COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE
RECUEIL DES ARRETS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFSET ORDONNANCES
INTERPRÉTATION DES TKAITÉSDE PAIX
CONCLUSAVEC LA BULGARIE,
LA HONGRIEET LA ROUMANIE,
AVIS CONSULTATIDU 30 MARS 1950
INTERNATIONAL COURT OFJUSTICE
REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONSAND ORDERS
INTERPRETATION OF PE,ACETREATIES
WITH BULGARIA, HUNGARY
AND ROMANIA
ADVISORYOPINIONOF MARCH3Oth,1950 Le présent avis doit êtrecité comme suit :
«Interprétationdes traitésde paix,
Avis consult:tC. I. J.Recueil 195p.65.))
This Opinion should be cited as follows :
"Interpretation of Peace Treaties,
Advisory Opini:nI.CJ. Reports1950p.65."
NO de vente :
1sales numbe36 1 INTERNATIONALCOURT OF JUSTICE
'95"
YEAR 1950 March 30th
General List
March 3oth, 1950 No. 8
INTERPRETATION OF PEACETREATIES
WITH BULGARIA, HUNGARY
AND ROMANIA
Advisory function.-Competence of the Court : objection on the
ground of alleged lack of competence ofGeneral Assembly,based
on the character of the Court as angan of the United Nations;
Article2, paragraph7, of the Charter.-Powerof the Court to reply
to a Rquest for Opinionin spite of the opposition of certain States;
duty to ansmer ; limitof this dut; Article65 of the Statute.-
Qztestions relating solely to the iof application of a procedure,
provided jor by treaty, for the settlement of dispute68-of thee
Statzrte discretioallowed to the Court.-Existenceof disputes;
applicabilitof the procedure provided for by tvzat.y for the settlement
of disputes to disputes concerning the inbr~or execution of the
treaty.-Definitionof a question put to the Court.-Compulsory
settlementof disputes by Treaty Commissions; obligation for the
parties to the disputé tooperate in the constitutof the Com-
missions byappointingtheir repvesentatives.
ADVISORY OPINION
Present: President BASDEVAN ;T Vice-President GUERRER O
J~dges ALVAREZ,HACKWORTH W , INIARSKIZ, ORICIC,
DE VISSCHER S,ir ARNOLD MCNAIRK , I-AESTAD B,ADAWI
PASHA,KRYLOVR , EAD,HSU MO,AZEVEDO; Registrar
HAMBRO.
4 composed as above,
gives the following Advisory Opinion :
On October zznd, 1949, the General Assembly of the United
Nations adopted the following Resolution :
"Whereas the United Nations, pursuant to Article 55 of the
Charter, shall promote universal respect for, and observance of,
human rights and fundamental freedoms for al1without distinction
as to race, sex, language or religion,
Whereas the General Assembly, at the second part of its Third
Regular Session, considered the question of the observance in
Bulgaria and Hungary of human rights and fundamental free-
doms,
Whereas the General Assembly, on 30 Apnl 1949, adopted
Resolution 272 (III) concerning this question in which it expressed
its deep concern at the grave accusations made against the Govern-
ments of Bulgaria and Hungary regarding the suppression of
human rights and fundamental freedoms in those countries ;,
noted with satisfaction that steps had been taken by several
States signatories to the Treaties of Peace with Bulgaria and
Hungary regarding these accusations ; expressed the hope that
measures would be diligently applied, in accordance with the
Treaties, in order to ensure respect for human rights and funda-
mental freedoms ; and most urgently drew the attention of the
Governments of Bulgaria and Hungary to their obligations under
the Peace Treaties, including the obligation to co-operate in the
settlement of the question,
Whereas the General Assembly has resolved to consider also
at the Fourth Regular Session the question of the observance
in Romania of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whreas certain of'the Allied and Associsted Powers signatones
to the Treaties of Peace with Bulgana, Hungary and Romania
have charged the Governments of those countries with violations
of the Treaties of Peace and have called upon those Governments
to take remedial measures,
Whereas the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
have rejected the charges of Treaty violations,
Wheas the Govemments of the Allied and Associated Powers
concerned have sought unsuccessfully to refer the question of
Treaty violations to the Heads of Mission in Sofia, Budapest and
Bucharest, in pursuance of certain provisions in the Treaties
of Peace,
Wlzereasthe Govemments of these Allied and Associated Powers
have called upon the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and
5OPIN. OF 30 III 50 (INTERPRETATION OF PEACE TRE- TIE ES) 67
Romania to join in appointing Commissions pursuant to the
provisions of the respective Treaties of Peace for the settlement
of disputes concerning the interpretation or execution of these
Treaties,
Whereas the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
have refused to appoint their representatives to the Treaty Com-
missions, maintaining that they were under no legal obligation
to do so,
Whereas the Secretary-General of the United Nations is author-
ized by the Treaties of Peace, upon request by either party to
a dispute, to appoint the third member of a Treaty Commission
if the parties fail to agree upon the appointment of the third
member,
Whereas it is important for the Secretary-General to be advised
authoritatively concerning the scope of his authority under the
Treaties of Peace,
Th GelzeralAssembly
r. Exfiresses its continuing interest in and its increased concern
at the grave accusations made against Bulgaria, Hungary and
Romania ;
2. Records its opinion that the refusal of the Governments of Bul-
garia, Hungary and Romania to co-operate inits efforts to examine
the grave charges with regard to the observanse of human rights
and fundamental freedoms justifies this concern of the General
Assembly about the state of affairs prevailing in Bulgaria,
Hungary and Romania in this respect ;
3. Decides to submit the following questions to the International
Court of Justice for an advisory opinion :
'1. Do the diplornatic exchanges between Bulgar'ia, Hungary
and Romania, on the one hand, and certain Aliied and
Associated Powers signatories to the Treaties of Peace,
on the other, concerning the implementation of Article2
of the Treaties with Bulgaria and Hungary and Article 3
of the Treaty with Romania, disclose disputes subject
to the provisions for the settlement of disputes con-
tained in Articl36 of the Treaty of Peace with Bulgaria,
Article 40 of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary, and
Article38 of the Treaty of Peace with Romania ?'
In the event of an affirmative reply to question 1 :
'II. Are the Governments of Rulgaria, Hungary and Romania
obligated to carry out the provisions of the articles
referred to in question 1, including the provisions for
the appointment of their representatives to the Treaty
Commissions ?'
In the event of an affirmative reply to question II and if within
t.hirty days from the date when the Court delivers its opinion,
6 the Governments concerned have not notified the Secretary-
General that they have appointed their representatives to the
Treaty Commissions,and the Secretary-General has so advised
the International Court of Justice :
'III. If one party fails to appointa representative to a Treaty
Hungary and Romania where that party is obligated to
appoint a representative to the Treaty Commission,is
the Secretary-General of the United Nations authonzed
to appoint the third member of the Commissionupon
the request of the other party to a dispute according
to the provisions of the respective Treaties ?'
In the event of an affirmative reply to question III :
'IV. Would a Treaty Commissioncomposedof a representative
of one party and a third member appointed by the
Secretary-General of the United Nations constitute a
Commission,within the nieaning of the relevant Treaty
articles, competent to make a definitive and binding
decision in settlement of a dispute ?'
4. Requests the Secretary-General to make available to the
International Court of Justice the relevant exchanges of diplomatic
correspondence communicated to the Secretary-General for cir-
culation to the Members of the United Nations and the records
of the General Assembly proceedings on this question ;
5. Decidesto retain on the agenda of the Fifth Regular Session
of the General Assembly the question of the observance of human
nghts and fundamental freedoms in Bulgaria, Hungary and
Romania, with a viewto ensuring that the charges are appropnately
examined and dealt with."
By a letter of October 31st, 1949, filed in the Registry on
November 3rd, the Secretary-General of the United Nations
transmitted to the Court a certified tnie copy of the General Assem-
bly's Resolution.
On November 7th, 1949, in accordance with paragraph I of
Article 66 of the Court's Statute, the Registrar gave notice of the
Request to al1 States entitled to.appear before the Court. On the
same date, the Registrar, by means of a special and direct communi-
cation as provided in paragraph 2 of the above-mentioned article,
informed allStates entitled to appear before the Court and parties
to one or more of the above-mentioned Peace Treaties (Australia,
Canada, United States of America, Greece, India, New Zealand,
Pakistan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist
Republic, Czechoslovakia, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
Union of South Africa, Yugoslavia) that the Court was prepared
to receive from them written statements on the questions submittedto it for an advisory opinion and to hear oral statements at a date
whicli would be fixed in due course.
