreparable
prejudice resulting from the military activities in that area and, in paffrticu
lar, from the loss of life, bodily injuries and damage caused to the Temffple
and the property associated with it ;

56. Whereas there are competing claims over the territory surrounding
the Temple ; whereas the situation in the area of the Temple of Preah
Vihear remains unstable and could deteriorate ; whereas, because of the
persistent tensions and absence of a settlement to the conflict, thereff is a
real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice being caused to the righffts

claimed by Cambodia ; and whereas there is urgency ;

* * *

57. Whereas, taking account of the conclusions it has reached above,

the Court considers that it can, in this case, indicate provisional
measures, as provided for in Article 41 of its Statute, and that the circum -
stances require it to do so ;

*
* *

58. Whereas the Court recalls that it has the power under its Statute to
indicate measures that are in whole or in part other than those requesteffd,
or measures that are addressed to the party which has itself made the

request, as Article 75, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Court expressly states,
and whereas it has already exercised this power on several occasions (sffee,
for example, Certain Activities Carried Out by Nicaragua in the Border
Area (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua), Provisional Measures, Order of 8 March
2011, I.C.J. Reports 2011 (I), pp. 24-25, para. 76) ;

59. Whereas, when it is indicating provisional measures for the pur -
pose of preserving specific rights, the Court, independently of the partffies’

18

6 CIJ1023.indb 33 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 552

requests, also possesses the power to indicate provisional measures withff a
view to preventing the aggravation or extension of the dispute whenever

it considers that the circumstances so require (Land and Maritime Bound ‑
ary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria), Provisional
Measures, Order of 15 March 1996, I.C.J. Reports 1996 (I), pp. 22-23,
para. 41 ; Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic
Republic of the Congo v. Uganda), Provisional Measures, Order of 1 July

2000, I.C.J. Reports 2000, p. 128, para. 44 ; Certain Activities Carried
Out by Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua), Provi ‑
sional Measures, Order of 8 March 2011, I.C.J. Reports 2011 (I), p. 26,
para. 83) ;

* *

60. Whereas the Court has considered the terms of the provisional
measures requested by Cambodia; whereas it does not find, in the circum -
stances of the case, that the measures to be indicated must be the same ffas
or limited to those sought by Cambodia ; and whereas the Court, having

considered the material before it, deems it appropriate to indicate mea -
sures addressed to both Parties ;

*

61. Whereas the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear has been the scene

of armed clashes between the Parties and whereas the Court has already
found that such clashes may reoccur; whereas it is for the Court to ensure,
in the context of these proceedings, that no irreparable damage is causeffd
to persons or property in that area pending the delivery of its Judgmentff
on the request for interpretation ; whereas, moreover, in order to prevent

irreparable damage from occurring, all armed forces should be provision -
ally excluded from a zone around the area of the Temple, without preju -
dice to the judgment which the Court will render on the request for
interpretation submitted by Cambodia; and whereas, therefore, the Court
considers it necessary, in order to protect the rights which are at issuffe in

these proceedings, to define a zone which shall be kept provisionally frffee
of all military personnel, without prejudice to normal administration,
including the presence of non-military personnel necessary to ensure the
security of persons and property ;

62. Whereas this provisional demilitarized zone shall be delimited by

straight lines connecting the following points, the co-ordinates of whicffh
are calculated on the basis of the WGS 84 system : point A, situated at
latitude 14º 23´ N and longitude 104º 41´ E ; point B, situated at latitude
14º 24´ N and longitude 104º 38´ 15˝ E ; point C, situated at latitude
14º 25´ N and longitude 104º 38´ 40˝ E ; and point D, situated at latitude

14º 25´ N and longitude 104º 42´ 20˝ E (see sketch-map below) ;

19

6 CIJ1023.indb 35 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 553

2 km

104°43'30"E
1

0.5
104°43'E

0

104°42'30"E D

200

104°42'E 300

400

200
104°41'30"E
300
400
500

A

104°41'E 500

600 Temple of
500 Preah Vihear

400
104°40'30"E
300

200

104°40'E CAMBODIA

300
THAILAND 400
200
104°39'30"E 600 500

104°39'E
This sketch-map has been prepared for illustrative purposes only

C

104°38'30"E
300200
4 0 0 B

sketch–map of provisio nal demilitarized zon e identified by the co urt
104°38'E

104°37'30"E

prorvorapcnkaatonieltirot€‚dtavnle20p mrien
500

104°37'E
WGElSe8ioantsuamre metres above sea level

14°26'N 14°25'N 14°24'N 14°23'N 14°22'N
14°25'30"N 14°24'30"N 14°23'30"N 14°22'30"N

6 CIJ1023.indb 37 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 554

63. Whereas both Parties, in order to comply with this Order, shall
withdraw all military personnel currently present in the zone as thus

defined; whereas both Parties shall refrain not only from any military
presence within that provisional demilitarized zone, but also from any
armed activity directed at the said zone ;
64. Whereas, in addition, both Parties shall continue the co-operation
which they have entered into within ASEAN and, in particular, allow the ff

observers appointed by that organization to have access to the provi -
sional demilitarized zone ;
65. Whereas it is not disputed that the Temple of Preah Vihear itself
belongs to Cambodia ; whereas Cambodia must, in all circumstances,
have free access to the Temple and must be able to provide fresh supplieffs

to its non-military personnel ; and whereas Thailand must take all neces -
sary measures in order not to obstruct such free and uninterrupted accesff;s
66. Whereas the Court reminds the Parties that the Charter of the
United Nations imposes an obligation on all Member States of the United ff
Nations to refrain in their international relations from the threat or uffse of
force against the territorial integrity or political independence of anyff

State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the Unitffed
Nations; whereas the Court further recalls that United Nations Member
States are also obliged to settle their international disputes by peaceful
means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justicffe,
are not endangered; and whereas both Parties are obliged, by the Charter

and general international law, to respect these fundamental principles offf
international law ;

* * *

67. Whereas the Court’s orders “on provisional measures under Arti -

cle 41 [of the Statute] have binding effect” (LaGrand (Germany v. United
States of America), Judgment, I.C.J. Reports 2001, p. 506, para. 109) and
thus create international legal obligations with which both Parties are
required to comply (see, for example, Armed Activities on the Territory of
the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda), Judgment,

I.C.J. Reports 2005, p. 258, para. 263) ;

*
* *

68. Whereas the decision given in the present proceedings on the
request for the indication of provisional measures in no way prejudges
any question that the Court may have to deal with relating to the request

for interpretation ;

* * *

21

6 CIJ1023.indb 39 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 555

69. For these reasons,

The Court,

(A) Unanimously,

Rejects the Kingdom of Thailand’s request to remove the case intro -
duced by the Kingdom of Cambodia on 28 April 2011 from the General

List of the Court ;

(B) Indicates the following provisional measures :

(1) By eleven votes to five,

Both Parties shall immediately withdraw their military personnel cur -
rently present in the provisional demilitarized zone, as defined in paraff -
graph 62 of the present Order, and refrain from any military presence

within that zone and from any armed activity directed at that zone ;

in favour : Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma, Simma, Abraham,

Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood ;
Judge ad hoc Guillaume;
against : President Owada ; Judges Al-Khasawneh, Xue, Donoghue ; Judge
ad hoc Cot;

(2) By fifteen votes to one,

Thailand shall not obstruct Cambodia’s free access to the Temple
of Preah Vihear or Cambodia’s provision of fresh supplies to its non-

military personnel in the Temple ;
in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma,
Al-Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado

Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;
against : Judge Donoghue ;

(3) By fifteen votes to one,

Both Parties shall continue the co-operation which they have entered
into within ASEAN and, in particular, allow the observers appointed by
that organization to have access to the provisional demilitarized zone ;

in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma,
Al-Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado
Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;

against : Judge Donoghue ;

(4) By fifteen votes to one,

Both Parties shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or
extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolvffe;

22

6 CIJ1023.indb 41 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 556

in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma,
Al-Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado
Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;
against : Judge Donoghue ;

(C) By fifteen votes to one,

Decides that each Party shall inform the Court as to its compliance
with the above provisional measures ;

in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma, Al-
Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado
Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;
against : Judge Donoghue ;

(D) By fifteen votes to one,

Decides that, until the Court has rendered its judgment on the request
for interpretation, it shall remain seised of the matters which form theff
subject of this Order.

in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma, Al-
Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado
Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;
against : Judge Donoghue.

Done in French and in English, the French text being authoritative, at tffhe
Peace Palace, The Hague, this eighteenth day of July, two thousand and

eleven, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives of ffthe
Court and the others transmitted to the Government of the Kingdom of
Cambodia and the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand, respectively.

(Signed) Hisashi Owada,
President.

(Signed) Philippe Couvreur,

Registrar.

President Owada appends a dissenting opinion to the Order of the

Court ; JudgeKoroma appends a declaration to the Order of the Court ;
Judge Al-Khasawneh appends a dissenting opinion to the Order of the
Court ; Judge Cançado Trindade appends a separate opinion to the
Order of the Court ; Judges Xue and Donoghue append dissenting
opinions to the Order of the Court ; Judge ad hoc Guillaume appends

a declaration to the Order of the Court ; Judge ad hoc Cot appends a
dissenting opinion to the Order of the Court.

(Initialled) H.O.

(Initialled) Ph.C.

23

6 CIJ1023.indb 43 18/06/13 10:38

Bilingual Content

COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE

RECUEIL DES ARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNANCES

DEMANDE EN INTERPRÉTATION
DE L’ARRÊT DU 15 JUIN 1962 EN L’AFFAIRE

DU TEMPLE DE PRÉAH VIHÉAR
(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

DEMANDE EN INDICATION
DE MESURES CONSERVATOIRES

ORDONNANCE DU 18 JUILLET 2011

2011

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS

REqUEST FOR INTERPRETATION
OF THE JUDGMENT OF 15 JUNE 1962 IN THE CASE

CONCERNING THE TEMPLE Of PREAH VIHEAR
(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

REqUEST FOR THE INDICATION
OF PROVISIONAL MEASURES

ORDER OF 18 JULY 2011

6 CIJ1023.indb 1 18/06/13 10:38 Mode officiel de citation :
Demande en interprétation de l’arrêt du 15 juin 1962 en l’affaire
du Temple de Préah Vihéar (Cambodge c. Thaïlande)
(Cambodge c. Thaïlande), mesures conservatoires, ordonnance du 18 juillet 2011,
C.I.J. Recueil 2011, p. 537

Official citation :

Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 15 June 1962 in the Case
concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand)
(Cambodia v. Thailand), Provisional Measures, Order of 18 July 2011,
I.C.J. Reports 2011, p. 537

o
N de vente:
ISSN 0074-4441 Sales number 1023
ISBN 978-92-1-071134-0

6 CIJ1023.indb 2 18/06/13 10:38 18 JUILLET 2011

ORDONNANCE

DEMANDE EN INTERPRÉTATION
DE L’ARRÊT DU 15 JUIN 1962 EN L’AFFAIRE

DU TEMPLE DE PRÉAH VIHÉAR
(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

DEMANDE EN INDICATION
DE MESURES CONSERVATOIRES

REqUEST FOR INTERPRETATION
OF THE JUDGMENT OF 15 JUNE 1962 IN THE CASE

CONCERNING THE TEMPLE Of PREAH VIHEAR
(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

REqUEST FOR THE INDICATION
OF PROVISIONAL MEASURES

18 JULY 2011

ORDER

6 CIJ1023.indb 3 18/06/13 10:38 537

COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE

2011 ANNÉE 2011
18 juillet
Rôle général
n 151 18 juillet 2011

DEMANDE EN INTERPRÉTATION

DE L’ARRÊT DU 15JUIN1962 EN L’AFFAIRE

DU TEMPLE DE PRÉAH VIHÉAR

(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

(CAMBODGE c. THAÏLANDE)

DEMANDE EN INDICATION
DE MESURES CONSERVATOIRES

ORDONNANCE

Présents :MO. wada,président ; M. Tomka,vice‑président ; MM.Koroma,

Al-Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skot -
nikov, Cançado Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwoffod, MmesXue,
Donoghue, juges ; MM. Guillaume, Cot, juges ad hoc ;
M. Couvreur, greffier.

La Cour internationale de Justice,

Ainsi composée,
Après délibéré en chambre du conseil,

Vu les articles 41 et 48 du Statut de la Cour et les articles 73, 74 et 75
de son Règlement,
Vu la requête introductive d’instance déposée au Greffe de lffa Cour le

28 avril 2011 par le Royaume du Cambodge (ci-après Cambodge»)

4

6 CIJ1023.indb 4 18/06/13 10:38 537

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

YEAR 2011 2011
18 July
General List
18 July 2011 No. 151

REqUEST FOR INTERPRETATION

OF THE JUDGMENT OF 1 J5UNE1962 IN THE CASE
CONCERNING THE TEMPLE Of PREAH VIHEAR

(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

(CAMBODIA v. THAILAND)

REqUEST FOR THE INDICATION
OF PROVISIONAL MEASURES

ORDER

Present : President OwadaVice‑President Tomka ;Judges Koroma,
Al-Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna,
Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwoffod, Xue,
Donoghue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ; Registrar

Couvreur.