An identical communication was sent, also on November 7th,
in pursuance of paragraph I of Article 63 of the Statute, to the
other States parties to one of theove-mentioned Treaties, namely,
Bulgaria, Hungary and Romanid.
These communications were accompanied by copies of an Order,
made on the same date, by which the Acting President of the Court
appointed January 16th, 1950, as the date of expiry of the time-
limit for the submission of written statements and reserved the
rest of the procedure for further decision.
Written statements and con~munications were received within
the prescribed time-limit from the following States :United States
of America, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist
Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Byelorussian Soviet
Socialist Republic, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Australia and Hun-
gary.
In accordance with Article 65 of the Statute, the Secretary-
General of the United Nations transmitted to the Registrar a set
of documents which reached the Registry on November 26th, 1949.
Some additional documents, which had subsequently been filed
with the Secretariat, were fonvarded to the Registry, where they
arrived on Febmary zlth, 1950. Al1 these documents are enumer-
ated in the list attached to the present Opinion.
In a letter dated January 23rd, 1950, the Assistant Secretary-
General in charge of the Legal Department of the Secretariat of
the United Nations announced that he intended to take part in
the oral proceedings and to submit a statement on behalf of the
Secretary-General.
The Government of the United Kingdom and the Government
of the United States of America stated, in letters dated respectively
January 6th and February ~oth, 1950,that they intended to submit
oral statements.
At public sittings held on February 28th and on March 1st and
znd, 1950, the Court heard oral statements submitted :
on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations by
Mr. Ivan Kerno, Assistant Secretary-General in charge of the
Legal Department ;
on behalf of the Govemment of the United States of America
by the Honorable Benjamin V. Cohen ;
on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom by
Mr. G. G. Fitzmaurice, C.M.G., Second Legal Adviser of the
Foreign Office. In conformity with the Resolution of the General Assembly
of October zznd, 1949, the Court is at present called upon to
give an Opinion orily on Questions 1 and II set forth in that
Resolution.
The power of the Court to exercise its advisory function in
the present case has been contested by the Governments of Bul-
garia, Hungary and Romania, and also by several other Govern-
ments, in the communications which they have addressed to
the Court.
This objection is founded mainly on two arguments.
It is contended that the Request for an Opinion was an action
ultra vires on the part of the General Assembly because, in dealing
with the question of the observance of human rights and fund-
amental freedoms in the three States mentioned above, it was
"interfering" or "intervening" in matters essentially within the
domestic jurisdiction of States. This contention against the
exercise by the Court of its advisory function seems thus to be
based on the alleged incompetence of the General Assembly
itself, an incompetence deduced from Article 2, paragraph 7,
of the Charter.
The terrilof the General Assembly's Resolution of October zznd,
1949, considered as a whole and in its separate parts, show that
this argument is based on a misunderstanding. When the vote
was taken on this Resolution, the General Assembly was faced
with a situation arising out of the charges made by certain Allied
and Associated Powers, against the Governments of Bulgaria,
Hungary and Romania of having violated the provisions of the
Peace Treaties concerning the observance of human rights and
fundamental freedoms. For the purposes of the present Opinion,
it suffices to note that the General Assembly justified the adoption
of its Resolution by stating that "the United Nations, pursuant
to Article 55 of the Charter, shall promote universal respect for
and observance of human rights and fundamental freedonis for
al1 without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion".
The Court is not called upon to deal with the charges brought
before the General Assembly since the Questions put to the Court
relate neither to the alleged violations of the provisions of the
Treaties concerning human rights and fundaniental freedoms nor
to the interpretation of the articles relating to these matters.
The object of the Request is much more limited. It is directed
solely to obtaining from the Court certain clarificationsvf a legal
nature regarding the applicability of the procedure for the settle-
ment of disputes by the Commissions provided for in the express
terms of Article 36 of the Treaty with Bulgaria, Article 40 of
the Treaty with Hungary and Article 38 of the Treaty with
Romania. The interpretation of the terms of a treaty for this
purpose could not be considered as a question essentially within
the domestic jurisdiction of a State. It is a question of inter-
9national law which, by its very nature, lies within the competence
of the Court.
These considerations also suffice to dispose of the objection
based on the principle of domestic jurisdiction and directed
specifically against the competence of the Court, namely, that
the Court, as an organ of the United Nations, is bound to observe
the provisions of the Charter, including Article 2, paragraph 7.
The same considerations furnish an answer to the objection
that the advisory procedure before the Court would take the
place of the procedure instituted by the Peace Treaties for the
settlement of disputes. So far from placing an obstacle in the
way of the latter procedure, the object of this Request is to
facilitate it by seeking information for the General Assembly
as to its applicability to the circumstances of the present case.
It thus appears that these objections to the Court's competence
to give the Advisory Opinion which has been requested are ill-
founded and cannot be upheld.
Another argument that has been invoked against the power
of the Court to answer the Questions put to it in this case is
based on the opposition of the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary
and Romania to the advisory procedure. The Court cannot, it
is said, give the Advisory Opinion requested without violating
the well-established principle of international law according to
which no judicial proceedings relating to a legal question pending
between States can take place without their consent.
This objection reveals a confusion between the principles
goveming contentious procedure and those which are applicable
to Advisory Opinions.
The consent of States, parties to a dispute, is the basis of the
Court's jurisdiction in contentious cases. The situation is different
in regard to advisory proceedings even where the Request for
an Opinion relates to a legal question actually pending between
States. The Court's reply is only of an advisory character: as
such, it has no binding force. It follows that no State, whether a
Member of the United Nations or not, can prevent the giving of
an Advisory Opinion which the United Nations considers to be
desirable in order to obtain enlightenment as to the course of
action it should take. The Court's Opinion is given not to the
States, but to the organ which is entitled to request it ;the reply
of the Court, itself an "organ of the United Nations", represents
its participation in the activities of the Organization, and, in
principle, should not be refused.
There are certain limits, however, to the Court's dutv to reply
to a Request for an Opinion. It is not merely an "organ of the
United Nations", it is essentially the "principal judicial organ"
of the Organization (Art. 92 of the Charter and Art. I of the
Statute). It is on account of this character of the Court that its OPIK. OF 30 III50 (IS'TERPRETATION OF PEACE TRE- TIE ES)72
power to answer the present Request for an Opinion has been
challenged.
Article 65 of the Statute is permissive. It gives the Court the
power to examine whether the circumstances of the case are
of such a character as should lead it to decline to answer the
Request. In the opinion of the Court, the circumstances of the
present case are profoundly different from those which were
before the Permanent Court of International Justice in the
Eastern Carelia case (Advisory Opinion Ko. 5),when that Court
declined to give an Opinion because it found that the question
put to it was directly related to the main point of a dispute
actually pending between two States, so that answering the
question would be substantially equivalent to deciding the dispute
between the parties, and that at the same time it raised a question
of fact which could not be elucidated without liearing both parties.
As has been observed, the present Request for an Opinion is
solely concerned with the applicability to certain disputes of
the procedure for settlement instituted by the Peace Treaties,
and it is justifiable to conclude that it in no way touches the
merits of those disputes. Furthermore, the settlement of these
disputes is entrusted solely to the Commissions provided for by
the Peace Treaties. Consequently, it is for these Commissions to
decide upon any objections which may be raised to their jurisdiction
in respect of any of these disputes, and the present Opinion in
no way prejudges the decisions that may be taken on those
objections. It follows that the legal position of the parties to
these disputes cannot be in any way compromised by the answers
that the Court may give to the Questions put to it.
It is true that Article68 of the Statute provides that the Court in
the exercise of its advisory functionsshall further be guided by the
provisions of the Statute which apply in contentious cases. But
according to the same article these provisions would be applicable
only "to the extent to which it [the Court] recognizes them to be
applicable". It is therefore clear that their application depends on
the particular circumstances of each case and that the Court pos-
sesses a large amount of discretion in the matter. In the present
case the Court is dealing with a Request for an Opinion, the sole
object of which is to enlighten the General Assembly as to the
opportunities which the procedure contained in the Peace Treaties
may afford for putting an end to a situation which has been pre-
sented to it. That being the object of the Request, the Court finds
in the opposition to it made by Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania no
reason why it should abstain from replying to the Request.
For the reasons stated above, the Court considers that it has
the power to answer Questions 1 and II and that it is under a
duty to do so.