The International Court of Justice,

Composed as above,
After deliberation,

Having regard to Articles 41 and 48 of the Statute of the Court and
Articles 73, 74 and 75 of the Rules of Court,
Having regard to the Application instituting proceedings filed in the
Registry on 28 April 2011 by the Kingdom of Cambodia (hereina-ter “Cam

4

6 CIJ1023.indb 5 18/06/13 10:38 538 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

dans laquelle, se référant à l’article 60 du Statut de la Cour et à l’article 98
de son Règlement, le Cambodge demande à la Cour d’interpréteffr l’arrêt

qu’elle a rendu le 15 juin 1962 en l’affaire du Temple de Préah Vihéar
(Cambodge c. Thaïlande) (ci-après l’« arrêt de 1962 »);

Rend l’ordonnance suivante :

1. Considérant que, dans sa requête, le Cambodge indique que, dans leff
premier paragraphe du dispositif de l’arrêt de 1962, la Cour a déclaré que
«le temple de Préah Vihéar [était] situé en territoire relevant de la souve -
raineté du Cambodge»; qu’il estime que la Cour n’aurait pas pu parvenir
à une telle conclusion si elle n’avait pas au préalable reconnu qu’il existait

une frontière juridiquement établie entre les deux Parties dans laff zone
concernée; qu’il laisse entendre que, dans les motifs de l’arrêt de 1962, la
Cour a considéré que les deux Parties avaient, par leur conduite, ffreconnu
la ligne tracée sur la carte de l’annexe I au mémoire du Cambodge
(ci-après la « carte de l’annexe I»), carte établie en 1907 par la commis -

sion mixte franco-siamoise, comme représentant la frontière entre le
Cambodge et le Royaume de Thaïlande (ci-après la « Thaïlande») dans la
zone du temple de Préah Vihéar ; et qu’il rappelle que, selon la jurispru -
dence de la Cour, si, en principe, toute demande en interprétation doffit

porter sur le dispositif de l’arrêt, elle peut également porterff sur ceux des
motifs qui en sont inséparables ;

2. Considérant que, dans sa requête, le Cambodge indique que, dans leff
deuxième paragraphe du dispositif de l’arrêt de 1962, la Cour a déclaré

que «la Thaïlande [était] tenue de retirer tous les éléments de ffforces armées
ou de police ou autres gardes ou gardiens qu’elle a[vait] installéffs dans le
temple ou dans ses environs situés en territoire cambodgien»; que, selon le
Cambodge, cette obligation découle du fait que le temple de Préah Vihéar
et ses environs sont situés en territoire relevant de sa souverainetéff, comme

la Cour l’a reconnu dans le premier paragraphe du dispositif, et «ffdépasse
un retrait de la seule enceinte du temple lui-même pour s’étendre à la
région du temple en général»; et que le Cambodge allègue que l’énoncé de
cette obligation dans le dispositif de l’arrêt indique que celle-ci doit être

considérée comme une obligation générale et continue incombaffnt à la
Thaïlande de ne pas pénétrer dans le territoire cambodgien ;

3. Considérant que, selon le Cambodge, la Thaïlande estime que l’éffte- n
due de la souveraineté de celui-ci est limitée au temple et non à la zone

qui l’entoure, ce qui autoriserait la Thaïlande à en revendiqueffr la souve-
raineté et à l’occuper ; que le Cambodge allègue que la Thaïlande consi -
dère que la frontière dans la zone du temple n’a pas été ffreconnue par la
Cour et doit toujours être établie en droit ; que le Cambodge affirme que,
dans le premier paragraphe du dispositif de l’arrêt de 1962, la Cour a

clairement refusé de limiter la souveraineté du Cambodge au seul temple,
en définissant l’appartenance de celui-ci « en fonction de la souveraineté

5

6 CIJ1023.indb 6 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 538

bodia”), whereby, referring to Article 60 of the Statute of the Court and
Article 98 of the Rules of Court, Cambodia requests the Court to interpret

the Judgment it rendered on 15 June 1962 in the case concerning the Temple
of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand) (hereinafter the “1962 Judgment” ;)

Makes the following Order :

1. Whereas, in its Application, Cambodia states that, in the first
paragraph of the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment, the Court
declared that “the Temple of Preah Vihear is situated in territory under
the sovereignty of Cambodia” ; whereas it believes that the Court could
not have reached such a conclusion if it had not first recognized that aff

legally established frontier existed between the two Parties in the area in
question; whereas it implies that, in the reasoning of the 1962 Judgment,
the Court considered that the two Parties had, by their conduct, recog -
nized the line on the map in Annex I to Cambodia’s Memorial (herein-
after the “Annex I map”), a map drawn up in 1907 by the Franco-Siamese

Mixed Commission, as representing the frontier between Cambodia and
the Kingdom of Thailand (hereinafter “Thailand”) in the area of ffthe
Temple of Preah Vihear ; and whereas it recalls that, according to the
jurisprudence of the Court, while in principle any request for interpretffa-

tion must relate to the operative part of the judgment, it can also relaffte to
those reasons for the judgment which are inseparable from the operative ff
part ;
2. Whereas, in its Application, Cambodia states that, in the second
paragraph of the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment, the Court

declared that “Thailand is under an obligation to withdraw any militaffry
or police forces, or other guards or keepers, stationed by her at the Tem -
ple, or in its vicinity on Cambodian territory” ; whereas, according to
Cambodia, this obligation derives from the fact that the Temple of
Preah Vihear and its vicinity are situated in territory under Cambodian

sovereignty, as recognized by the Court in the first paragraph of the opera-
tive clause, and “goes beyond a withdrawal from only the precincts offf the
Temple itself and extends to the area of the Temple in general” ; and
whereas Cambodia argues that the setting forth of this obligation in theff

operative clause of the Judgment indicates that it must be understood asff
a general and continuing obligation incumbent upon Thailand not to
advance into Cambodian territory ;
3. Whereas, according to Cambodia, Thailand believes that Cambodia’s
sovereignty is confined to the Temple and does not extend to the area sur-

rounding it, authorizing Thailand to claim sovereignty over that area anffd to
occupy it; whereas Cambodia claims that Thailand considers that the fron -
tier in the area of the Temple has not been recognized by the Court and has
still to be determined in law ; whereas Cambodia asserts that, in the first
paragraph of the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment, the Court clearly

refused to confine Cambodia’s sovereignty solely to the Temple, by deter -
mining the ownership of the latter “on the basis of the sovereignty offver the

5

6 CIJ1023.indb 7 18/06/13 10:38 539 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

sur le territoire sur lequel le temple se trouve »; et qu’il existe dès lors,
selon le Cambodge, une contestation sur le sens et la portée de l’ffarrêt

de 1962, notamment en ce qui concerne l’étendue de sa souverainetéff;
4. Considérant que, dans sa requête, le Cambodge soutient que la com-
pétence de la Cour pour connaître d’une demande en interprétffation de
l’un de ses arrêts est directement fondée sur l’article 60 du Statut, qui
dispose que, « [e]n cas de contestation sur le sens et la portée de l’arrêt, iffl

appartient à la Cour de l’interpréter, à la demande de touteff partie»;
5. Considérant que, au terme de sa requête, le Cambodge formule la
demande suivante :

«Etant donné «… que le temple de Préah Vihéar est situé en terri -
toire relevant de la souveraineté du Cambodge » (point 1 du disposi-
tif), ce qui est la conséquence juridique du fait que le temple est ffsitué
du côté cambodgien de la frontière telle qu’elle fut reconnuffe par la
Cour dans son arrêt, et sur la base des faits et arguments juridiques

développés ci-dessus, le Cambodge prie respectueusement la Cour de
dire et juger que :
L’obligation pour la Thaïlande de « retirer tous les éléments de
forces armées ou de police ou autres gardes ou gardiens qu’elle a ff
installés dans le temple ou dans ses environs situés en territoireff cam -

bodgien» (point 2 du dispositif) est une conséquence particulière de
l’obligation générale et continue de respecter l’intégrité du territoire
du Cambodge, territoire délimité dans la région du temple et seffs
environs par la ligne de la carte de l’annexe I sur laquelle l’arrêt de la
Cour est basé » ;

6. Considérant que, le 28 avril 2011, après avoir déposé sa requête, le
Cambodge, se référant à l’article 41 du Statut et à l’article 73 du Règle -
ment, a également déposé une demande en indication de mesures cffonser-

vatoires afin de « faire cesser [l]es incursions [de la Thaïlande] sur son
territoire» en attendant que la Cour se prononce sur la demande en inter -
prétation de l’arrêt de 1962 ;
7. Considérant que, dans sa demande en indication de mesures conser -
vatoires, le Cambodge se réfère au fondement de la compétence dffe la

Cour invoqué dans sa requête (voir paragraphe 4 ci-dessus) ;
8. Considérant que, dans ladite demande, le Cambodge allègue que,
depuis le 22 avril 2011, de graves incidents armés se sont produits dans la
zone du temple de Préah Vihéar, ainsi qu’à plusieurs endroits situés le
long de la frontière entre le Cambodge et la Thaïlande ; que ces incidents

ont causé des pertes en vies humaines, des blessés, ainsi que des ffévacua -
tions de populations ; et que le Cambodge soutient que la Thaïlande est à
l’origine de ces incidents ;
9. Considérant que, dans sa demande, le Cambodge fait valoir que si
celle-ci venait à être rejetée, et si la Thaïlande persistait dansff son compor -
tement, les dommages causés au temple de Préah Vihéar ainsi que les

souffrances et les pertes en vies humaines qui résultent de ces affroffnte -
ments s’accentueraient ;

6

6 CIJ1023.indb 8 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 539

territory in which the Temple is situated”; and whereas a dispute therefore
exists, according to Cambodia, as to the meaning and scope of the 1962 Judg -

ment, in particular with regard to the extent of Cambodia’s sovereignff;ty
4. Whereas, in its Application, Cambodia maintains that the jurisdic -
tion of the Court to entertain a request for interpretation of one of itffs
judgments is based directly on Article 60 of the Statute, which stipulates
that, “[i]n the event of dispute as to the meaning or scope of the juffdgment,

the Court shall construe it upon the request of any party” ;
5. Whereas, at the end of its Application, Cambodia presents the fol -
lowing request :

“Given that ‘the Temple of Preah Vihear is situated in territory
under the sovereignty of Cambodia’ (first paragraph of the operativeff
clause), which is the legal consequence of the fact that the Temple is ff
situated on the Cambodian side of the frontier, as that frontier was
recognized by the Court in its Judgment, and on the basis of the facts

and legal arguments set forth above, Cambodia respectfully asks the
Court to adjudge and declare that :
The obligation incumbent upon Thailand to ‘withdraw any military
or police forces, or other guards or keepers, stationed by her at the
Temple, or in its vicinity on Cambodian territory’ (second paragraphff

of the operative clause) is a particular consequence of the general andff
continuing obligation to respect the integrity of the territory of Cam -
bodia, that territory having been delimited in the area of the Temple
and its vicinity by the line on the Annex I map, on which the Judgment
of the Court is based” ;

6. Whereas on 28 April 2011, having filed its Application, Cambodia,
referring to Article 41 of the Statute and Article 73 of the Rules of Court,
also submitted a request for the indication of provisional measures in

order to “cause [the] incursions onto its territory [by Thailand] to ffcease”
pending the Court’s ruling on the request for interpretation of the
1962 Judgment ;
7. Whereas, in its request for the indication of provisional measures,
Cambodia refers to the basis for the Court’s jurisdiction invoked in ffits

Application (see paragraph 4 above) ;
8. Whereas, in the said request, Cambodia claims that, since
22 April 2011, serious armed incidents have occurred in the area of the
Temple of Preah Vihear and at several locations situated along the bound -
ary between Cambodia and Thailand, and that those incidents have

caused fatalities, injuries and the evacuation of local inhabitants ; and
whereas Cambodia contends that Thailand is responsible for those inci -
dents ;
9. Whereas, in its request, Cambodia asserts that, if that request were
to be rejected and if Thailand persisted in its conduct, the damage causffed
to the Temple of Preah Vihear, as well as the loss of life and human suf -

fering as a result of those armed clashes, would become worse ;

6

6 CIJ1023.indb 9 18/06/13 10:38 540 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

10. Considérant que le Cambodge ajoute que « [l’]urgence s’impose,
aussi bien pour sauvegarder [s]es droits … en attendant que la Cour se

prononce — droits qui portent sur sa souveraineté, son intégrité territo -
riale, ainsi que sur l’obligation de non-ingérence de la Thaïlande — que
pour éviter l’aggravation du différend »;
11. Considérant que, au terme de sa demande en indication de mesures
conservatoires, le Cambodge prie la Cour de bien vouloir indiquer les meffsures

suivantes jusqu’au prononcé de son arrêt sur la demande en inteffrprétatio : n
«— un retrait immédiat et inconditionnel de toutes les forces thaï -

landaises des parties du territoire cambodgien dans la zone du
temple de Préah Vihéar ;
— l’interdiction de toute activité militaire de la Thaïlande dansff la
zone du temple de Préah Vihéar ;
— l’abstention de tout acte ou action de la part de la Thaïlande
qui pourrait entraver les droits du Cambodge ou aggraver le

différend dans l’instance au principal »;
et qu’il prie la Cour, en raison de la gravité de la situation, deff bien vouloir

examiner de toute urgence sa demande en indication de mesures conser -
vatoires ;
12. Considérant que, le 28 avril 2011, date à laquelle la requête et la
demande en indication de mesures conservatoires ont été déposéffes au
Greffe, le greffier a informé le Gouvernement de la Thaïlande du dépôt de

ces documents et lui en a immédiatement adressé des originaux signffés, en
application du paragraphe 2 de l’article 40 du Statut ainsi que du para -
graphe 4 de l’article 38 et du paragraphe 2 de l’article 73 du Règlement ;
et que le greffier a également informé le Secrétaire généffral de l’Organisa -
tion des Nations Unies de ce dépôt ;
13. Considérant que, le 4 mai 2011, le greffier a informé les Parties que

la Cour, en application du paragraphe 3 de l’article 74 de son Règlement,
avait fixé au 30 mai 2011 la date d’ouverture de la procédure orale sur la
demande en indication de mesures conservatoires ;
14. Considérant que, en attendant que la communication prévue au
paragraphe 3 de l’article 40 du Statut et à l’article 42 du Règlement ait été

effectuée par transmission du texte bilingue imprimé de la requêffte aux
Membres des Nations Unies, le greffier a informé ces Etats du dépôt de la
requête et de son objet, ainsi que du dépôt de la demande en inffdication de
mesures conservatoires ;
15. Considérant que, la Cour ne comptant sur le siège aucun juge de laff

nationalité des Parties, chacune d’elles a procédé, dans l’exercice du droit
que lui confère le paragraphe 3 de l’article 31 du Statut, à la désignation
d’un juge ad hoc en l’affaire; que le Cambodge a désigné à cet effet M. Gil -
bert Guillaume, et la Thaïlande M. Jean-Pierre Cot ;
16. Considérant que, lors des audiences publiques tenues les 30
et 31 mai 2011 conformément au paragraphe 3 de l’article 74 du Règle -

ment, des observations orales sur la demande en indication de mesures
conservatoires ont été présentées par :