II OPIN. OF 30 III50 (INTERPRETATION OF PEACE TREATIES) 73
* * *
Question 1 is framed in the following terms :
"Do the diplomatic exchanges between Bulgaria, Hungary and
Romania on the one hand and certain Allied and Associated Powers
signatones to the Treaties of Peace on the other, concerning the
implementation of Article 2 of the Treaties with Bulgaria and
Hungary and Article 3 of the Treaty with Romania, disclose dis-
putes subject to the provisions for the settIement of disputes
contained in Article 36 of the Treaty of Peace with Bulgaria,
Article 40 of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary and Article 38 of
the Treaty of Peace with Romania ?"
The text of the articles mentioned in Question 1 is as follows :
Article 2 of the Treaty with Bulgaria (to which correspond
mutatis mutandis Article 2, papagraph 1, of the Treaty with
Hungary and Article 3, paragraph 1,of the Treaty with Romania) :
"Bulgaria shall take al1 measures necessary to secure to al1
persons under Bulgarian jurisdiction, without distinction as to race,
sex, language or religion, the enjoyment of human rights and of
the fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, of
press and publication, of religious worship, of political opinion and
of public meeting."
Article 36 of the Treaty with Bulgaria (to which correspond
mutatis mutandis Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary and
Article 38 of the Treaty with Romania) :
"1. Except where another procedure is specifically provided
under any article of the present Treaty, any dispute conceming
the interpretation or execution of the Treaty, which is not settled
by direct diplomatic negotiations, shall be referred to the Three
Heads of Mission acting under Article 35,except that in this case
the Heads ofMissionwillnot be restncted by the time-limit provided
in that Article. Any such dispute not resolved by them within a
period of two months shall, unless the parties to the dispute mutu-
ally agree upon an~ther means, of settlement, be referred at the
request of either party to the dispute to a Commission composed
of one representative of each party and a third member selected
by mutual agreement of the two parties from nationals of a third
country. Should the two parties fail to agree within a period of
one month upon the appointment of the third member, the Secre-
tary-General of the United Nations may be requested by either
party to make the appointment.
2. The decision of the majority of the members of the Commission
shall be the decision of the Commission, and shall be accepted by
the parties as definitive and binding."
The text of Article 35, which is referred to in Article 36 of
the Treaty with Bulgaria (and to which correspond mutatis
mutandis Article 39 of the Treaty with Hungary and Article 37
of the Treaty with Romania), is as follows: "1. For a period not to exceedeighteen months from the coming
into force of the present Treaty, the Heads of the Diplomatic
Missionsin Sofia of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and
the UAllied and Associated Powers in dealing with the Bulgariannt
Government in all matters concerning the execution and inter-
pretation of the present Treaty.
2.The Three Heads of Missionwill give the Bulgarian Govern-
ment such guidance, technical advice and clarification as may be
necessaryto ensure the rapid and efficientexecution of the present
Treaty both in letter and in spirit.
3.The Biilgarian Government shall afford the said Three Heads
of Missionall necessaryinformation and any assistance which they
may require in the fulfilmentof the tasks devolvingon themunder
the present Treaty."
Question 1 involves two main points. First, do the diplomatic
exchanges between Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania on the one
hand and certain Allied and Associated Powers signatories to
fhe Peace Treaties on the other, disclose any disputes ? Second,
if they do, are such disputes among those which are subject to
the provisions for the settlement of disputes contained in Article36
of the Treaty with Bulgaria, Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary,
and Article 38 of the Treaty with Romania ?
Whether there exists an international dispute is a matter for
objective determination. The mere denial of the existence of a
dispute does not prove its non-existence. In the diplomatic corre-
spondence submitted to the Court, the United Kingdom, acting
in association with Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and the
United States of America charged Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
with having violated, in various ways, the provisions of the articles
dealing with human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Peace
Treaties and called upon the three Governments to take remedial
measures to carry out their obligations under the Treaties. The
three Governments, on the other hand, denied the charges. There
has thus arisen a situation in which the two sides hold clearly
opposite views concerning the question of the performance or
non-performance of certain treaty obligations. Confronted with
such a situation, the Court must conclude that international
disputes have arisen.
This conclusion is not invalidated by the text of Article 36 of
the Treaty with Bulgana (Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary
and Article 38 of the Treaty with Romania). This article, in refemng
to "any dispute", is couched in general terms. It does not justify
limiting the idea of "the dispute" to a dispute between the United
States of America, the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics acting in concert on the one hand, and Bulgaria
13(Hungary or Romania) on the other. In the present case, a
dispute exists between each of the three States-Bulgaria, Hungary
and Romania-and each of the Allied and Associated States which
sent protests to them.
The next point to be dealt with is whether the disputes are
subject to the provisions of the articles for the settlement of
disputes contained in the Peace Treaties. The disputes must be
considered to fa11within those provisions if they relate to the
interpretation or execution of the Treaties, andif no other procedure
of settlement is specifically provided elsewhere in the Treaties.
Inasmuch as the disputes relate to the question ofthe performance
or non-performance of the obligations provided in the articles
dealing with human rights and fundamental freedoms, they are
clearly disputes concerning the interpretation or execution of the
Peace Treaties. In particular, certain answers from the Govern-
ments accused of violations of the Peace Treaties make use of
arguments which clearly involve an interpretation of those Treaties.
Since no other procedure is specifically provided in any other
article of the Treaties, the disputes must be subject to the methods
of settlement contained in the articles providing for the settlement
of all disputes.
The Court thus concludes that Question 1 must be answered
in the affirmative.
In these circumstances, it becomes necessary to take up Ques-
tion II, which is as follows :
"Are the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
obligated to carry out the provisionsof the articles referred to in
Question 1, including the provisions for the appointment of their
representatives to the Treaty Commissions"
Before answering the Question, the Court must determine the
scope of the expression "the provisions of the articles referred to
in Question 1". Question 1 mentions two sets of articles : one set
being those articles concerning human rights, namely, Article 2
of the Treaties with Bulgaria and Hungary, and Article 3 of the
Treaty with Romania ;the other set being those articles concerning
the settlement of disputes, namely, Article 36 of the Treaty with
Bulgaria, Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary and Article 38
of the Treaty with Romania. The Court considers that the expres-
sion "the provisions of the articles referred to in Question 1"
refers only to the articles providing for the settlement of disputes,
and does not refer to the articles dealing with human rights.
14 This view is clearlyborne out by the various considerations stated
in the Resolution of the General Assembly of October zznd, 1949.
It is confirmed by the fact that the Questions put to the Court have
for their sole object to determinewhether the disputes, if they exist,
are among those falling under the procedure provided for in the
Treaties with a view to their sextlement by arbitration. The Court
does not think that the General Assembly would have asked it
whether Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania are obligated to carry out
the articles conceming human rights. For, in the first place, the
three Governments have not denied that they are obligated to carry
out these articles. In the second place, the words which precede
Question II, "In the event of an affirmative answer to Question 1",
exclude the idea that Question II refers to the articles relating to
human rights. There is no reason why the General Assembly should
have made the consideration of the question conceming human
rights depend on an affirmative amwer to a question relating to the
existence of disputes. The articles concerning human rights are
mentioned in Question 1 only by way of describing the subject-
matter of the diplomatic exchanges between the States concemed.
-The real meaning of Question II, in the opinion of the Court, is
this :In view of the disputes which have arisen and which have
so far not been settled, are Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
obligated to carry out, respectively, the provisions of Article 36
of the Treaty with Bulgaria, Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary,
and Article 38 of the Treaty with Romania ?
The articles for the settlement of disputes provide that any
dispute which is not settled by direct diplomatic negotiations shall
be referred to the Three Heads of Mission. If not resolved by them
within a period of two months, the dispute shall, unless the parties
to the dispute agree upon another means of settlement, be referred
at the request of either party to the dispute to a Commission com-
posed of one representative of each party and a third member,
to be selected in accordance with the relevant articles of the
Treaties.
The diplomatic documents presented to the Court show that the
United Kingdom and the United States of America on the one hand,
and Bulgaria, Hungaryand Romania onthe other,have not succeeded
in settling their disputes by direct negotiations. They further show
that these disputes were not resolved by the Heads of Mission
within the prescribed period of two months. It is a fact that the
parties to the disputes have not agreed upon any other means of
settlement. It is also a fact that the United Kingdom and the
United States of Amenca, after the expiry of the prescribedperiod,
requested that the disputes should be settled by the Commissions
mentioned in the Treaties. This situation led the General Assembly to put Question II so as
to obtain guidance for its future action.