7

6 CIJ1023.indb 10 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 540

10. Whereas Cambodia adds that “[m]easures are urgently required,
both to safeguard [its] rights . . . pending the Court’s decision — rights

relating to its sovereignty, its territorial integrity and to the duty offf
non-interference incumbent upon Thailand — and to avoid aggravation
of the dispute” ;
11. Whereas, at the end of its request for the indication of provisional meaff
sures, Cambodia asks the Court to indicate the following provisional mea-ff

sures pending the delivery of its judgment on the request for interpretafft:ion
“— an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Thai forces

from those parts of Cambodian territory situated in the area of
the Temple of Preah Vihear ;
— a ban on all military activity by Thailand in the area of the
Temple of Preah Vihear ;
— that Thailand refrain from any act or action which could inter -
fere with the rights of Cambodia or aggravate the dispute in

the principal proceedings” ;
and whereas it asks the Court, on account of the gravity of the situation,

to consider its request for the indication of provisional measures as a ff
matter of urgency ;
12. Whereas, on 28 April 2011, the date on which the Application and
the request for the indication of provisional measures were filed in theff
Registry, the Registrar informed the Thai Government of the filing of

these documents and forthwith sent it signed originals thereof, pursuantff
to Article 40, paragraph 2, of the Statute and Article 38, paragraph 4, and
Article 73, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Court ; and whereas the Registrar
also notified the Secretary-General of the United Nations of this filing ;

13. Whereas, on 4 May 2011, the Registrar informed the Parties that

the Court, pursuant to Article 74, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court,
had fixed 30 May 2011 as the opening date for the oral proceedings on
the request for the indication of provisional measures ;
14. Whereas, pending the notification provided for by Article 40, para -
graph 3, of the Statute and Article 42 of the Rules of Court by transmis -

sion of the printed bilingual text of the Application to the Members of ffthe
United Nations, the Registrar informed those States of the filing of theff
Application and its subject, and of the filing of the request for the inffdica-
tion of provisional measures ;
15. Whereas, since the Court includes upon the Bench no judge of the

nationality of the Parties, each of them proceeded, in exercise of the rffight
conferred by Article 31, paragraph 3, of the Statute, to choose a judge
ad hoc in the case ; whereas Cambodia chose Mr. Gilbert Guillaume for
this purpose and Thailand chose Mr. Jean-Pierre Cot ;
16. Whereas, at the public hearings held on 30 and 31 May 2011, in
accordance with Article 74, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court, oral

observations on the request for the indication of provisional measures
were presented by :

7

6 CIJ1023.indb 11 18/06/13 10:38 541 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

Au nom du Cambodge : S. Exc. M. Hor Namhong, agent,
sir Franklin Berman,

M. Jean-Marc Sorel ;
Au nom de la Thaïlande : S. Exc. M. Virachai Plasai, agent,
M. Alain Pellet,

M. James Crawford,
M. Donald McRae ;

considérant qu’à l’audience une question a été poséffe par un membre de la
Cour aux deux Parties, question à laquelle il a été répondu ffpar écrit, après
la clôture de la procédure orale ; et considérant que chaque Partie a fait
tenir à la Cour ses commentaires sur les réponses données par lff’autre Par
tie à cette question ;

*
* *

17. Considérant qu’au terme de son second tour d’observations oraleffs
le Royaume du Cambodge a prié la Cour d’indiquer les mesures conser -

vatoires suivantes :
«— un retrait immédiat et inconditionnel de toutes les forces thaï -

landaises des parties du territoire cambodgien dans la zone du
temple de Préah Vihéar ;
— l’interdiction de toute activité militaire de la Thaïlande dansff la
zone du temple de Préah Vihéar ;
— l’abstention de tout acte ou action de la part de la Thaïlande
qui pourrait entraver les droits du Cambodge ou aggraver le

différend dans l’instance au principal »;
18. Considérant qu’au terme de son second tour d’observations oraleffs

le Royaume de Thaïlande a prié la Cour,
«[c]onformément à l’article 60 du Règlement de la Cour, vu la de -

mande en indication de mesures conservatoires déposée par le Royauffme
du Cambodge et compte tenu des plaidoiries de celui-ci … de rayer
de son rôle l’instance introduite par le Royaume du Cambodge le
28 avril 2011 » ;

*
* *

Contestation sur le sffens et la portée de l’affrrêt de 1962
et compétence de la Couffr

19. Considérant que, lorsqu’elle est saisie d’une demande en indicafftion

de mesures conservatoires dans le cadre d’une procédure en interprffétation
d’un arrêt en vertu de l’article 60 du Statut, la Cour doit déterminer si les

8

6 CIJ1023.indb 12 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 541

On behalf of Cambodia : H.E. Mr. Hor Namhong, Agent,
Sir Franklin Berman,

Mr. Jean-Marc Sorel ;
On behalf of Thailand : H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai, Agent,
Mr. Alain Pellet,

Mr. James Crawford,
Mr. Donald McRae ;

whereas, during the hearings, a question was put by a Member of the
Court to both Parties, to which replies were given in writing after the
closure of the oral proceedings ; and whereas each Party submitted to the
Court its comments on the replies given by the other Party to that ques -
tion ;

*
* *

17. Whereas, at the end of its second round of oral observations, the
Kingdom of Cambodia asked the Court to indicate the following provi -

sional measures :
“— an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Thai forces

from those parts of Cambodian territory situated in the area of
the Temple of Preah Vihear ;
— a ban on all military activity by Thailand in the area of the
Temple of Preah Vihear ;
— that Thailand refrain from any act or action which could inter -
fere with the rights of Cambodia or aggravate the dispute in

the principal proceedings” ;
18. Whereas, at the end of its second round of oral observations, the

Kingdom of Thailand asked the Court,
“[i]n accordance with Article 60 of the Rules of Court and having

regard to the request for the indication of provisional measures of the ff
Kingdom of Cambodia and its oral pleadings . . . to remove the case
introduced by the Kingdom of Cambodia on 28 April 2011 from the
General List” ;

*
* *

Dispute as to the Meaniffng or Scope of the 1962 Judgffment
and Jurisdiction of thffe Court

19. Whereas, when it receives a request for the indication of provi -

sional measures in the context of proceedings for interpretation of a juffd-
ment under Article 60 of the Statute, the Court has to consider whether

8

6 CIJ1023.indb 13 18/06/13 10:38 542 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

conditions auxquelles elle peut, aux termes de cet article, connaîtreff d’une
demande en interprétation, paraissent être remplies ;
20. Considérant que l’article 60 est ainsi libellé : «L’arrêt est définitif et
sans recours. En cas de contestation sur le sens et la portée de l’ffarrêt, il
appartient à la Cour de l’interpréter, à la demande de touteff partie »;

et que cette disposition est complétée par l’article 98 du Règlement,
qui précise en son paragraphe 1 : « En cas de contestation sur le sens ou
la portée d’un arrêt, toute partie peut présenter une demande effn inter-
prétation… » ;
21. Considérant que la compétence que l’article 60 du Statut confère à

la Cour n’est subordonnée à l’existence d’aucune autre baffse ayant fondé,
dans l’affaire initiale, sa compétence à l’égard des partffies ; qu’il s’ensuit
que, même si la base de compétence invoquée dans la premièreff affaire est
devenue caduque, la Cour, en vertu de l’article 60 du Statut, peut néan -

moins connaître d’une demande en interprétation dès lors qu’existe une
«contestation sur le sens et la portée » de tout arrêt rendu par elle ; que la
Cour ne peut indiquer des mesures conservatoires dans le cadre d’une ff
procédure en interprétation d’un arrêt que si elle constate ffqu’il semble
prima facie exister une « contestation» au sens de l’article 60 du Statut ; et

qu’elle n’a pas besoin de s’assurer de manière définitive, à ce stade, qu’une
telle contestation existe ;
22. Considérant qu’une contestation au sens de l’article 60 du Statut
doit être comprise comme une divergence d’opinions ou de vues entrffe les

parties quant au sens et à la portée d’un arrêt rendu par laff Cour ; et que
l’existence d’une telle contestation n’exige pas que soient remffplis les
mêmes critères que ceux qui déterminent l’existence d’un ffdifférend visé au
paragraphe 2 de l’article 36 du Statut (Interprétation des arrêts n os7 et 8
(usine de Chorzów), arrêt n o 11, 1927, C.P.J.I. série A n o13, p. 10-12) ;

Demande en interprétation de l’arrêt du 31 mars 2004 en l’affaire Avena et
autres ressortissants mexicains (Mexique c. Etats-Unis d’Amérique)
(Mexique c. Etats‑Unis d’Amérique), mesures conservatoires, ordonnance
du 16 juillet 2008, C.I.J. Recueil 2008, p. 325, par. 53) ;

23. Considérant par ailleurs qu’il est constant qu’une contestationff au
sens de l’article 60 du Statut doit porter sur le dispositif de l’arrêt en cause
et ne peut concerner les motifs que dans la mesure où ceux-ci sont insépa -
rables du dispositif (Demande en interprétation de l’arrêt du 11 juin 1998

en l’affaire de la Frontière terrestre et maritime entre le Cameroun et le
Nigéria (Cameroun c. Nigéria), exceptions préliminaires (Nigéria
c. Cameroun), arrêt, C.I.J. Recueil 1999 (I), p. 35, par. 10; Demande en
interprétation de l’arrêt du 31 mars 2004 en l’affaire Avena et autres res -
sortissants mexicains (Mexique c. Etats-Unis d’Amérique) (Mexique

c. Etats‑Unis d’Amérique), mesures conservatoires, ordonnance du 16 juil ‑
let 2008, C.I.J. Recueil 2008, p. 323, par. 47) ;

* *

9

6 CIJ1023.indb 14 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 542

the conditions laid down by that Article for the Court to entertain a
request for interpretation appear to be satisfied ;

20. Whereas Article 60 provides that : “The judgment is final and with-
out appeal. In the event of dispute as to the meaning or scope of the juffdg -
ment, the Court shall construe it upon the request of any party” ; and
whereas this provision is supplemented by Article 98 of the Rules of
Court, paragraph 1 of which reads : “In the event of dispute as to the

meaning or scope of a judgment any party may make a request for its
interpretation . . .” ;
21. Whereas the Court’s jurisdiction on the basis of Article 60 of the
Statute is not preconditioned by the existence of any other basis of jurffis -
diction as between the parties to the original case; whereas it follows that,
even if the basis of jurisdiction in the original case lapses, the Courtff,

nevertheless, by virtue of Article 60 of the Statute, may entertain a request
for interpretation provided that there is a “dispute as to the meaninffg or
scope” of any judgment rendered by it ; whereas the Court may indicate
provisional measures in the context of proceedings for interpretation offf a
judgment only if it is satisfied that there appears prima facie to existff a

“dispute” within the meaning of Article 60 of the Statute; and whereas, at
this stage, it need not satisfy itself in a definitive manner that such ffa dis-
pute exists ;
22. Whereas a dispute within the meaning of Article 60 of the Statute
must be understood as a difference of opinion or views between the par -

ties as to the meaning or scope of a judgment rendered by the Court ; and
whereas the existence of such a dispute does not require the same criterffia
to be fulfilled as those determining the existence of a dispute under Arffti -
cle 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute (Interpretation of Judgments Nos. 7
and 8 (factory at Chorzów), Judgment No. 11, 1927, P.C.I.J., Series A,
No. 13, pp. 10-12 ; Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of

31 March 2004 in the Case concerning Avena and Other Mexican Nation -
als (Mexico v. United States of America) (Mexico v. United States of
America), Provisional Measures, Order of 16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports
2008, p. 325, para. 53) ;
23. Whereas, moreover, it is established that a dispute within the

meaning of Article 60 of the Statute must relate to the operative clause of
the judgment in question and cannot concern the reasons for the judg -
ment except in so far as these are inseparable from the operative clauseff
(Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 11 June 1998 in the Case
concerning the Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and

Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria), Preliminary Objections (Nigeria v. Cam ‑
eroon), Judgment, I.C.J. Reports 1999 (I), p. 35, para. 10 ; Request for
Interpretation of the Judgment of 31 March 2004 in the Case concerning
Avena and Other Mexican Nationals (Mexico v. United States of Amer -
ica) (Mexico v. United States of America), Provisional Measures, Order of
16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports 2008, p. 323, para. 47) ;

* *

9

6 CIJ1023.indb 15 18/06/13 10:38 543 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

24. Considérant que la Cour doit à présent rechercher si une contesffta-
tion entre les Parties, au sens de l’article 60 du Statut, paraît exister en

l’espèce ;
25. Considérant que le Cambodge affirme qu’il existe une contestationff
entre les Parties sur le sens et la portée de l’arrêt de 1962 à trois égards ;
26. Considérant que le Cambodge allègue, en premier lieu, que la
conclusion à laquelle la Cour est parvenue au premier paragraphe du dffis -

positif de l’arrêt de 1962, dans lequel elle affirme que le temple « est situé
en territoire relevant de la souveraineté du Cambodge », et celle à laquelle
elle aboutit « en conséquence » au deuxième paragraphe du dispositif, à
savoir que la Thaïlande « est tenue de retirer tous les éléments de forces
armées ou de police ou autres gardes ou gardiens qu’elle a installffés dans
le temple ou dans ses environs situés en territoire cambodgien », sont fon -

dées sur la reconnaissance préalable par la Cour, dans les motifs ffde l’ar -
rêt, du tracé de la frontière entre le Cambodge et la Thaïlaffnde dans la
zone du temple de Préah Vihéar, tel que représenté par la ligne indiquée
sur la carte de l’annexe I; et que, selon le Cambodge, la Thaïlande conteste
cette interprétation de l’arrêt de 1962 ;

27. Considérant que le Cambodge soutient, en deuxième lieu, qu’il
existe une contestation entre les Parties quant au sens et à la portéffe
de l’expression « environs situés en territoire cambodgien » utilisée au
deuxième paragraphe du dispositif de l’arrêt de 1962 pour désigner la
zone de laquelle les forces thaïlandaises devaient se retirer ; que, selon

le Cambodge, la Thaïlande, estimant que la frontière dans la zone du ff
temple n’a pas été fixée, réclame « le territoire en dehors de la stricte
enceinte du temple » et occupe cette zone au mépris de l’arrêt, notam-
ment du deuxième paragraphe de son dispositif ;
28. Considérant que le Cambodge allègue, en troisième lieu, qu’iffl existe

une contestation sur le point de savoir si, comme il le prétend, l’ffobligation
qui découle du deuxième paragraphe du dispositif de l’arrêt ffde 1962 pos -
sède un caractère général et continu, en ce qu’elle est lffa conséquence de
l’obligation qui est faite à la Thaïlande de ne pas porter atteffinte à la sou -
veraineté territoriale du Cambodge dans la zone du temple ;

*

29. Considérant que la Thaïlande soutient qu’il n’y a pas de confftesta-
tion sur le sens et la portée de l’arrêt de 1962 ; qu’elle ne conteste pas le
fait que le temple de Préah Vihéar soit situé en territoire cambodgien,

comme le reconnaît le premier paragraphe du dispositif de cet arrêfft ;
qu’elle prétend ne pas davantage contester le fait que la Thaïlffande avait
l’obligation, en application du deuxième paragraphe du dispositif,ff de reti -
rer ses forces armées du temple ou de ses environs dans la mesure oùff ces
forces étaient situées en territoire cambodgien ; qu’elle affirme que cette
obligation « instantanée» a été intégralement remplie par la Thaïlande et

ne saurait donner lieu à un arrêt en interprétation ; et que la Thaïlande
soutient, en conséquence, que la Cour n’a manifestement pas compéfftence

10

6 CIJ1023.indb 16 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 543

24. Whereas the Court must now ascertain whether a dispute appears
to exist between the Parties in the present case, within the meaning of ff

Article 60 of the Statute ;
25. Whereas Cambodia asserts that a dispute exists between the Parties
as to the meaning and scope of the 1962 Judgment in three respects ;
26. Whereas Cambodia argues, first, that the conclusion reached by
the Court in the first paragraph of the operative clause of the 1962 Judffg -

ment, in which it asserts that the Temple “is situated in territory uffnder
the sovereignty of Cambodia”, and the conclusion which it reaches “ffin
consequence” in the second paragraph, namely that Thailand “is undffer
an obligation to withdraw any military or police forces, or other guardsff
or keepers, stationed by her at the Temple, or in its vicinity on Cambo -
dian territory”, are based on the Court’s prior recognition, in thffe reason-

ing of the Judgment, of the frontier line between Cambodia and Thailand ff
in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear, as represented by the line on
the Annex I map ; and whereas, according to Cambodia, Thailand dis -
putes this interpretation of the 1962 Judgment ;

27. Whereas Cambodia maintains, secondly, that a dispute exists
between the Parties as to the meaning and scope of the phrase “viciniffty
on Cambodian territory” used in the second paragraph of the operativeff
clause of the 1962 Judgment to designate the area from which the Thai
forces were obliged to withdraw ; whereas, according to Cambodia, Thai -

land, believing that the frontier in the area of the Temple has not been
established, is laying claim to “territory beyond the strict precinctffs of the
Temple” and occupying that area regardless of the Judgment, in particu -
lar the second paragraph of the operative clause ;
28. Whereas Cambodia argues, thirdly, that a dispute exists as to

whether, as it claims, the obligation deriving from the second paragraph
of the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment is of a general and continuff -
ing character, in so far as it is the consequence of the obligation incuffm -
bent upon Thailand not to infringe Cambodia’s territorial sovereigntyff in
the area of the Temple ;

*

29. Whereas Thailand maintains that there is no dispute as to the
meaning or scope of the 1962 Judgment ; whereas it does not dispute the
fact that the Temple of Preah Vihear is situated in Cambodian territory,ff

as is recognized in the first paragraph of the operative clause of that ffJudg -
ment; whereas it claims furthermore not to dispute the fact that Thailand
was under an obligation, pursuant to the second paragraph of the opera -
tive clause, to withdraw its military forces from the Temple or from itsff
vicinity in so far as those forces were situated in Cambodian territory ;
whereas it asserts that this “instantaneous” obligation has been fffully met

by Thailand and cannot give rise to an interpretative judgment ; and
whereas Thailand maintains, in consequence, that the Court manifestly

10

6 CIJ1023.indb 17 18/06/13 10:38 544 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

«pour se prononcer sur la requête du Cambodge en interprétation » et,

dès lors, pour indiquer les mesures conservatoires sollicitées ;
30. Considérant que la Thaïlande prétend que la requête du Camboffdge
a pour seul objet de faire décider par la Cour que la frontière enfftre les
deux pays résulte de la carte de l’annexe I ; que la Thaïlande observe que
si, dans les motifs de son arrêt de 1962, la Cour s’est bien fondée sur la

carte de l’annexe I pour décider que le temple était situé en territoire cam -
bodgien, elle n’en a pas déduit que l’intégralité de la fffrontière dans cette
zone résultait de cette carte ; et que la Thaïlande observe en outre que la
Cour a clairement refusé de se prononcer, dans le dispositif de son affrrêt,
sur les conclusions que le Cambodge lui avait soumises en ce qui concernffe

tant le statut juridique de la carte de l’annexe I que la ligne frontière dans
la zone contestée ;

*

31. Considérant que, à la lumière des positions adoptées par lesff Par -
ties, une divergence d’opinions ou de vues paraît exister entre elffles sur le
sens et la portée de l’arrêt de 1962 ; considérant que cette divergence
paraît porter, tout d’abord, sur le sens et la portée de l’effxpression « envi -
rons situés en territoire cambodgien » utilisée au deuxième paragraphe du

dispositif de l’arrêt ; considérant que cette divergence d’opinions ou de
vues paraît porter, ensuite, sur la nature de l’obligation imposéffe à la
Thaïlande, dans le deuxième paragraphe du dispositif de l’arrêfft, de «reti -
rer tous les éléments de forces armées ou de police ou autres gffardes ou
gardiens», et notamment sur le point de savoir si cette obligation est de

caractère continu ou instantané ; et considérant que cette divergence
d’opinions ou de vues paraît porter, finalement, sur la question dffe savoir
si l’arrêt a ou non reconnu avec force obligatoire la ligne tracéffe sur la
carte de l’annexe I comme représentant la frontière entre les deux Parties ;
que la Cour permanente de Justice internationale a déjà eu l’ocffcasion

d’indiquer qu’une divergence de vues sur la question de savoir si tel ou
tel point a été décidé avec force obligatoire constitue, elle auffssi, un cas
qui rentre dans le cadre de l’article 60 du Statut (Interprétation des arrêts
nos 7 et 8 (usine de Chorzów), arrêt n o 11, 1927, C.P.J.I. série A n o 13,
p. 11-12) ;

32. Considérant qu’une contestation paraît ainsi exister entre les ffPar -
ties quant au sens et à la portée de l’arrêt de 1962 et que la Cour paraît
dès lors pouvoir connaître, en vertu de l’article 60 du Statut, de la
demande en interprétation dudit arrêt présentée par le Camboffdge ; que,
par conséquent, la Cour ne saurait faire droit à la demande de la ffThaï -

lande tendant à la radiation de la présente instance du rôle ; et qu’une
base suffisante existe pour que la Cour puisse indiquer les mesures conffser -
vatoires sollicitées par le Cambodge, si les conditions requises àff cet effet
sont remplies ;

* *

11

6 CIJ1023.indb 18 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 544

lacks jurisdiction “to rule on Cambodia’s request for interpretatiffon” and,
therefore, to indicate the provisional measures requested ;

30. Whereas Thailand claims that the sole aim of Cambodia’s Applica-
tion is to have the Court decide that the frontier between the two coun -
tries derives from the Annex I map ; whereas Thailand observes that
while, in the reasoning of its 1962 Judgment, the Court did indeed base ff
itself on the Annex I map in order to decide that the Temple was situated

in Cambodian territory, it did not deduce that the entire frontier in thffis
area derived from that map ; and whereas Thailand further notes that the
Court clearly refused to rule, in the operative clause of its Judgment, ffon
Cambodia’s submissions to it regarding both the legal status of the
Annex I map and the frontier line in the disputed area ;

*

31. Whereas, in the light of the positions adopted by the Parties, a dif -
ference of opinion or views appears to exist between them as to the meanff -

ing or scope of the 1962 Judgment ; whereas this difference appears to
relate, in the first place, to the meaning and scope of the phrase “vfficinity
on Cambodian territory” used in the second paragraph of the operativeff
clause of the Judgment ; whereas this difference of opinion or views
appears to relate, next, to the nature of the obligation imposed on Thaiff -

land, in the second paragraph of the operative clause of the Judgment, tffo
“withdraw any military or police forces, or other guards or keepers”ff, and,
in particular, to the question of whether this obligation is of a continffuing
or an instantaneous character ; and whereas this difference of opinion or
views appears to relate, finally, to the question of whether the Judgmenfft
did or did not recognize with binding force the line shown on the Annex I

map as representing the frontier between the two Parties ; whereas the
Permanent Court of International Justice previously had occasion to state
that a difference of opinion as to whether a particular point has or hasff
not been decided with binding force also constitutes a case which comes ff
within the terms of Article 60 of the Statute (Interpretation of Judgments

Nos. 7 and 8 (factory at Chorzów), Judgment No. 11, 1927, P.C.I.J.,
Series A, No. 13, pp. 11-12) ;
32. Whereas a dispute thus appears to exist between the Parties as to
the meaning or scope of the 1962 Judgment, and whereas it therefore
appears that the Court may, pursuant to Article 60 of the Statute, enter -

tain the request for interpretation of the said Judgment submitted by
Cambodia; whereas, in consequence, the Court cannot accede to the
request by Thailand that the case be removed from the General List ; and
whereas there is a sufficient basis for the Court to be able to indicatffe the
provisional measures requested by Cambodia, if the necessary conditions
are fulfilled ;

* *

11

6 CIJ1023.indb 19 18/06/13 10:38 545 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

Caractère plausible dffes droits allégués
dans la demande princffipale et lien

entre ces droits et lffes mesures demandéesff

33. Considérant que le pouvoir d’indiquer des mesures conservatoires
que la Cour tient de l’article 41 de son Statut a pour objet de sauvegarder
le droit de chacune des parties en attendant qu’elle rende sa déciffsion ;

qu’il s’ensuit que la Cour doit se préoccuper de sauvegarder paffr de telles
mesures les droits que l’arrêt qu’elle aura ultérieurement à rendre pourrait
éventuellement reconnaître à l’une ou à l’autre des paffrtie;sque la Cour ne
peut exercer ce pouvoir que si les droits allégués par une partie ffappa -
raissent au moins plausibles (Certaines activités menées par le Nicaragua
dans la région frontalière (Costa Rica c. Nicaragua), mesures conserva ‑

toires, ordonnance du 8 mars 2011, C.I.J. Recueil 2011 (I), p. 18, par. 53) ;
et que, dans une procédure au titre de l’article 60 du Statut, cela suppose
que les droits que la partie sollicitant des mesures conservatoires préfftend
faire découler de l’arrêt en cause à la lumière de l’iffnterprétation qu’elle
donne de celui-ci apparaissent au moins plausibles ;

34. Considérant par ailleurs qu’un lien doit être établi entre les droits
allégués et les mesures conservatoires sollicitées aux fins de les protéger
(voir Demande en interprétation de l’arrêt du 31 mars 2004 en l’affaire
Avena et autres ressortissants mexicains (Mexique c. Etats-Unis d’Amé -
rique) (Mexique c. Etats‑Unis d’Amérique), mesures conservatoires, ordon‑

nance du 16 juillet 2008, C.I.J. Recueil 2008, p. 327, par. 58) ; et que, dans
une procédure au titre de l’article 60 du Statut, cela suppose que les
mesures conservatoires demandées par une partie aient un lien avec leffs
droits qu’elle prétend faire découler de l’arrêt en causeff à la lumière de
l’interprétation qu’elle donne de celui-ci ;

* *

Caractère plausible des droits allégués dans la demande princip▯ale

35. Considérant que le Cambodge soutient qu’il lui suffit, aux fins dffe
démontrer le caractère plausible des droits qu’il allègue daffns sa demande
en interprétation et qu’il cherche à protéger — à savoir le droit au respect
de sa souveraineté dans la zone du temple de Préah Vihéar et, plus géné -

ralement, le droit à l’intégrité de son territoire —, d’établir que l’existence
de ces droits peut raisonnablement être plaidée ; et que le Cambodge fait
observer que ces droits sont plausibles à plus d’un titre, et notamment
parce qu’ils ont été déterminés avec force obligatoire daffns un arrêt de la
Cour ;

*

36. Considérant que la Thaïlande soutient que, aux fins d’établir la vio-
lation des droits qu’il prétend détenir en vertu de l’arrêfft de 1962, le Cam-

12

6 CIJ1023.indb 20 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 545

Plausible Character offf the Alleged Rights

in the Principal Requesfft and Link
between these Rights ffand the Measures Requeffsted

33. Whereas the power of the Court to indicate provisional measures
under Article 41 of the Statute has as its object the preservation of the

respective rights of the parties pending the decision of the Court ; whereas
it follows that the Court must be concerned to preserve by such measuresff
the rights which may subsequently be adjudged by the Court to belong to ff
either party; whereas the Court may exercise this power only if it is satis -
fied that the rights asserted by a party are at least plausible (Certain