The Court finds that all the conditionsrequired for the commence-
ment of the stage of the settlement of disputes by the Commis-
sions have been fulfilled.
In view of the fact that the Treaties provide that any dispute
shall be referred to aComnlission "at the request of either party",
it follows that either party is obligated, at the request of the other
party, to CO-operatein constituting the Commission, in particular
by appointing its representative. Othenvise the method of settle-
ment by Commissions provided for in the Treaties would com-
pletely fail in its purpose.
The reply to Question II, as interpreted above, must therefore
be in the affirmative.
For these reasons,
THE COURT IS OF OPINION,
On Question I .
by eleven votes to three,
that the diplomatic exchanges between Bulgaria, Hungary and
Romania on the one hand and certain Allied and Associated
Powers signatories to the Treaties of Peace on the other, concerning
the implementation of Article 2 of the Treaties with Bulgaria
and Hungary and Article 3 of the Treaty with Romania, disclose
disputes subject to the provisions for the settlement of disputes
contained in Article 36 of the Treaty of Peace with Bulgaria,
Article 40 of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary, and Article 38
of the Treaty of Peace with Romania ;
On QuestionII :
by eleven votes to three,
that the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania are
obligated to carry out the provisions, of those articles referred to
in Question 1, which relate to the settlement of disputes, including
the provisions for the appointment of their representatives to the
Treaty Commissions.
Done in French and English, the French text being authoritative,
at the Peace Palace, The Hague, this thirtieth day of March, one
thousand nine hundred and fifty, in two copies, one of which will
16be placed in the archives of the Court and the other transmitted
to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
(Signed) BASDEVANT,
President .
(Signed) E. HAMBRO,
Registrar.
Judge AZEVEDO, while concurring in the Opinion of the Court,
has availed himself of the right conferred on him by Article 57
of the Statute and appended to the Opinion a statement of his
separate opinion.
Judges WINIARSKI,ZORIEICand KRYLOVc ,onsidering that the
Court should have declined to give an Opinion in this case, have
availed themselves of the right conferred on them by Article 57
of the Statute and appended to the Opinion statements of their
dissenting opinions.
(Initialled)J. B.
(Initialled)E. H. ANNEX
DOCUMENTS TRANSMITTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL
COURT OF JUSTICE BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF
THE UNITED NATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
ON 22 OCTOBER, 1949
1. RECORDS OF GENERALASSEMBLY, SECOND PART OF THIRD
SESSION
FolderI.
Inclusion oj item in agenda.
Records oj proceedings.
Records of the General Committee, 58th and 59th meetings.
Records of the General Assembly, 189th and 190th plenary meet-
ings.
Folder2.
Inclusionof item in agenda.
Documents.
Letter dated 16 March, 1949, from the
permanent representativeof Bolivia
to the Secretary-General requesting
the inclusion of an additional item in
the agenda of the third regular ses-
sion of the General Assembly A/Szo
Letter dated 19 March, 1949, from the
Australian Mission to the United
Nations addressed to the Secretary-
General requesting the inclusion of an
additional item in the agenda of the
third regular session of the General
Assembly AIS21
Agenda of the third regular session of
the General Assembly ; report of the
General Committee A1829
[See paragraphs
3 a and 3 b.]
53[Note-See Folder 4 for :
Telegram dated 4 April, I949, from the
Governmentof the Republic of Hungary
tothe President of the General Assembly Al831
and
Telegram dated 9 April, 1949, from the
Government of the People's Republic
of Bulgaria to the Secretary-General -41832 and Covr. I.
Folder 3.
Ad hoc Political Committee.
Records of proceedings.
34th meeting.
35th meeting.
36th meeting.
37th meeting.
38th meeting.
39th meeting.
40th meeting.
41st meeting.
Folder 4.
Ad hoc Political Comnzittee.
Documents.
Telegram dated 4 April, 1949, from the
Government of the Republic of Hun-
gary to the President of the General
Assembly A1831
Telegram dated 9 April, 1949, from the
Government of the People's Repub-
lic of Bulgaria to the Secretary-Gen-
eral Al832 and Corr. I
Allocation of items on the agenda of the
second part of the third session;letter
dated 13 April, 1949, from the Presi-
dent of the General Assembly to the
Chairman of the Ad hoc Political
Cornmittee AIAC.24147 A/AC.z4/48 and Corr. I
Cuba : draft resolution
Cuba : amended draft resolution A/AC.z4/48/Rev. 2
-lustralia: draft resolution A/AC.24/50
Bolivia : draft resolution A/AC.z4/51/Corr. I
Australia :draft resolution A/AC.z4/5z
Chile : amendment to the Bolivian
draft resolution (A/AC.z4/51/Corr. 1) AlAC.24153
Colombia and Costa Rica : amendment
to the Bolivian draft resolution
(A/AC.z4/51/Corr. 1) A/AC.24/54
Cuba and Australia :amendment to the
Bolivian resolution (A/AC.z4151/
Corr. 1) A/AC.q/ 56
Telegram dated 23 April, 1949, from the
Government of the People's Republic
of Hungary to the Secretary-General A/AC.z4/57
Telegram dated 27 April, 1949, from the
Government of the People's Republic
of Bulgaria to the Secretary-General A/AC.24/58
Report of the Ad hoc Political Com-
mittee Al844
Plenary meetings of the General Assembly.
Records of poceedings.
201st meeting.
aoznd meeting.
203rd meeting.
Plenary meetings of the General Assembly.
Documents.
Resolution 272 (III), adopted by the
General Assembly, 30 April, 1949.
[Note-See Folder 4 for :
Report of theAd hoc Political Committee A1844.1II. RELEVANT EXCHANGES OF DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE COM-
MUNICATED TO THE SECRETARY-GENERA FOR CIRCULATION TO
THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITEDNATIONS
Letter dated 20 September, 1949, from
the representative of the United States
of America to the Secretary-General
(with annexes) A/g85/Rev. I
Letter dated 19 September, 1949, from
the representative of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and North-
ern Ireland to the Secretary-General
(with annexes) A/ggo/Rev. I
III. RECORDS OF GENERALASSEMBLY ,OURTH SESSION
Folder8.
Inclasion of item in agenda.
Records of proceedings.
Records of the General Committee, 65th [See pages 3 and 4,
meeting paragraphs 71-73,
ana Page 7,
paragraphs 104
and 105.j
Records of the General Assembly, 224th [See pages 18 and 19,
plenary meeting paragraphs 2-10,
and page 23,
after paragraph 56.1
Incksion of item in agenda.
Documents.
Supplementary list of items for the
agenda of the focrth regular session ;
items praposed by Australia A1948
Adoption of the agenda of the fourth
regular session and allocation of items
to Committees ; report of the General
Cornmittee Al989
[See paragraphs 9-12.] OPIS. OF 30 III50 (INTERPRETATION OF PEACE TRE- TIE ES)118
Folder IO.
Ad hoc Political Committee.
Records of proceedings.
7th meeting.
8th meeting.
9th meeting.
~cth meeting.
11th meeting.
12th meeting.
13th meeting.
14th meeting.
15th meeting.
Folder II.
Ad hoc Political Committee.
Documents.
Letter dated 26 September, 1949, from
the President of the General Assembly
to the Chairman of the Ad hoc Polit-
ical Committee AlAC.3 112
Bolivia, Canada and the United States
of Amenca : draft resolution A/AC.~I/L.I/R~V. I
Australia : amendment to the draft
resolution proposed by Bolivia, Ca-
nada and the United States of America
(A/AC.~I/L.I/R~V. 1) A/AC.y/L.z
Brazil, Lebanon and the Netherlands :
amendment to the draft resolution
proposed by Bolivia, Canada and the
United States of Amenca
(A/AC.~I/L.I/R~V. 1) AlAc.31lL.3
Telegram dated 7 October, 1949, from
the Government of the People's Re-
public of Romania to the Secretary-
General AlAC.3rlL.4
Report of the Ad hoc Political Com-
mittee A/IOZ~ Plenary meetivtgsof the General Assembly.
Records of proceedings.
234th meeting.
235th meeting.
Folder 13.
Plenary meetings of the General Assembly .
Documents.
Resolution adopted by the General
Assembly, 22 October, 1949.