Activities Carried Out by Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v.
Nicaragua), Provisional Measures, Order of 8 March 2011, I.C.J. Reports
2011 (I), p. 18, para. 53) ; and whereas, in proceedings under Article 60
of the Statute, this supposes that the rights which the party requestingff
provisional measures claims to derive from the judgment in question, in

the light of its interpretation of that judgment, are at least plausibleff;

34. Whereas, moreover, a link must be established between the alleged
rights and the provisional measures sought to protect them (see Request
for Interpretation of the Judgment of 31 March 2004 in the Case concern ‑

ing Avena and Other Mexican Nationals (Mexico v. United States of
America) (Mexico v. United States of America), Provisional Measures,
Order of 16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports 2008, p. 327, para. 58); and whereas,
in proceedings under Article 60 of the Statute, this supposes that there is
a link between the provisional measures requested by a party and the

rights which it claims to derive from the judgment in question, in the lffight
of the interpretation it gives to that judgment ;

* *

Plausible Character of the Alleged Rights in the Principal Request

35. Whereas Cambodia contends that, in order to demonstrate the
plausible character of the rights which it alleges in its request for inffte-pre
tation and which it is seeking to protect — namely, the right to respect for
its sovereignty in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear and, more gen -
erally, its right to territorial integrity —, it is sufficient for it to establish

that the existence of these rights may reasonably be argued ; and whereas
Cambodia points out that these rights are plausible in a number of
respects, and in particular because they were determined with binding
force by a judgment of the Court ;

*
36. Whereas Thailand maintains that Cambodia, in order to establish the

violation of the rights it claims to possess under the 1962 Judgment, refffers

12

6 CIJ1023.indb 21 18/06/13 10:38 546 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

bodge se réfère à des incidents survenus en des endroits éloffignés du temp;le
qu’elle affirme que, quelle que soit la façon dont on présenteff l’arrêt

de 1962, la Cour n’y a pas statué sur ces incidents ou sur les localifftés où ils
se sont produits; que, selon la Thaïlande, l’article 60 du Statut ne confère
au Cambodge aucun droit plausible d’obtenir une interprétation conffcer-
nant ces incidents ; qu’en outre les droits invoqués dans la demande en
interprétation doivent être fondés sur les faits examinés dans l’arrêt
de 1962 et non sur des faits postérieurs à celui-ci; que la Thaïlande allègue

que les droits invoqués par le Cambodge dans sa demande concernent
cependant des faits qui se sont produits longtemps après l’arrêfft de 196;2et
que dès lors, selon la Thaïlande, de tels droits ne peuvent êtrffe plausibles
aux fins de la présente demande en indication de mesures conservatoirffes ;

*
37. Considérant qu’il convient, à titre liminaire, de préciser qffue l’ar -

ticle 60 du Statut ne soumet les demandes en interprétation à aucune
condition de délais ; que la Cour peut connaître d’une demande en inter -
prétation dès lors qu’existe une contestation sur le sens et laff portée d’un
arrêt; et qu’une telle contestation peut parfaitement, en soi, trouver sa ff
source dans des faits postérieurs au prononcé dudit arrêt ;
38. Considérant que, à ce stade de la procédure, la Cour n’a pasff à se

prononcer définitivement sur l’interprétation que le Cambodge affvance de
l’arrêt de 1962 et sur les droits qu’il prétend en tire;ret que, pour les besoins
de l’examen de la demande en indication de mesures conservatoires, laff
Cour doit seulement rechercher si ces droits sont au moins plausibles;
39. Considérant que, dans le dispositif de son arrêt de 1962, la Cour a

notamment déclaré que le temple de Préah Vihéar était situé en territoire
relevant de la souveraineté du Cambodge et que la Thaïlande étaffit tenue de
retirer tous les éléments de ses forces armées installés danffs le temple ou dans
ses environs situés en territoire cambodgien; que l’interprétation de l’arrêt
de 1962 que le Cambodge avance pour faire valoir ses droits — à savoir le
droit au respect de sa souveraineté sur la zone du temple de PréahVihéar et

à l’intégrité de son territoire — consiste à affirmer que la Cour n’a pu parve -
nir à ces conclusions qu’après avoir reconnu l’existence d’ffune frontière entre
les deux Etats et constaté que le temple et ses « environs» se trouvaient du
côté cambodgien de celle-ci; que, selon le Cambodge, l’expression « environs
situés en territoire cambodgien » inclut la zone qui entoure l’enceinte du
temple; et qu’il en résulte pour le Cambodge que la Thaïlande a l’ffobligation

continue de ne pas porter atteinte à la souveraineté cambodgienne ffsur cette
zone ;
40. Considérant que les droits revendiqués par le Cambodge, en tant
qu’ils sont fondés sur l’arrêt de 1962, tel qu’il l’interprète, sont plausibles ;
41. Considérant que cette conclusion ne préjuge pas de l’issue de lffa pro -

cédure principale; qu’elle n’en est pas moins suffisante aux fins de l’exa -
men de la présente demande en indication de mesures conservatoires ;

* *

13

6 CIJ1023.indb 22 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 546

to incidents that occurred at locations some distance from the Temple ;
whereas it asserts that, no matter how the 1962 Judgment is construed, the

Court did not decide anything about such incidents or the localities wheffre
they occurred; whereas, according to Thailand, Cambodia has no plausible
right under Article60 of the Statute to obtain an interpretation in respect of
those incidents; whereas, moreover, the rights invoked in the request for
interpretation must be based on the facts examined in the 1962 Judgment
and not on facts subsequent to that Judgment ; whereas Thailand claims

that the rights invoked by Cambodia in its request nonetheless concern fffacts
which took place long after the 1962 Judgment ; and whereas, therefore,
according to Thailand, such rights are not plausible for the purpose of ffthe
present request for the indication of provisional measures ;

*
37. Whereas it should, at the outset, be made clear that Article 60 of

the Statute does not impose any time-limit on requests for interpretation ;
whereas the Court may entertain a request for interpretation in so far affs
there exists a dispute as to the meaning or scope of a judgment ; and
whereas such a dispute can, in itself, certainly arise from facts subseqffuent
to the delivery of that judgment ;
38. Whereas, at this stage in the proceedings, the Court does not have to

rule definitively on the interpretation put forward by Cambodia of the 1ff962
Judgment and on the rights it claims to derive therefro;m and whereas, for the
purposes of considering the request for the indication of provisional meffasures,
the Court need only determine whether those rights are at least plausib;lffe
39. Whereas, in the operative clause of its 1962 Judgment, the Court

declared in particular that the Temple of Preah Vihear was situated in
territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia, and that Thailand was
under an obligation to withdraw any military forces stationed at the Temff -
ple or in its vicinity on Cambodian territory ; whereas the interpretation
of the 1962 Judgment put forward by Cambodia in order to assert its
rights — namely, the right to respect for its sovereignty in the area of the

Temple of Preah Vihear and its right to territorial integrity — is that the
Court was only able to reach these conclusions once it had recognized thffe
existence of a frontier between the two States and found that the Templeff
and its “vicinity” were on the Cambodian side of that frontier ; whereas,
according to Cambodia, the phrase “vicinity on Cambodian territory”ff
includes the area surrounding the precincts of the Temple ; and whereas,

consequently, in Cambodia’s opinion, Thailand has a continuing obligaff -
tion not to infringe Cambodia’s sovereignty over that area ;
40. Whereas the rights claimed by Cambodia, in so far as they are
based on the 1962 Judgment as interpreted by Cambodia, are plausible ;
41. Whereas this conclusion does not prejudge the outcome of the main

proceedings; whereas it is nonetheless sufficient for the purposes of consid -
ering the present request for the indication of provisional measures ;

* *

13

6 CIJ1023.indb 23 18/06/13 10:38 547 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

Lien entre les droits allégués et les mesures demandées

42. Considérant que le Cambodge soutient que les mesures conserva -

toires demandées visent à protéger des droits qu’il invoque ffdans sa
demande en interprétation de l’arrêt de 1962, à savoir sa souveraineté sur
la zone du temple de Préah Vihéar et, plus généralement, son intégrité
territoriale; qu’il observe que les revendications territoriales de la Thaï -
lande couvrent la totalité de la zone du temple, en dehors de la striffcte
enceinte de celui-ci, et que ces revendications se traduisent par la présence

dans cette zone de forces armées thaïlandaises, dont il demande leff retrait
immédiat et inconditionnel ; que le Cambodge prie par ailleurs la Cour
d’indiquer les mesures demandées afin d’éviter une aggravatiffon du diffé -
rend dans l’instance au principal ; et considérant que ce sont les droits
ainsi allégués par le Cambodge qui doivent, selon lui, retenir l’attention

de la Cour dans son examen de la demande en indication de mesures
conservatoires ;

*

43. Considérant que la Thaïlande allègue que la demande en indicatiffon
de mesures conservatoires du Cambodge ne satisfait pas à la condition
selon laquelle il doit exister un lien entre les droits qui font l’objet de l’ins
tance pendante devant la Cour sur le fond de l’affaire et les mesuresff
conservatoires sollicitées ; que la Thaïlande soutient en particulier que la

demande du Cambodge renvoie à une question qui ne saurait faire l’ffobjet
d’une interprétation — le statut de la carte de l’annexe I — et qu’elle
repose sur des allégations concernant des faits qui ont eu lieu dans ffune
zone éloignée de celle du temple de Préah Vihéar et, par conséquent, sans
rapport avec celle visée par la demande en interprétation ;

*

44. Considérant que, dans le cadre d’une procédure en interprétafftion,
la Cour est appelée à éclaircir le sens et la portée de ce qffui a été décidé

avec force obligatoire dans un arrêt (Demande d’interprétation de l’arrêt
du 20 novembre 1950 en l’affaire du droit d’asile (Colombie c. Pérou), arrêt,
C.I.J. Recueil 1950, p. 402 ; Demande en revision et en interprétation de
l’arrêt du 24 février 1982 en l’affaire du Plateau continental (Tunisie/Jama -
hiriya arabe libyenne) (Tunisie c. Jamahiriya arabe libyenne), arrêt,
C.I.J. Recueil 1985, p. 223, par. 56 ; Demande en interprétation de l’arrêt

du 31 mars 2004 en l’affaire Avena et autres ressortissants mexicains
(Mexique c. Etats-Unis d’Amérique) (Mexique c. Etats‑Unis d’Amérique),
mesures conservatoires, ordonnance du 16 juillet 2008, C.I.J. Recueil 2008,
p. 328, par. 63) ; que le Cambodge cherche à obtenir des éclaircissements
sur le sens et la portée de ce qui a été décidé avec forcffe obligatoire dans

l’arrêt de 1962 en l’affaire du Temple de Préah Vihéar (Cambodge c. Thaï ‑
lande); que, dans sa requête, le Cambodge prie la Cour de préciser le seffns

14

6 CIJ1023.indb 24 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 547

Link between the Alleged Rights and the Measures Requested

42. Whereas Cambodia maintains that the aim of the provisional mea -

sures requested is to protect rights which it invokes in its request forff inte-r
pretation of the 1962 Judgment, namely, its sovereignty over the area of
the Temple of Preah Vihear and, more generally, its territorial integrity ;
whereas it notes that Thailand’s territorial claims cover the entire ffarea of
the Temple, beyond the strict precincts of the latter, and that these clffaims
are reflected in the presence of Thai armed forces in that area, forces

which Cambodia requests be withdrawn immediately and uncondition -
ally; whereas Cambodia also asks the Court to indicate the measures
requested so as to avoid an aggravation of the dispute in the principal ff
proceedings; and whereas it is upon the rights thus asserted by Cambodia
that the Court, in Cambodia’s view, must focus in its consideration offf the

request for the indication of provisional measures ;

*

43. Whereas Thailand claims that Cambodia’s request for the indica -
tion of provisional measures does not meet the condition whereby a link ff
must exist between the rights which form the subject of the proceedings ff
before the Court on the merits of the case and the provisional measures ff
being sought ; whereas Thailand asserts in particular that Cambodia’s

request refers to a matter that cannot be the subject of an interpreta -
tion — the status of the Annex I map — and that it is based on allega -
tions made in respect of facts that occurred in an area remote from that
of the Temple of Preah Vihear and, consequently, unrelated to the area
covered by the request for interpretation ;

*

44. Whereas, in proceedings on interpretation, the Court is called upon
to clarify the meaning and the scope of what the Court decided with

binding force in a judgment (Request for Interpretation of the Judgment
of 20 November 1950 in the Asylum Case (Colombia v. Peru), Judgment,
I.C.J. Reports 1950, p. 402 ; Application for Revision and Interpretation of
the Judgment of 24 february 1982 in the Case concerning the Continental
Shelf (Tunisia/Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) (Tunisia v. Libyan Arab Jama ‑
hiriya), Judgment, I.C.J. Reports 1985, p. 223, para. 56; Request for Inter‑

pretation of the Judgment of 31 March 2004 in the Case concerning Avena
and Other Mexican Nationals (Mexico v. United States of America)
(Mexico v. United States of America), Provisional Measures, Order of
16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports 2008, p. 328, para. 63) ; whereas Cambodia is
seeking clarification of the meaning and the scope of what the Court

decided with binding force in the 1962 Judgment in the case concerning
the Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand); whereas, in its Appli -

14

6 CIJ1023.indb 25 18/06/13 10:38 548 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

et la portée du dispositif de cet arrêt en ce qui concerne l’éfftendue de sa
souveraineté dans la zone du temple (voir paragraphe 5 ci-dessus) ; et que,

dans sa demande en indication de mesures conservatoires (voir para -
graphe 11 ci-dessus), le Cambodge, en attendant la décision définitive de
la Cour, sollicite précisément la protection des droits à la soffuveraineté sur
cette zone qu’il prétend tenir du dispositif de l’arrêt de 1962 ;