[Note-See Folder II for:
Report of theAd hoc Political Committee Al1023.1
COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE
RECUEIL DES ARRETS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFSET ORDONNANCES
INTERPRÉTATION DES TKAITÉSDE PAIX
CONCLUSAVEC LA BULGARIE,
LA HONGRIEET LA ROUMANIE,
AVIS CONSULTATIDU 30 MARS 1950
INTERNATIONAL COURT OFJUSTICE
REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONSAND ORDERS
INTERPRETATION OF PE,ACETREATIES
WITH BULGARIA, HUNGARY
AND ROMANIA
ADVISORYOPINIONOF MARCH3Oth,1950 Le présent avis doit êtrecité comme suit :
«Interprétationdes traitésde paix,
Avis consult:tC. I. J.Recueil 195p.65.))
This Opinion should be cited as follows :
"Interpretation of Peace Treaties,
Advisory Opini:nI.CJ. Reports1950p.65."
NO de vente :
1sales numbe36 1 COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE
Le 30 mars ANNÉE 1950
R61e g6n6ral
no 8 30 mars 1950
INTERPRÉTATION DES TRAITESDE PAIX
CONCLUSAVEC LA BULGARIE,
LA HONGRIEET LA ROUMANIE
Fonction consultativeCompétence de la Cour : objsction déduite
d'une prétendue incompétence de l'Assemblée générale,fondle sur
caractère de la Cour comrne organe des NatiUnies ; frticl2,
paragraphe 7, de la Charte.Pouvoir de la Cour de répondre à une
demande d'avis nonobstant l'opposide certains Étatsobligation
de répondre; limitede cette obligat;oarticl65 du Statut.-
Questions limitées aux conditions d'applicabilité d'une procédure de
règlement de digérends instituée par traArticle68du Statut :
pouvoir d'appréciation recon9zu à la- Existence de différends ;
applicabilité de la procédure de règlement prévue par un traité aux
différends relatifs à l'interprétation ou à l'exécution de ce traité. -
Interprétation d'une question poséeà l- CRèglement obligatoire
de digérends par commissions instituées pun traité; obligation
pour les parties aux digérends de coopérer a la condes com-n
missioizs par la dksignation de leurs représentants.
ATTISCONSULTATIF
Présents: RI. BASDEVANT P,résident M. GGERRERO V,ice-Prési-
dent; MM. ALVAREZ H,ACKWORTW HI,NIARSKZ I,ORICIC,
DE VISSCHERS ,ir ARNOLD MCNAIR,M. KLAESTAD,
BADAWI P-~CHA M,M. KRYLOVR , EAD,HSU 110, AZE-
VEDO, juges; M. HABIRRO, Gre@er. INTERNATIONALCOURT OF JUSTICE
'95"
YEAR 1950 March 30th
General List
March 3oth, 1950 No. 8
INTERPRETATION OF PEACETREATIES
WITH BULGARIA, HUNGARY
AND ROMANIA
Advisory function.-Competence of the Court : objection on the
ground of alleged lack of competence ofGeneral Assembly,based
on the character of the Court as angan of the United Nations;
Article2, paragraph7, of the Charter.-Powerof the Court to reply
to a Rquest for Opinionin spite of the opposition of certain States;
duty to ansmer ; limitof this dut; Article65 of the Statute.-
Qztestions relating solely to the iof application of a procedure,
provided jor by treaty, for the settlement of dispute68-of thee
Statzrte discretioallowed to the Court.-Existenceof disputes;
applicabilitof the procedure provided for by tvzat.y for the settlement
of disputes to disputes concerning the inbr~or execution of the
treaty.-Definitionof a question put to the Court.-Compulsory
settlementof disputes by Treaty Commissions; obligation for the
parties to the disputé tooperate in the constitutof the Com-
missions byappointingtheir repvesentatives.
ADVISORY OPINION
Present: President BASDEVAN ;T Vice-President GUERRER O
J~dges ALVAREZ,HACKWORTH W , INIARSKIZ, ORICIC,
DE VISSCHER S,ir ARNOLD MCNAIRK , I-AESTAD B,ADAWI
PASHA,KRYLOVR , EAD,HSU MO,AZEVEDO; Registrar
HAMBRO.
466 AVIS DU 30 11150 (INTERPRÉTATIO?; DES TRAITÉS DE PAIX)
ainsi composée,
donne l'avis coiisultatifsuivant :
A la date du 22 octobre 1949 'Assemblée générale des Nations
Unies a adopté la résolution ci-aprk :
«Considérant qu'en vertu de l'articl55 de la Charte, les Nations
Unies sont tenues de favoriser le respect universel et effectif des
droits de l'homme et des libertés fonda~nentales pour tous, sans
distinction de race, de sexe, de langue ou de religion,
Considérant que l'Assemblée générale,lors de la seconde partie
de sa Troisième Session ordinaire, a examiné la question du respect
des droits de l'homme et des libertés fondamentales en Bulgarie et
en Hongrie,
Considérant que l'Assemblée généralea adopté à ce sujet, le
30 avril 1949, la résolution272 (III),où elle a exprimé le profond
souci que lui inspiraient les graves accusations portées contre le
Gouvernement de la Bulgarie et celui de la Hongrie touchant la
suppression des droits de l'homme et des libertés fondamentales
dans ces pays ; qu'elle a noté avec satisfaction que des mesures
avaient été prises par plusieurs Etats signataires des traités de
paix avec la Bulgarie et la Hongrie en ce qui concerne ces accusa-
tions ; qu'elle a exprimé l'espoir que des mesures seront diligem-
ment appliquées, selon les traités, en vue d'assurer le respect des
droits de l'homme et des libertés fondamentales ; et qu'elle a attiré
de façon urgente l'attention du Gouvernement de la Bulgarie et
de celui de la Hongrie sur les obligations qui leur incombent en
vertu des traités de paix et notamment sur celle de coopérer au
règlement de cette question,
Considérant que l'Assemblée générale a décidé d'examiner
également au cours de sa Quatrième Session ordinaire la question
du respect des droits de l'homme et des libertés fondamentales en
Roumanie,
Considérant que certaines des Puissances alliées et associées,
signataires des traités de paix avec la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la
Roumanie, ont accuséles Gouvernements de ces pays d'avoir violé
les traités de paix et les ont invités à prendre des mesures pour
remédierà cette situation,
Considérant que les Gouvernements de la Bulgarie, de la Hongrie
et de la Roumanie ont repoussé l'accusation d'avoir violé lestraités,
Considérant que les Gouvernements des Puissances alliées et
associéesintéresséesont essayésans succès de renvoyer la question
de la violation des traités aux chefs de missionà Sofia, Budapest
et Bucarest, conformément à certaines clîuses des traités de paix,
C0nsidéran. tue les Gouvernements de ces. Puissances alliées et.