45. Considérant que les mesures conservatoires demandées visent ainsi
à protéger les droits que le Cambodge invoque dans sa demande en inter -
prétation; et que le lien requis entre les droits allégués et les mesures sffol-
licitées est partant établi ;

*
* *

Risque de préjudice irffréparable ; urgence

46. Considérant que la Cour tient de l’article 41 de son Statut le pou -
voir d’indiquer des mesures conservatoires lorsqu’un préjudice irrépa -
rable risque d’être causé aux droits en litige dans une procéffdure judiciaire
(voir, par exemple, Demande en interprétation de l’arrêt du 31 mars 2004
en l’affaire Avena et autres ressortissants mexicains (Mexique c. Etats-Unis

d’Amérique) (Mexique c. Etats‑Unis d’Amérique), mesures conservatoires,
ordonnance du 16 juillet 2008, C.I.J. Recueil 2008, p. 328, par. 65 ; Cer‑
taines activités menées par le Nicaragua dans la région frontal▯ière (Costa
Rica c. Nicaragua), mesures conservatoires, ordonnance du 8 mars 2011,
C.I.J. Recueil 2011 (I), p. 21, par. 63) ;
47. Considérant que le pouvoir de la Cour d’indiquer des mesures

conservatoires ne sera exercé que s’il y a urgence, c’est-à-dire s’il existe un
risque réel et imminent qu’un préjudice irréparable soit cauffsé aux droits
en litige avant que la Cour n’ait rendu sa décision définitive ff(voir, par
exemple, ibid., p. 21-22, par. 64) ; et que la Cour doit examiner si, dans la
présente instance, un tel risque existe ;

* *

48. Considérant que le Cambodge évoque de nombreux incidents armés
qui se seraient produits dès le 15 juillet 2008 le long de la frontière entre les

deux Etats dans la zone du temple de Préah Vihéar à la suite du classement
de celui-ci sur la liste du patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO ; que ces inci-
dents armés auraient causé des dommages au temple, ainsi que des pffertes
en vies humaines et des blessés ; que le Cambodge fait observer que, dans
une lettre datée du 21 juillet 2008 et adressée au président du Conseil
de sécurité, le représentant permanent de la Thaïlande auprèffs des

Nations Unies a fait état de la revendication, par son gouvernement, d’uneff
zone «adjacente» au temple de Préah Vihéar et a indiqué que la frontière

15

6 CIJ1023.indb 26 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 548

cation, Cambodia requests the Court to specify the meaning and scope of
the operative clause of that Judgment in respect of the extent of its soffver-

eignty in the area of the Temple (see paragraph 5 above) ; and whereas, in
its request for the indication of provisional measures (see paragraph 11
above), Cambodia, pending the Court’s final decision, is precisely sffeeking
the protection of the rights to sovereignty over this area which it claims to
derive from the operative clause of the 1962 Judgment ;

45. Whereas the provisional measures sought thus aim to protect the
rights that Cambodia invokes in its request for interpretation ; and
whereas the necessary link between the alleged rights and the measures
requested is therefore established ;

*
* *

Risk of Irreparable Prejffudice ; Urgency

46. Whereas the Court, pursuant to Article 41 of its Statute, has the
power to indicate provisional measures when irreparable prejudice could ff
be caused to rights which are the subject of the judicial proceedings (ffsee,
for example, Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 31 March 2004
in the Case concerning Avena and Other Mexican Nationals (Mexico v.

United States of America) (Mexico v. United States of America), Provi ‑
sional Measures, Order of 16 July 2008, I.C.J. Reports 2008, p. 328,
para. 65 ; Certain Activities Carried Out by Nicaragua in the Border Area
(Costa Rica v. Nicaragua), Provisional Measures, Order of 8 March 2011,
I.C.J. Reports 2011 (I), p. 21, para. 63) ;
47. Whereas the power of the Court to indicate provisional measures

will be exercised only if there is urgency, in the sense that there is aff real
and imminent risk that irreparable prejudice may be caused to the rights
in dispute before the Court has given its final decision (see, for examffple,
ibid., pp. 21-22, para. 64) ; and whereas the Court must consider whether,
in these proceedings, such a risk exists ;

* *

48. Whereas Cambodia refers to numerous armed incidents which
allegedly took place as from 15 July 2008 along the frontier between the

two States in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear after the Temple was
included on the UNESCO World Heritage List; whereas these armed inci-
dents allegedly caused damage to the Temple, as well as loss of human lifffe
and bodily injuries ; whereas Cambodia points out that, in a letter dated
21 July 2008 and addressed to the President of the Security Council, the
Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations stated that

his Government claimed an area “adjacent” to the Temple of Preah Vffihear
and indicated that the frontier between Cambodia and Thailand in that

15

6 CIJ1023.indb 27 18/06/13 10:38 549 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

entre le Cambodge et la Thaïlande dans cette zone faisait l’objet ffde négo-
ciations entre les deux Etats; que le Cambodge évoque aussi des incidents

armés qui auraient eu lieu entre les Parties dans la zone du temple effn
octobre 2008, ainsi que les 2 et 3 avril 2009 ; qu’il ajoute que des incidents
armés se sont encore produits entre les Parties dans cette zone entreff le 4 et
le 7 février 2011 ; que le Cambodge souligne que ces incidents ont abouti,
à son initiative, à une réunion du Conseil de sécurité leff 14 février 2011,

lequel a demandé qu’un cessez-le-feu permanent soit conclu entre les deux
Parties et a apporté son soutien à l’Association des Nations de l’Asie du
Sud-Est (ci-après l’«ANASE») pour trouver une solution au conflit ; qu’il
se réfère à cet égard à la proposition du président de l’ANASE d’envoyer
des observateurs indonésiens sur le terrain afin d’assurer ledit cffessez-le-feu,
et allègue que cette proposition a échoué en raison des conditions aux -

quelles la Thaïlande a assujetti son acceptation de celle-ci ; que le Cam -
bodge prétend que de nouveaux incidents ont eu lieu à partir du
22 avril 2011, non seulement dans la zone du temple de Préah Vihéar, mais
aussi le long de la frontière près des temples de Ta Moan/Ta Muen et de
Ta Krabei/Ta Kwai, situés à environ 150 kilomètres à l’ouest du temple de

Préah Vihéar, tout en précisant que ces derniers incidents ne sont pas vffisés
par sa demande en indication de mesures conservatoires ; qu’il fait valoir
que les incidents ayant eu lieu dans la zone du temple de Préah Vihéar,
imputables à la Thaïlande, ont provoqué non seulement des dommaffges
irréparables au temple lui-même, patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO, mais

également et surtout la perte de vies humaines, des blessés ainsi que
des déplacements de populations ; et que le Cambodge prie donc la Cour
«de bien vouloir indiquer des mesures conservatoires de manière à fffaire
cesser définitivement de nouvelles destructions sur le temple, à éffviter de
nouvelles victimes et à préserver ses droits sur la zone du templeff de Préah

Vihéar » ;
49. Considérant que le Cambodge soutient que, si la Thaïlande semble
respecter le cessez-le-feu verbal négocié le 28 avril 2011, plusieurs faits
incitent à penser que cette situation est fragile et qu’il existe ffun risque
d’aggravation du différend ; et qu’il expose notamment que, depuis le
28 avril 2011, le conflit n’a pas cessé mais s’est déplacé vers ffune autre

zone frontalière, située à environ 150 kilomètres à l’ouest de la zone du
temple de Préah Vihéar ;
50. Considérant que le Cambodge allègue que, si sa demande venait àff
être rejetée, et si la Thaïlande persistait dans son comportement, les dom -
mages causés au temple de Préah Vihéar, ainsi que les souffrances et les

pertes en vies humaines, s’accentueraient ; et que des mesures d’urgence
s’imposent, tant pour sauvegarder les droits du Cambodge que pour éffvi -
ter l’aggravation du différend ;

*

51. Considérant que, selon la Thaïlande, les nombreux incidents arméffs
qui se sont produits dans la zone du temple ont été provoqués pffar les

16

6 CIJ1023.indb 28 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 549

area was the subject of negotiations between the two States; whereas Cam-
bodia also refers to armed incidents which are said to have taken place

between the Parties in the area of the Temple in October 2008 and on
2 and 3 April 2009 ; whereas it adds that armed incidents occurred again
between the Parties in that area between 4 and 7 February 2011 ; whereas
Cambodia notes that these incidents led, on its initiative, to a meetingff of
the Security Council on 14 February 2011, where the Security Council

called for a permanent ceasefire to be established between the two Partiffes
and expressed its support for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(hereinafter “ASEAN”) in its efforts to find a solution to the cffonflict ;
whereas Cambodia refers in this respect to the proposal by the Chair of
ASEAN to send Indonesian observers into the field so as to ensure the
said ceasefire, and alleges that this proposal failed because of the conffdi -

tions laid down by Thailand for its acceptance; whereas Cambodia claims
that further incidents took place from 22 April 2011, not only in the area
of the Temple of Preah Vihear, but also along the frontier near the Tem -
ples of Ta Moan/Ta Muen and Ta Krabei/Ta Kwai, situated approxi -
mately 150 kilometres to the west of the Temple of Preah Vihear, while

making it clear that these latest incidents are not included in its requffest for
the indication of provisional measures; whereas it maintains that the inci -
dents which took place in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear, and
which are attributable to Thailand, have not only caused irreparable
damage to the Temple itself, a UNESCO World Heritage site, but above

all have resulted in the loss of human life, bodily injuries and the disffplace
ment of local people; and whereas Cambodia therefore requests the Court
“to indicate provisional measures in order to stop any more destructiffon of
the Temple once and for all, to prevent further casualties, and to preseffrve
its rights over the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear” ;

49. Whereas Cambodia maintains that, while Thailand appears to be
observing the oral ceasefire negotiated on 28 April 2011, several facts sug -
gest that this situation is fragile and that there is a risk of aggravatffion of
the dispute; and whereas it contends in particular that, since 28 April 2011,
the conflict has not ceased but shifted to another frontier area, situated

some 150 kilometres to the west of the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear;

50. Whereas Cambodia alleges that, if its request were to be rejected,
and if Thailand persisted in its conduct, the damage to the Temple of
Preah Vihear, as well as human suffering and loss of life, would become ff

worse; and that measures are urgently required, both to safeguard the
rights of Cambodia and to avoid aggravation of the dispute ;

*

51. Whereas, according to Thailand, the numerous armed incidents
which have taken place in the area of the Temple were provoked by the

16

6 CIJ1023.indb 29 18/06/13 10:38 550 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

forces armées cambodgiennes et ont causé des pertes en vies humainffes,
des blessés, des déplacements de populations, ainsi que des dommagffes

matériels sur le territoire de la Thaïlande ; qu’elle soutient que les forces
armées thaïlandaises ont réagi à ces attaques «avec retenue et proportion -
nalité», exerçant ainsi le droit à la légitime défense de la Thffaïlande ;
qu’elle observe en particulier que, entre le 4 et le 7 février 2011, des inci -
dents armés ont eu lieu dans plusieurs endroits sur la frontière offu en ter-

ritoire thaïlandais dans un rayon de 10 kilomètres autour du temple de
Préah Vihéar; qu’elle ajoute que des incidents similaires ont eu lieu entre
le 22 avril et le 3 mai 2011 près des temples de Ta Krabei/Ta Kwai et de
Ta Moan/Ta Muen, situés à 150 kilomètres du temple de Préah Vihéar, et
observe que ces temples, en raison de leur éloignement du temple de
Préah Vihéar, ne sont cependant pas couverts par l’arrêt de 1962 ; que la

Thaïlande reconnaît toutefois que, le 26 avril 2011, un échange de tirs de
vingt minutes entre les deux camps est survenu à quelque 2 kilomètres du
temple de Préah Vihéar; et qu’elle fait valoir que le cessez-le-feu verbal du
28 avril 2011 concerne le secteur des temples de Ta Krabei/Ta Kwai et de
Ta Moan/Ta Muen, et non celui du temple de Préah Vihéar ;

52. Considérant que, selon la Thaïlande, les seuls incidents que peut ff
invoquer le Cambodge aux fins de l’indication de mesures conservatoirffes
sont les incidents qui ont eu lieu en février 2011, « soit près de trois mois
avant le dépôt de sa demande », l’échange de tirs du 26 avril 2011 n’ayant
fait aucun blessé et les autres incidents du mois d’avril 2011 s’étant pro -

duits bien au-delà de la zone sur laquelle porte la demande en interpréta -
tion; que la Thaïlande fait en outre valoir qu’une équipe d’obseffrvateurs
indonésiens a été constituée pour aider à contrôler laff situation militaire
entre les deux Etats dans la zone frontalière ; et qu’elle conclut de ce qui
précède qu’il n’existe pas de risque réel et imminent qu’ffun préjudice irré -

parable soit causé aux droits en litige ;

* *

53. Considérant que, à ce stade de la procédure, la Cour est seulemffent
appelée à examiner si les circonstances portées à sa connaisffsance exigent

l’indication de mesures conservatoires ; que, en l’espèce, la Cour constate
qu’il ressort du dossier de l’affaire que des incidents se sont prffoduits à
diverses reprises entre les Parties dans la zone du temple de Préah Vihéar ;
qu’elle relève que, depuis le 15 juillet 2008, des affrontements armés ont
eu lieu et se sont poursuivis dans cette zone, notamment entre le 4 et

le 7 février 2011, causant des pertes en vies humaines, des blessés et des
déplacements de populations; que des dommages ont été causés au temple
et aux biens qui s’y rattachent ; qu’elle constate que, le 14 février 2011, le
Conseil de sécurité a demandé qu’un cessez-le-feu permanent soit conclu
entre les deux Parties et a apporté son soutien à l’ANASE pour trouver
une solution au conflit ; que le président de l’ANASE a en conséquence

proposé aux Parties de déployer des observateurs le long de leur fffrontière,
mais que cette proposition n’a toutefois pas été suivie d’effffets, faute d’ac -