associéesont invitéles Gouvernements de la Bulgarie, de la Hongrie
5 composed as above,
gives the following Advisory Opinion :
On October zznd, 1949, the General Assembly of the United
Nations adopted the following Resolution :
"Whereas the United Nations, pursuant to Article 55 of the
Charter, shall promote universal respect for, and observance of,
human rights and fundamental freedoms for al1without distinction
as to race, sex, language or religion,
Whereas the General Assembly, at the second part of its Third
Regular Session, considered the question of the observance in
Bulgaria and Hungary of human rights and fundamental free-
doms,
Whereas the General Assembly, on 30 Apnl 1949, adopted
Resolution 272 (III) concerning this question in which it expressed
its deep concern at the grave accusations made against the Govern-
ments of Bulgaria and Hungary regarding the suppression of
human rights and fundamental freedoms in those countries ;,
noted with satisfaction that steps had been taken by several
States signatories to the Treaties of Peace with Bulgaria and
Hungary regarding these accusations ; expressed the hope that
measures would be diligently applied, in accordance with the
Treaties, in order to ensure respect for human rights and funda-
mental freedoms ; and most urgently drew the attention of the
Governments of Bulgaria and Hungary to their obligations under
the Peace Treaties, including the obligation to co-operate in the
settlement of the question,
Whereas the General Assembly has resolved to consider also
at the Fourth Regular Session the question of the observance
in Romania of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whreas certain of'the Allied and Associsted Powers signatones
to the Treaties of Peace with Bulgana, Hungary and Romania
have charged the Governments of those countries with violations
of the Treaties of Peace and have called upon those Governments
to take remedial measures,
Whereas the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
have rejected the charges of Treaty violations,
Wheas the Govemments of the Allied and Associated Powers
concerned have sought unsuccessfully to refer the question of
Treaty violations to the Heads of Mission in Sofia, Budapest and
Bucharest, in pursuance of certain provisions in the Treaties
of Peace,
Wlzereasthe Govemments of these Allied and Associated Powers
have called upon the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and
5 AVIS nu 30 III 50 (INTERPRÉTATION DES TRAITÉS DE PAIX)
67
et de la Roumanie à se joindreà eux pour nommer des commissions
conformément à celles des dispositions des différents traités de
paix qui concernent le règlement de différends relatifs à l'inter-
prétation ou à l'exécution de ces traités,
Considérantque le Gouvernement de la Bulgarie, celui de la
Hongrie et celui de la Roumanie ont refuséde désignerleurs repré-
sentants aux commissions prévues par les traités, alléguant qu'ils
n'étaient pas juridiqueme~t tenus de le faire,
Considérant que les traités de paix autorisent le Secrétaire
général des Nations Unies à désigner, à la requête de l'une ou
l'autre partie à un différend, le tiers membre d'une commission
prévue par les traités, à défaut d'accord eqtre les deux parties
sur la désignation de ce tiers menbre,
Considérantqu'il importe que le Secrétaire général disposed'un
avis autorisé concernant l'étendue des pouvoirs que lui confèrent
les traités de paix,
L'Assembléegénbrale
I. A@rme à nouveau l'intérêtqu'elle porte aux graves accusa-
tions portées contre la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie et le
souci croissant que ces accusations lui inspirent ;
2. Déclare formellementque le refus, de la part des Gouver-
nements de la Rulgarie, de la Hongrie et de la Roumanie, de coopérer
aux efforts que l'Assembléegénérale déploie pour étudier ces graves
accusations relatives au respect des droits de l'homme et des
libertés fondamentales justifie le souci qu'inspire à l'Assemblée
généralela situation qui règne à cet égarden BulgaIie, en Hongrie
et en Roumanie ;
3. Décidede soumettre les questions suivantes à la Cour inter-
nationale de Justice en la priant de donner un avis consultatif :
« 1. Ressort-il de-la correspondance diplomatique échangée
entre la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie, d'une
part, et certaines Puissances alliéeset associéessigna-
taires des traités de paix, d'autre part, touchant
l'application de l'artic2edes traités avec la Bulgarie
et la Hongrie et de l'article 3 du traité avec la Rou-
manie, qu'il existe des différendspour lesquels l'arti-
cle36 du traité de paix avec la Bulgarie, l'article 40 du
traité de paix avec la Hongrie et l'article 38 du traité
de paix avec la Roumanie prévoient une procédure
de règlement ? ))
Si la réponse à la question 1 est affirmative :
((II. Les Gouvernements de la Bulgarie, de la Hongrie et
de la Roumanie sont-ils tenus d'exécuter les clauses
des articles mentionnés à la question 1, notamment
celles qui concernent la désignation de leurs repré-
sentants aux commissions prévues par les traités ? ))
Si la réponse à la question II est aninnative, et si, dans les
trente jours de la date où la Cour aura rendu son avis, les'
6OPIN. OF 30 III 50 (INTERPRETATION OF PEACE TRE- TIE ES) 67
Romania to join in appointing Commissions pursuant to the
provisions of the respective Treaties of Peace for the settlement
of disputes concerning the interpretation or execution of these
Treaties,
Whereas the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
have refused to appoint their representatives to the Treaty Com-
missions, maintaining that they were under no legal obligation
to do so,
Whereas the Secretary-General of the United Nations is author-
ized by the Treaties of Peace, upon request by either party to
a dispute, to appoint the third member of a Treaty Commission
if the parties fail to agree upon the appointment of the third
member,
Whereas it is important for the Secretary-General to be advised
authoritatively concerning the scope of his authority under the
Treaties of Peace,
Th GelzeralAssembly
r. Exfiresses its continuing interest in and its increased concern
at the grave accusations made against Bulgaria, Hungary and
Romania ;
2. Records its opinion that the refusal of the Governments of Bul-
garia, Hungary and Romania to co-operate inits efforts to examine
the grave charges with regard to the observanse of human rights
and fundamental freedoms justifies this concern of the General
Assembly about the state of affairs prevailing in Bulgaria,
Hungary and Romania in this respect ;
3. Decides to submit the following questions to the International
Court of Justice for an advisory opinion :
'1. Do the diplornatic exchanges between Bulgar'ia, Hungary
and Romania, on the one hand, and certain Aliied and
Associated Powers signatories to the Treaties of Peace,
on the other, concerning the implementation of Article2
of the Treaties with Bulgaria and Hungary and Article 3
of the Treaty with Romania, disclose disputes subject
to the provisions for the settlement of disputes con-
tained in Articl36 of the Treaty of Peace with Bulgaria,
Article 40 of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary, and
Article38 of the Treaty of Peace with Romania ?'
In the event of an affirmative reply to question 1 :
'II. Are the Governments of Rulgaria, Hungary and Romania
obligated to carry out the provisions of the articles
referred to in question 1, including the provisions for
the appointment of their representatives to the Treaty
Commissions ?'
In the event of an affirmative reply to question II and if within
t.hirty days from the date when the Court delivers its opinion,
668 AVIS DU 30 11150 (INTERPRÉTATION DES TRAITÉÇ DE PAIX)
Gouvernements intéressésn'ont pas fait connaître au Secré-
taire général qu'ils ont désignéleurs représentants aux
commissions prévuespar les traités, et si le Secrétaire général
en a informé la Cour internationale de Justice :
((III. Le Secrétaire général des Nations Unies est-il autorisé,
si l'une des parties ne désignepas de représentant à
une commission prévue par les traités de paix avec
la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie, alors qu'elle
est tenue d'en désignerun, à désignerle tiers membre
de la commission sur la demande de l'autre partie
au différend, conformément aux dispositions des
traités en cause? ))
Si la réponse à la question III est affirmativ:
« IV. Une commission prévuepar les traités qui serait compo-
sée d'un représentant de l'une des parties et d'un
tiers membre désignépar le Secrétaire général des
Nations Unies serait-elle considérée comme com-
mission au sens des articles pertinents des traités
et qualifiéepour prendre des décisionsdéfinitives et
obligatoires dans le règlement d'un différend? ))
4. Charge le Secrétaire général demettre à la disposition de la
Cour internationale de Justice la correspondance diplomatique
pertinente dont il a eu communication pour la porter à la connais-
sance des Membres des Nations Unies, ainsi que le compte rendu
des débats que l'Assembléegénéralea consacrés A cette question ;
5. Décid ee garder inscriteà l'ordre du jour de la Cinquième
Session ordinaire de l'Assembléegénéralela question du respect
des droits de l'homme et des libertés fondamentales en Bulgarie,
en Hongrie et en Roumanie en vue d'examiner les accusations qui
ont étéformuléeset de leur donner la suite qui convient. ))
Par une lettre du 31 octobre 1949, enregistrée au Greffe le
3 novembre, le Secrétaire général des Nations Unies a transmis à
la Cour la copie certifiée conforme de la résolution de 1'Assemblée
générale.
Le 7 novembre 1949, le Greffier, coriformément à l'article 66,
paragraphe premier, du Statut de la Cour, notifia la requête à
tous les États admis à ester en justice devant la Cour. A la même
date, par une communication directe et spéciale se référant au
paragraphe 2 dudit article, le Greffier fit connaîtrà tous les États
admis à ester en justice devant la Cour et parties à un ou plusieurs
des traités de paix précités (Australie, Canada, États-unis d'Amé-
rique, Grèce, Inde, Nouvelle-Zélande, Pakistan, Royaume-Uni
de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord, République socialiste
soviétique de Biélorussie, Républiquesoviétique socialiste d'Ukraine,
Tchécoslovaquie, Union des Républiques socialistes soviétiques,
Union sud-africaine, Yougoslavie) que la Cour était disposée à
recevoir d'eux des exposés écrits sur les questions à elle soumises
7 the Governments concerned have not notified the Secretary-
General that they have appointed their representatives to the
Treaty Commissions,and the Secretary-General has so advised
the International Court of Justice :
'III. If one party fails to appointa representative to a Treaty
Hungary and Romania where that party is obligated to
appoint a representative to the Treaty Commission,is
the Secretary-General of the United Nations authonzed
to appoint the third member of the Commissionupon
the request of the other party to a dispute according
to the provisions of the respective Treaties ?'