17

6 CIJ1023.indb 30 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 550

Cambodian armed forces and caused loss of human life, bodily injuries,
the displacement of local people, and material damage in Thailand’s tffer-

ritory; whereas it claims that the Thai armed forces responded to these
attacks “with restraint and proportionality”, duly exercising Thaiffland’s
right to self-defence; whereas it observes in particular that, between 4 and
7 February 2011, armed incidents took place at several locations along
the frontier or in Thai territory within a radius of approximately 10 kilo -

metres from the Temple of Preah Vihear ; whereas it adds that similar
incidents took place between 22 April and 3 May 2011 near the Temples
of Ta Krabei/Ta Kwai and Ta Moan/Ta Muen, situated 150 kilometres
from the Temple of Preah Vihear, and observes that these temples,
because of their distance from the Temple of Preah Vihear, are not, how -
ever, covered by the 1962 Judgment ; whereas Thailand nevertheless

acknowledges that, on 26 April 2011, a 20-minute exchange of fire took
place between the two sides some 2 kilometres from the Temple of Preah
Vihear; and whereas it maintains that the oral ceasefire of 28 April 2011
concerns the sector of the Ta Krabei/Ta Kwai and Ta Moan/Ta Muen
Temples, and not that of the Temple of Preah Vihear ;

52. Whereas, according to Thailand, the only incidents that Cambodia
can rely on for the purposes of a provisional measure are the incidents ff
that took place in February 2011, “almost three months before the request
for provisional measures was made”, the exchange of fire on 26 April 2011,
which resulted in no casualties, and the other incidents in April 2011

which occurred well beyond the area to which the request for interpreta -
tion relates ; whereas Thailand further maintains that a team of Indone -
sian observers was created to help monitor the military situation betweeffn
the two States in the border area ; and whereas it concludes from the fore -
going that there is no real and imminent risk that irreparable prejudiceff

may be caused to the rights in dispute ;

* *

53. Whereas, at this stage in the proceedings, the Court is only required
to consider whether the circumstances brought to its attention call for ffthe

indication of provisional measures ; whereas, in this case, the Court notes
that it is apparent from the case file that incidents have occurred on
various occasions between the Parties in the area of the Temple of
Preah Vihear; whereas it observes that, since 15 July 2008, armed clashes
have taken place and have continued to take place in that area, in par -

ticular between 4 and 7 February 2011, leading to fatalities, injuries and
the displacement of local inhabitants ; whereas damage has been caused
to the Temple and to the property associated with it ; whereas the Court
notes that, on 14 February 2011, the Security Council called for a perma -
nent ceasefire to be established between the two Parties and expressed iffts
support for ASEAN in seeking a solution to the conflict ; whereas the

Chair of ASEAN therefore proposed to the Parties that observers be
deployed along their boundary, but whereas this proposal was not put

17

6 CIJ1023.indb 31 18/06/13 10:38 551 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

cord entre les Parties sur les modalités de sa mise en œuvre ; et que, en
dépit de ces tentatives de règlement pacifique du différend, unff échange de

tirs entre les deux Parties s’est encore produit le 26 avril 2011 dans la zone
du temple ;
54. Considérant que la Cour observe que l’existence d’un cessez-le-feu
«ne [la] prive … pas … des droits et devoirs qui sont les siens dans
l’affaire portée devant elle» (frontière terrestre et maritime entre le Came‑

roun et le Nigéria (Cameroun c. Nigéria), mesures conservatoires, ordon ‑
nance du 15 mars 1996, C.I.J. Recueil 1996 (I), p. 22, par. 37) ; et qu’elle
n’a dès lors pas à établir, à ce stade de la procédure, si le cessez-le-feu
verbal qui a été négocié le 28 avril 2011 entre les commandants militaires
des deux Parties couvre ou non la zone du temple de Préah Vihéar ;

55. Considérant que les droits que le Cambodge prétend détenir en
vertu de l’arrêt de 1962 dans la zone du temple pourraient subir un préju -
dice irréparable résultant des activités militaires dans cette ffzone et, en
particulier, des pertes en vies humaines, des atteintes à l’intéffgrité physique
des personnes et des dommages infligés au temple ainsi qu’aux biens qui
s’y rattachent ;

56. Considérant qu’il existe des prétentions concurrentes sur le teffrri -
toire entourant le temple ; que la situation dans la zone du temple de
Préah Vihéar demeure instable et pourrait se détériorer ; que, en raison
des tensions persistantes et de l’absence de règlement du conflifft, il existe
un risque réel et imminent qu’un préjudice irréparable soit causé aux

droits revendiqués par le Cambodge ; et qu’il y a urgence ;

* * *

57. Considérant que, compte tenu des conclusions auxquelles elle est

parvenue plus haut, la Cour estime qu’elle peut, en l’espèce, iffndiquer des
mesures conservatoires, ainsi qu’il est prévu à l’article 41 de son Statut, et
que les circonstances exigent qu’elle le fasse ;

*
* *

58. Considérant que la Cour rappelle tenir de son Statut le pouvoir
d’indiquer des mesures totalement ou partiellement différentes de ffcelles
sollicitées, ou des mesures qui s’adressent à la partie mêmeff dont émane

la demande, ce que le paragraphe 2 de l’article 75 du Règlement men -
tionne expressément, et qu’elle a déjà exercé ce pouvoir ffen plusieurs
occasions (voir, par exemple, Certaines activités menées par le Nicara‑
gua dans la région frontalière (Costa Rica c. Nicaragua), mesures
conservatoires, ordonnance du 8 mars 2011, C.I.J. Recueil 2011 (I),
p. 24-25, par. 76) ;

59. Considérant que, lorsqu’elle indique des mesures conservatoires àff
l’effet de sauvegarder des droits déterminés, la Cour, indépffendamment

18

6 CIJ1023.indb 32 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 551

into effect, however, because the Parties failed to agree on how it shouffld
be implemented; and whereas, in spite of these attempts to settle the dis -

pute peacefully, there was a further exchange of fire between the Partieffs
on 26 April 2011 in the area of the Temple ;
54. Whereas the Court observes that the existence of a ceasefire “does
not . . . deprive [it] of the rights and duties pertaining to it in the case
brought before it” (Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and

Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria), Provisional Measures, Order of 15 March
1996, I.C.J. Reports 1996 (I), p. 22, para. 37) ; and whereas it is therefore
not obliged to establish, at this stage in the proceedings, whether the oral
ceasefire negotiated between the Parties’ military commanders on 28 April
2011 did or did not cover the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear ;

55. Whereas the rights which Cambodia claims to hold under the terms
of the 1962 Judgment in the area of the Temple might suffer irreparable
prejudice resulting from the military activities in that area and, in paffrticu
lar, from the loss of life, bodily injuries and damage caused to the Temffple
and the property associated with it ;

56. Whereas there are competing claims over the territory surrounding
the Temple ; whereas the situation in the area of the Temple of Preah
Vihear remains unstable and could deteriorate ; whereas, because of the
persistent tensions and absence of a settlement to the conflict, thereff is a
real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice being caused to the righffts

claimed by Cambodia ; and whereas there is urgency ;

* * *

57. Whereas, taking account of the conclusions it has reached above,

the Court considers that it can, in this case, indicate provisional
measures, as provided for in Article 41 of its Statute, and that the circum -
stances require it to do so ;

*
* *

58. Whereas the Court recalls that it has the power under its Statute to
indicate measures that are in whole or in part other than those requesteffd,
or measures that are addressed to the party which has itself made the

request, as Article 75, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Court expressly states,
and whereas it has already exercised this power on several occasions (sffee,
for example, Certain Activities Carried Out by Nicaragua in the Border
Area (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua), Provisional Measures, Order of 8 March
2011, I.C.J. Reports 2011 (I), pp. 24-25, para. 76) ;

59. Whereas, when it is indicating provisional measures for the pur -
pose of preserving specific rights, the Court, independently of the partffies’

18

6 CIJ1023.indb 33 18/06/13 10:38 552 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

des demandes des parties, dispose aussi du pouvoir d’indiquer des mesffures

conservatoires en vue d’empêcher l’aggravation ou l’extensioffn du diffé -
rend quand elle estime que les circonstances l’exigent (frontière terrestre
et maritime entre le Cameroun et le Nigéria (Cameroun c. Nigéria),
mesures conservatoires, ordonnance du 15 mars 1996, C.I.J. Recueil 1996 (I),
p. 22-23, par. 41 ; Activités armées sur le territoire du Congo (République

démoeratique du Congo c. Ouganda), mesures conservatoires, ordonnance
du 1 juillet 2000, C.I.J. Recueil 2000, p. 128, par. 44 ; Certaines activités
menées par le Nicaragua dans la région frontalière (Costa Rica▯ c. Nicara ‑
gua), mesures conservatoires, ordonnance du 8 mars 2011, C.I.J. Recueil
2011 (I), p. 26, par. 83) ;

* *

60. Considérant que la Cour a examiné la teneur des mesures deman -
dées par le Cambodge ; qu’elle n’estime pas que, dans les circonstances de

l’espèce, les mesures à indiquer doivent être identiques ou ffse limiter à
celles demandées par le Cambodge ; et que la Cour, ayant examiné les
éléments qui lui ont été soumis, juge opportun d’indiquerff des mesures
adressées aux deux Parties ;

*

61. Considérant que la zone du temple de Préah Vihéar a été le théâtre
d’affrontements armés entre les Parties et que la Cour a déjàff constaté que
ces affrontements risquaient de se reproduire ; qu’il revient à la Cour de

s’assurer, dans le cadre de la présente procédure, que des dommffages irré -
parables ne seront causés ni aux personnes ni aux biens dans cette zoffne
jusqu’au prononcé de son arrêt sur la demande en interprétatffion ; consi -
dérant en outre que, aux fins d’empêcher la survenance d’un ffdommage
irréparable, il convient d’exclure provisoirement toute présencffe de forces

armées dans une zone entourant la zone du temple, sans préjudice dffe l’ar -
rêt que la Cour rendra sur la demande en interprétation présentée par le
Cambodge; et considérant, dès lors, que la Cour estime nécessaire, aux ff
fins de protéger les droits qui sont en cause dans la présente proffcédure, de
définir une zone qui devra provisoirement être exempte de toute prffésence

militaire, sans préjudice de l’administration normale, y compris de la pré -
sence des personnels non militaires nécessaires à la sécuritéff des personnes
et des biens ;
62. Considérant que cette zone démilitarisée provisoire est déliffmitée par
des lignes droites reliant les points suivants, dont les coordonnées ffsont

calculées sur la base du système WGS 84 : le point A, situé par 14° 23΄ de
latitude nord et 104° 41΄ de longitude est ; le point B, situé par 14° 24΄ de
latitude nord et 104° 38΄ 15˝ de longitude es;tle point C, situé par 14° 25΄ de
latitude nord et 104° 38΄ 40˝ de longitude est ; et le point D, situé par
14° 25΄ de latitude nord et 104° 42΄ 20˝ de longitude est (voir croquis

ci-après) ;

19

6 CIJ1023.indb 34 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 552

requests, also possesses the power to indicate provisional measures withff a
view to preventing the aggravation or extension of the dispute whenever

it considers that the circumstances so require (Land and Maritime Bound ‑
ary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria), Provisional
Measures, Order of 15 March 1996, I.C.J. Reports 1996 (I), pp. 22-23,
para. 41 ; Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic
Republic of the Congo v. Uganda), Provisional Measures, Order of 1 July

2000, I.C.J. Reports 2000, p. 128, para. 44 ; Certain Activities Carried
Out by Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua), Provi ‑
sional Measures, Order of 8 March 2011, I.C.J. Reports 2011 (I), p. 26,
para. 83) ;

* *

60. Whereas the Court has considered the terms of the provisional
measures requested by Cambodia; whereas it does not find, in the circum -
stances of the case, that the measures to be indicated must be the same ffas
or limited to those sought by Cambodia ; and whereas the Court, having

considered the material before it, deems it appropriate to indicate mea -
sures addressed to both Parties ;

*

61. Whereas the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear has been the scene

of armed clashes between the Parties and whereas the Court has already
found that such clashes may reoccur; whereas it is for the Court to ensure,
in the context of these proceedings, that no irreparable damage is causeffd
to persons or property in that area pending the delivery of its Judgmentff
on the request for interpretation ; whereas, moreover, in order to prevent

irreparable damage from occurring, all armed forces should be provision -
ally excluded from a zone around the area of the Temple, without preju -
dice to the judgment which the Court will render on the request for
interpretation submitted by Cambodia; and whereas, therefore, the Court
considers it necessary, in order to protect the rights which are at issuffe in

these proceedings, to define a zone which shall be kept provisionally frffee
of all military personnel, without prejudice to normal administration,
including the presence of non-military personnel necessary to ensure the
security of persons and property ;

62. Whereas this provisional demilitarized zone shall be delimited by

straight lines connecting the following points, the co-ordinates of whicffh
are calculated on the basis of the WGS 84 system : point A, situated at
latitude 14º 23´ N and longitude 104º 41´ E ; point B, situated at latitude
14º 24´ N and longitude 104º 38´ 15˝ E ; point C, situated at latitude
14º 25´ N and longitude 104º 38´ 40˝ E ; and point D, situated at latitude

14º 25´ N and longitude 104º 42´ 20˝ E (see sketch-map below) ;

19

6 CIJ1023.indb 35 18/06/13 10:38 553 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

2 km

104°43'30"E
1

0.5
104°43'E

0

104°42'30"E D

200

104°42'E 300

400

200
104°41'30"E
300
400
500

A

104°41'E 500

600
500 TePréah Vihéar

400
104°40'30"E
300

200

104°40'E CAMBODGE

300
THAÏLANDE 400
200
104°39'30"E 600 500

Ce croquis a été éytabli à seule fin yd’illustration

104°39'E

C

104°38'30"E
300 200
4 0 0 B

104°38'E
croquis de la zone démdilitarisée provisoire teldle qu’identifiée par lad cour