In the event of an affirmative reply to question III :
'IV. Would a Treaty Commissioncomposedof a representative
of one party and a third member appointed by the
Secretary-General of the United Nations constitute a
Commission,within the nieaning of the relevant Treaty
articles, competent to make a definitive and binding
decision in settlement of a dispute ?'
4. Requests the Secretary-General to make available to the
International Court of Justice the relevant exchanges of diplomatic
correspondence communicated to the Secretary-General for cir-
culation to the Members of the United Nations and the records
of the General Assembly proceedings on this question ;
5. Decidesto retain on the agenda of the Fifth Regular Session
of the General Assembly the question of the observance of human
nghts and fundamental freedoms in Bulgaria, Hungary and
Romania, with a viewto ensuring that the charges are appropnately
examined and dealt with."
By a letter of October 31st, 1949, filed in the Registry on
November 3rd, the Secretary-General of the United Nations
transmitted to the Court a certified tnie copy of the General Assem-
bly's Resolution.
On November 7th, 1949, in accordance with paragraph I of
Article 66 of the Court's Statute, the Registrar gave notice of the
Request to al1 States entitled to.appear before the Court. On the
same date, the Registrar, by means of a special and direct communi-
cation as provided in paragraph 2 of the above-mentioned article,
informed allStates entitled to appear before the Court and parties
to one or more of the above-mentioned Peace Treaties (Australia,
Canada, United States of America, Greece, India, New Zealand,
Pakistan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist
Republic, Czechoslovakia, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
Union of South Africa, Yugoslavia) that the Court was prepared
to receive from them written statements on the questions submittedpour avis et àentendre des exposésoraux à une date qu'elle fixerait
en temps voulu.
La même communication fut adressée, également à la date du
7 novembre, en application de l'article 63, paragraphe premier,
du Statut, aux autres Etats parties à l'un des traités précités, soit
à la Bulgarie, à la Hongrie et à la Roumanie.
A ces communications était jointe la copie d'une ordonnance,
rendue le même jour,aux termes de laquelle le Président en exercice
de la Cour avait fixéau 16 janvier 1950 la date à laquelle expirait
le délai prévu pour la présentation des exposés écrits et avait
réservéla suite de la procédure.
Dans le délai prescrit, des exposés écrits et communications
furent reçus de la part des Etats suivants: États-unis d'Amérique,
Royaume-Uni, Bulgarie, République soviétique socialisted'Ukraine,
Union des Républiques socialistessoviétiques, République socialiste
soviétique de Biélorussie, Roumanie, Tchécoslovaquie, Australie
et Hongrie.
En application de l'article 65 du Statut, le Secrétaire général
des Nations Unies transmit au Greffier une sériede documents, qui
parvinrent au Greffele 26 novembre 1949. De nouveaux documents,
qui avaient étédéposésplus tard au Secrétariat, furent transmis
au Greffe, où ils amvèrent le 24 février 1950. Tous ces documents
sont énumérés al1bordereau joint en annexe au présent avis.
Par lettre du 23 janvier 1950, le Secrétaire généraladjoint
chargé du Département juridique du Secrétariat des Nations
Unies fit connaître qu'il avait l'intention de prendre part à la
procédure orale et de présenter un exposé au nom du Secrétaire
général.
Le Gouvernement du Rovaume-Uni et le Gouvernement des
États-unis d'Amérique firent savoir, par lettres datées respective-
ment du 6 janvier et du IO février 1930, qu'ils avaient l'intention
de présenter des exposés oraux.
Lors des audiences publiques, tenues les 28 février,~er et2 mars
1950, la Cour entendit des exposésoraux présentés :
au nom du Secrétaire général des Nations Unies,par M. Ivan
Kerno, Secrétaire généraladjoint chargé du Département juridi-
que ;
au nom du Gouvernement des États-unis d'Amérique, par
l'honorable Benjamin V. Cohen ;
au nom du Gouvernement du Royaume-Uni, par M. G. G.
Fitzmaurice, C. M. G., deuxième conseiller juridique au Foreign
Office.to it for an advisory opinion and to hear oral statements at a date
whicli would be fixed in due course.
An identical communication was sent, also on November 7th,
in pursuance of paragraph I of Article 63 of the Statute, to the
other States parties to one of theove-mentioned Treaties, namely,
Bulgaria, Hungary and Romanid.
These communications were accompanied by copies of an Order,
made on the same date, by which the Acting President of the Court
appointed January 16th, 1950, as the date of expiry of the time-
limit for the submission of written statements and reserved the
rest of the procedure for further decision.
Written statements and con~munications were received within
the prescribed time-limit from the following States :United States
of America, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist
Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Byelorussian Soviet
Socialist Republic, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Australia and Hun-
gary.
In accordance with Article 65 of the Statute, the Secretary-
General of the United Nations transmitted to the Registrar a set
of documents which reached the Registry on November 26th, 1949.
Some additional documents, which had subsequently been filed
with the Secretariat, were fonvarded to the Registry, where they
arrived on Febmary zlth, 1950. Al1 these documents are enumer-
ated in the list attached to the present Opinion.
In a letter dated January 23rd, 1950, the Assistant Secretary-
General in charge of the Legal Department of the Secretariat of
the United Nations announced that he intended to take part in
the oral proceedings and to submit a statement on behalf of the
Secretary-General.
The Government of the United Kingdom and the Government
of the United States of America stated, in letters dated respectively
January 6th and February ~oth, 1950,that they intended to submit
oral statements.
At public sittings held on February 28th and on March 1st and
znd, 1950, the Court heard oral statements submitted :
on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations by
Mr. Ivan Kerno, Assistant Secretary-General in charge of the
Legal Department ;
on behalf of the Govemment of the United States of America
by the Honorable Benjamin V. Cohen ;
on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom by
Mr. G. G. Fitzmaurice, C.M.G., Second Legal Adviser of the
Foreign Office. Ainsi qu'il ressort de la résolution de l'Assemblée générale
du 22octobre 1949 la Cour n'est appelée,pour le moment, à donner
un avis que sur les questions 1 et II qui y sont énoncées.
Le pouvoir de la Cour d'exercer en la présente affaire sa fonc-
tion consultative a étécontesté par les Gouvernements de la
Bulgarie, de la Hongrie et de la Roumanie, airisi que par plusieurs
autres Gouvernements, dans les communications qu'ils ont adres-
sées à la Cour.
Cette contestation s'appuie principalement sur deux arguments.
Il est alléguéque la demande d'avis constitue de la part de
l'Assembléegénéraleun excès de pouvoir, du fait que l'Assemblée
générale,en s'occupant de la question du respect deç droits de
l'homme et des libertés fondamentales dans les trois Etats visés,
se serait «immiscée » ou serait cintervenue 1)dans des affaires
qui relèvent essentiellement de la compétence nationale des États.
L'obstacle à l'exercice de la fonction consultative de la Cour
dériverait ici d'une incompétence de l'Assemblée généraleelle-
même, incompétence déduite de l'article 2, paragraphe 7, de
la Charte.
Les termes de la résolutionde l'Assembléegénéraledu 22 octobre
1949, envisagéedans son ensemble et dans chacune de ses parties,
démontrent que cet argument repose sur un malentendu. Lors
du vote de cette résolution, l'Assemblée générale a eu devant elle
une situation néedes accusations portées par certaines Puissances
alliées et associées contre les Gouvernements de 'la Bulgarie, de
la Hongrie et de la Roumanie d'avoir violé les clauses des traités
de paix relatives au respect des droits de l'homme et des libertés
fondamentales. Aux fins du présent avis, il suffit de constater que
l'Assemblée générala e justifiél'adoption de sa résolution enconsi-
dérant qu'en vertu de l'article 55 de la Charte, les Nations Unies
sont tenues de favoriser le respect iiniversel et effectif des droits
de l'homme et deslibertés fondamentales pour tous, sansdistinction
de race, de sexe, de langue ou de religion ».
Ida Cour n'est pas appelée à connaître des accusations qui ont
étéportées devant l'Assemblée générale, lesquestions posées ne
portant ni sur les manquements alléguésaux prescriptions des
traités relatives au respect des droits de l'homme et des libertés
fondamentales ni sur l'interprétation des articles des traités relatifs
à ces droits et libertés. La demande d'avis a un objet beaucoup
plus limité. Elle tend exclusivement à obtenir de la Cour certaines
précisions juridiques concernant I'applicabilité de la procédure
de règlement des différendspar commissions, telle que l'ont prévue
les dispositions expresses de l'article6 du traité avec la Bulgarie,
de l'article 40 du traité avec la Hongrie, de l'article 38 du traité
avec la Roumanie. Interpréter à cette fin les clauses d'un traité
ne saurait êtreenvisagé comme une question relevant essentielle-
ment de la compétence nationale d'un État. C'est une question
O In conformity with the Resolution of the General Assembly
of October zznd, 1949, the Court is at present called upon to
give an Opinion orily on Questions 1 and II set forth in that
Resolution.