104°37'30"E

zonroedtsteinle€iureƒeesrsp€doaevliinesirovieraeu„ pé…uidistan€e de 20 pm
500

104°37'E
SysAtituedgeésoedxs yye84ètres par rapport yau niveau moyen de lya mer

14°26'N 14°25'N 14°24'N 14°23'N 14°22'N
14°25'30"N 14°24'30"N 14°23'30"N 14°22'30"N

6 CIJ1023.indb 36 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 553

2 km

104°43'30"E
1

0.5
104°43'E

0

104°42'30"E D

200

104°42'E 300

400

200
104°41'30"E
300
400
500

A

104°41'E 500

600 Temple of
500 Preah Vihear

400
104°40'30"E
300

200

104°40'E CAMBODIA

300
THAILAND 400
200
104°39'30"E 600 500

104°39'E
This sketch-map has been prepared for illustrative purposes only

C

104°38'30"E
300200
4 0 0 B

sketch–map of provisio nal demilitarized zon e identified by the co urt
104°38'E

104°37'30"E

prorvorapcnkaatonieltirot€‚dtavnle20p mrien
500

104°37'E
WGElSe8ioantsuamre metres above sea level

14°26'N 14°25'N 14°24'N 14°23'N 14°22'N
14°25'30"N 14°24'30"N 14°23'30"N 14°22'30"N

6 CIJ1023.indb 37 18/06/13 10:38 554 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

63. Considérant que les deux Parties devront, pour se conformer à la
présente ordonnance, retirer toutes les forces armées actuellementff présentes

dans la zone ainsi définie; que les deux Parties devront s’abstenir non seu-
lement de toute présence militaire dans cette zone démilitariséffe provisoire,
mais aussi de toute activité armée dirigée à l’encontre dffe ladite zon;e
64. Considérant par ailleurs que les deux Parties devront poursuivre la
coopération qu’elles ont engagée dans le cadre de l’ANASE etff permettre

notamment aux observateurs mandatés par cette organisation d’accéffder à
la zone démilitarisée provisoire ;
65. Considérant qu’il n’est pas contesté que le temple de Préah Vihéar
lui-même appartient au Cambodge ; que le Cambodge doit, en toutes cir -
constances, avoir libre accès au temple et qu’il doit pouvoir y raffvitailler

son personnel non militaire ; et que la Thaïlande doit prendre toutes les
mesures qui seraient nécessaires pour ne pas faire obstacle à un tffel accès
libre et ininterrompu ;
66. Considérant que la Cour rappelle aux Parties que la Charte des
Nations Unies fait obligation à tous les Etats Membres de l’Organiffsation
des Nations Unies de s’abstenir dans leurs relations internationales ffde

recourir à la menace ou à l’emploi de la force, soit contre l’ffintégrité terri
toriale ou l’indépendance politique de tout Etat, soit de toute aufftre
manière incompatible avec les buts des Nations Unies ; que la Cour rap -
pelle en outre que les Etats Membres de l’Organisation sont égalemffent
tenus de régler leurs différends internationaux par des moyens pacffifiques,

de telle manière que la paix et la sécurité internationales ainffsi que la jus-
tice ne soient pas mises en danger ; et que les deux Parties sont tenues, en
vertu de la Charte et du droit international général, de respecterff ces prin -
cipes fondamentaux du droit international ;

* * *

67. Considérant que les ordonnances de la Cour «indiquant desmesures

conservatoires au titre de l’article 41 [du Statut] ont un caractère obliga -
toire » (LaGrand (Allemagne c. Etats‑Unis d’Amérique), arrêt, C.I.J. Re‑
cueil 2001, p. 506, par. 109) et créent donc des obligations juridiques
internationales que les deux Parties sont tenues de respecter (voir, par exeffmple,
Activités armées sur le territoire du Congo (République démo ▯ cratique du

Congo c. Ouganda), arrêt, C.I.J. Recueil 2005, p. 258, par. 263) ;

*
* *

68. Considérant qu’une décision rendue en la présente procéduffre rela -
tive à la demande en indication de mesures conservatoires ne préjuffge
aucune question dont la Cour aurait à connaître dans le cadre de lff’exa -

men de la demande en interprétation ;

* * *

21

6 CIJ1023.indb 38 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 554

63. Whereas both Parties, in order to comply with this Order, shall
withdraw all military personnel currently present in the zone as thus

defined; whereas both Parties shall refrain not only from any military
presence within that provisional demilitarized zone, but also from any
armed activity directed at the said zone ;
64. Whereas, in addition, both Parties shall continue the co-operation
which they have entered into within ASEAN and, in particular, allow the ff

observers appointed by that organization to have access to the provi -
sional demilitarized zone ;
65. Whereas it is not disputed that the Temple of Preah Vihear itself
belongs to Cambodia ; whereas Cambodia must, in all circumstances,
have free access to the Temple and must be able to provide fresh supplieffs

to its non-military personnel ; and whereas Thailand must take all neces -
sary measures in order not to obstruct such free and uninterrupted accesff;s
66. Whereas the Court reminds the Parties that the Charter of the
United Nations imposes an obligation on all Member States of the United ff
Nations to refrain in their international relations from the threat or uffse of
force against the territorial integrity or political independence of anyff

State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the Unitffed
Nations; whereas the Court further recalls that United Nations Member
States are also obliged to settle their international disputes by peaceful
means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justicffe,
are not endangered; and whereas both Parties are obliged, by the Charter

and general international law, to respect these fundamental principles offf
international law ;

* * *

67. Whereas the Court’s orders “on provisional measures under Arti -

cle 41 [of the Statute] have binding effect” (LaGrand (Germany v. United
States of America), Judgment, I.C.J. Reports 2001, p. 506, para. 109) and
thus create international legal obligations with which both Parties are
required to comply (see, for example, Armed Activities on the Territory of
the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda), Judgment,

I.C.J. Reports 2005, p. 258, para. 263) ;

*
* *

68. Whereas the decision given in the present proceedings on the
request for the indication of provisional measures in no way prejudges
any question that the Court may have to deal with relating to the request

for interpretation ;

* * *

21

6 CIJ1023.indb 39 18/06/13 10:38 555 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

69. Par ces motifs,

La Cour,

A) A l’unanimité,

Rejette la demande du Royaume de Thaïlande tendant à la radiation

du rôle de la Cour de l’instance introduite le 28 avril 2011 par le Royaume
du Cambodge ;

B) Indique à titre provisoire les mesures conservatoires suivantes :

1) Par onze voix contre cinq,

Les deux Parties doivent, immédiatement, retirer leur personnel mili -

taire actuellement présent dans la zone démilitarisée provisoirffe, telle que
définie au paragraphe 62 de la présente ordonnance, et s’abstenir de toute
présence militaire dans cette zone et de toute activité armée dffirigée à l’en

contre de celle-ci ;
pour : M.Tomka, vice‑président; MM. Koroma, Simma, Abraham, Keith,
Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, juges ;

M. Guillaume, juge ad hoc ;
contre : M.Owada, président; M. Al-Khasawneh, M mesXue, Donoghue,
juges ; M.Cot, juge ad hoc ;

2) Par quinze voix contre une,

La Thaïlande ne doit pas faire obstacle au libre accès du Cambodgeff au
temple de Préah Vihéar ni à la possibilité pour celui-ci d’y ravitailler son

personnel non militaire ;
pour : M.Owada,président ; M.Tomka,vice‑président; MM.Koroma, Al-Kha-
sawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade,ff
me
Yusuf, Greenwood, M Xue, juges; MM. Guillaume, Cot, juges ad hoc;
contre : M meDonoghue, juge ;

3) Par quinze voix contre une,

Les deux Parties doivent poursuivre la coopération qu’elles ont enffgagée
dans le cadre de l’ANASE et permettre notamment aux observateurs

mandatés par cette organisation d’accéder à la zone démilitarisée provi -
soire ;

pour : M.Owada,président ; M.Tomka,vice‑président; MM.Koroma, Al-Kha-
sawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade,
Yusuf, Greenwood, M me Xue, juges; MM. Guillaume, Cot, juges ad hoc;
contre : M meDonoghue, juge ;

4) Par quinze voix contre une,

Les deux Parties doivent s’abstenir de tout acte qui risquerait d’ffaggra-

ver ou d’étendre le différend dont la Cour est saisie ou d’effn rendre la
solution plus difficile ;

22

6 CIJ1023.indb 40 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 555

69. For these reasons,

The Court,

(A) Unanimously,

Rejects the Kingdom of Thailand’s request to remove the case intro -
duced by the Kingdom of Cambodia on 28 April 2011 from the General

List of the Court ;

(B) Indicates the following provisional measures :

(1) By eleven votes to five,

Both Parties shall immediately withdraw their military personnel cur -
rently present in the provisional demilitarized zone, as defined in paraff -
graph 62 of the present Order, and refrain from any military presence

within that zone and from any armed activity directed at that zone ;

in favour : Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma, Simma, Abraham,

Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood ;
Judge ad hoc Guillaume;
against : President Owada ; Judges Al-Khasawneh, Xue, Donoghue ; Judge
ad hoc Cot;

(2) By fifteen votes to one,

Thailand shall not obstruct Cambodia’s free access to the Temple
of Preah Vihear or Cambodia’s provision of fresh supplies to its non-

military personnel in the Temple ;
in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma,
Al-Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado

Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;
against : Judge Donoghue ;

(3) By fifteen votes to one,

Both Parties shall continue the co-operation which they have entered
into within ASEAN and, in particular, allow the observers appointed by
that organization to have access to the provisional demilitarized zone ;

in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma,
Al-Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado
Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;

against : Judge Donoghue ;

(4) By fifteen votes to one,

Both Parties shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or
extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolvffe;

22

6 CIJ1023.indb 41 18/06/13 10:38 556 demande en interprétffation (ordonnance 18 VII 1ff1)

pour : M.Owada,président ; M.Tomka,vice‑président; MM.Koroma, Al-Kha-
sawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade,ff
me
Yusuf, Greenwood, M Xue, juges; MM. Guillaume, Cot, juges ad hoc;
contre : M me Donoghue, juge ;

C) Par quinze voix contre une,

Décide que chaque Partie informera la Cour de la manière dont elle
assurera l’exécution des mesures conservatoires ci-dessus indiquées ;

pour : M.Owada,président ; M.Tomka,vice‑président; MM.Koroma, Al-Kha-
sawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade,ff
Yusuf, Greenwood, M meXue, juges; MM. Guillaume, Cot, juges ad hoc;
contre : M me Donoghue, juge ;

D) Par quinze voix contre une,

Décide que, jusqu’à ce que la Cour rende son arrêt sur la demande en

interprétation, elle demeurera saisie des questions qui font l’objffet de la
présente ordonnance.
pour : M.Owada,président ; M.Tomka,vice‑président; MM.Koroma, Al-Kha-

sawneh, Simma, Abrahame Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado Trindade,ff
Yusuf, Greenwood, M Xue, juges; MM. Guillaume, Cot, juges ad hoc;
contre : M me Donoghue, juge.

Fait en français et en anglais, le texte français faisant foi, au Palais de
la Paix, à La Haye, le dix-huit juillet deux mille onze, en trois exemplaires,

dont l’un restera déposé aux archives de la Cour et les autres ffseront trans
mis respectivement au Gouvernement du Royaume du Cambodge et au
Gouvernement du Royaume de Thaïlande.

Le président,
(Signé) Hisashi Owada.

Le greffier,

(Signé) Philippe Couvreur.

M. le juge Owada, président, joint à l’ordonnance l’exposé de son opi -
nion dissidente; M. le juge Koroma joint une déclaration à l’ordonnance ;

M. le juge Al-Khasawneh joint à l’ordonnance l’exposé de son opinion
dissidente; M. le juge Cançado Trindade joint à l’ordonnance l’exposé
de son opinion individuelle ; M mes les juges Xue et Donoghue joignent à
l’ordonnance les exposés de leur opinion dissidente; M. le juge ad hoc Guil-

laume joint une déclaration à l’ordonnance ; M. le juge ad hoc Cot joint
à l’ordonnance l’exposé de son opinion dissidente.

(Paraphé) H.O.
(Paraphé) Ph.C.

23

6 CIJ1023.indb 42 18/06/13 10:38 request for interpretffation (order 18 VII 11) 556

in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma,
Al-Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado
Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;
against : Judge Donoghue ;

(C) By fifteen votes to one,

Decides that each Party shall inform the Court as to its compliance
with the above provisional measures ;

in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma, Al-
Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado
Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;
against : Judge Donoghue ;

(D) By fifteen votes to one,

Decides that, until the Court has rendered its judgment on the request
for interpretation, it shall remain seised of the matters which form theff
subject of this Order.

in favour : President Owada ; Vice‑President Tomka ; Judges Koroma, Al-
Khasawneh, Simma, Abraham, Keith, Bennouna, Skotnikov, Cançado
Trindade, Yusuf, Greenwood, Xue ; Judges ad hoc Guillaume, Cot ;
against : Judge Donoghue.

Done in French and in English, the French text being authoritative, at tffhe
Peace Palace, The Hague, this eighteenth day of July, two thousand and

eleven, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives of ffthe
Court and the others transmitted to the Government of the Kingdom of
Cambodia and the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand, respectively.

(Signed) Hisashi Owada,
President.

(Signed) Philippe Couvreur,

Registrar.

President Owada appends a dissenting opinion to the Order of the

Court ; JudgeKoroma appends a declaration to the Order of the Court ;
Judge Al-Khasawneh appends a dissenting opinion to the Order of the
Court ; Judge Cançado Trindade appends a separate opinion to the
Order of the Court ; Judges Xue and Donoghue append dissenting
opinions to the Order of the Court ; Judge ad hoc Guillaume appends

a declaration to the Order of the Court ; Judge ad hoc Cot appends a
dissenting opinion to the Order of the Court.

(Initialled) H.O.

(Initialled) Ph.C.

23

6 CIJ1023.indb 43 18/06/13 10:38

ICJ document subtitle

Request for the Indication of Provisional Measures

Document file FR
Document Long Title

Order of 18 July 2011

Links