The power of the Court to exercise its advisory function in
the present case has been contested by the Governments of Bul-
garia, Hungary and Romania, and also by several other Govern-
ments, in the communications which they have addressed to
the Court.
This objection is founded mainly on two arguments.
It is contended that the Request for an Opinion was an action
ultra vires on the part of the General Assembly because, in dealing
with the question of the observance of human rights and fund-
amental freedoms in the three States mentioned above, it was
"interfering" or "intervening" in matters essentially within the
domestic jurisdiction of States. This contention against the
exercise by the Court of its advisory function seems thus to be
based on the alleged incompetence of the General Assembly
itself, an incompetence deduced from Article 2, paragraph 7,
of the Charter.
The terrilof the General Assembly's Resolution of October zznd,
1949, considered as a whole and in its separate parts, show that
this argument is based on a misunderstanding. When the vote
was taken on this Resolution, the General Assembly was faced
with a situation arising out of the charges made by certain Allied
and Associated Powers, against the Governments of Bulgaria,
Hungary and Romania of having violated the provisions of the
Peace Treaties concerning the observance of human rights and
fundamental freedoms. For the purposes of the present Opinion,
it suffices to note that the General Assembly justified the adoption
of its Resolution by stating that "the United Nations, pursuant
to Article 55 of the Charter, shall promote universal respect for
and observance of human rights and fundamental freedonis for
al1 without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion".
The Court is not called upon to deal with the charges brought
before the General Assembly since the Questions put to the Court
relate neither to the alleged violations of the provisions of the
Treaties concerning human rights and fundaniental freedoms nor
to the interpretation of the articles relating to these matters.
The object of the Request is much more limited. It is directed
solely to obtaining from the Court certain clarificationsvf a legal
nature regarding the applicability of the procedure for the settle-
ment of disputes by the Commissions provided for in the express
terms of Article 36 of the Treaty with Bulgaria, Article 40 of
the Treaty with Hungary and Article 38 of the Treaty with
Romania. The interpretation of the terms of a treaty for this
purpose could not be considered as a question essentially within
the domestic jurisdiction of a State. It is a question of inter-
9de droit international quipar sa nature rentre dans les attributions
de la Cour.
Ces considérations suffisent aussià écarter l'objection, également
déduite de la compétence nationale, mais formulée cette fois
directement contre la compétence de la Cour, suivant laquelle la
Cour, en tant qu'organe des Nations Unies, est tenue au respect
des prescriptions de la Charte, notamment de l'article 2, para-
graphe 7.
Enfin, on y trouve encore la réponse à l'objection selon laquelle
la procédure d'avis devant la Cour se substituerait à la procédure
que les traités de paix ont prévue pour le règlement des différends.
Loin de faire obstacle à celle-ci, la demande d'avis tend à en favo-
riser l'application en cherchant à informer l'Assemblée générale
sur la possibilité de la mettre effectivement en mouvement dans
les circonstances de l'es~èce.
Il apparait ainsi que ces objections faites à la compétence de
la Cour pour émettre l'avis consultatif qui lui est demandé ne
sont pas-fondées et ne peuvent êtreretenues.
Un autre argument invoqué pour contester le pouvoir de la
Cour de répondre, en l'espèce, aux questions qui lui sont posées,
est tiré de l'opposition des Gouvernements de la Bulgarie, de la
Hongrie et de la Roumanie à la procédure consultative. La Cour,
est-il dit, ne saurait émettre l'avis demandé sans enfreindre le
principe bien établi de droit international selon lequel toute pro-
cédure,judiciaire ayant trait à une questiap juridique pendante
entre Etats exige le consentement de ceux-ci.
Cette objection procède d'une confusion entre les principes qui
gouvernent la procédure contentieuse et ceux qui s'appliquent
aux avis consultatifs.
Le consentement des États parties à un différend est le fon-
dement de la juridiction de la Cour en matière contentieuse. Il
en est autrement en matière d'avis, alors même que la demande
d'avis ,a trait à une question juridique actuellement pendante
entre Etats. La réponsede la Cour n'a qu'un caractère consultatif :
comme tell$, elle ne saurait avoir d'effet obligatoire. Il en résulte
qu'aucun Etat, Membre ou non membre des Nations Unies, n'a
qualité pour empêcherque soit donnésuite à une demande d'avis
dont les Nations Unies, pour s'éclairer dans leur action propre,
auraient reconnu l'opportunité. L'avis est donné par la Cour non
aux États, mais à l'organe habilitépour le lui demander ;la réponse
constitve une participation de la Cour, elle-même corgane des
Nations Unies », à l'action de l'organisation et, en principe, elle
ne devrait pas êtrerefusée.
L'obligation de la Cour de répondre à une demande d'avis
comporte toutefois certaines limites. La Cour n'est pas seulement
((organe des Nations Unies », elle est aussi essentiellement leur
(organe judiciaire principal » (art. 92 de la Charte et art. I du
Statut). C'est en s'attachant à ce caractère qu'on a contesté lenational law which, by its very nature, lies within the competence
of the Court.
These considerations also suffice to dispose of the objection
based on the principle of domestic jurisdiction and directed
specifically against the competence of the Court, namely, that
the Court, as an organ of the United Nations, is bound to observe
the provisions of the Charter, including Article 2, paragraph 7.
The same considerations furnish an answer to the objection
that the advisory procedure before the Court would take the
place of the procedure instituted by the Peace Treaties for the
settlement of disputes. So far from placing an obstacle in the
way of the latter procedure, the object of this Request is to
facilitate it by seeking information for the General Assembly
as to its applicability to the circumstances of the present case.
It thus appears that these objections to the Court's competence
to give the Advisory Opinion which has been requested are ill-
founded and cannot be upheld.
Another argument that has been invoked against the power
of the Court to answer the Questions put to it in this case is
based on the opposition of the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary
and Romania to the advisory procedure. The Court cannot, it
is said, give the Advisory Opinion requested without violating
the well-established principle of international law according to
which no judicial proceedings relating to a legal question pending
between States can take place without their consent.
This objection reveals a confusion between the principles
goveming contentious procedure and those which are applicable
to Advisory Opinions.
The consent of States, parties to a dispute, is the basis of the
Court's jurisdiction in contentious cases. The situation is different
in regard to advisory proceedings even where the Request for
an Opinion relates to a legal question actually pending between
States. The Court's reply is only of an advisory character: as
such, it has no binding force. It follows that no State, whether a
Member of the United Nations or not, can prevent the giving of
an Advisory Opinion which the United Nations considers to be
desirable in order to obtain enlightenment as to the course of
action it should take. The Court's Opinion is given not to the
States, but to the organ which is entitled to request it ;the reply
of the Court, itself an "organ of the United Nations", represents
its participation in the activities of the Organization, and, in
principle, should not be refused.
There are certain limits, however, to the Court's dutv to reply
to a Request for an Opinion. It is not merely an "organ of the
United Nations", it is essentially the "principal judicial organ"
of the Organization (Art. 92 of the Charter and Art. I of the
Statute). It is on account of this character of the Court that itspouvoir de la Cour de répondre à la présente demande d'avis.
L'article65 du Statut est permissif. Il donneà la Cour le pouvoir
d'apprécier si les circonstances de l'espèce sont telles qu'elles
doivent la déterminer à ne pas répondre à une demande d'avis.
Dans l'opinion de la Cour, les circonstances de la présente espèce
sont profondément différentes de celles devant lesquelles la Cour
permanente de Justice internationale s'est trouvée dans l'affaire
du statut de la Carélie orientale (Avis no 5), affaire où la Cour
permanente de Justice internationale a déclaré qu'il lui était
inlpossible d'exprimer un avis, estimant que la question qui lui
avait étéposée,d'une part, concernait directenient le point essentiel
d'un différend actuellement né entre deux États de sorte au'v
répondre équivaudrait en substance à trancher un différend entre
les parties, et, d'autre part, soulevait des points de fait qui ne
pouvaient être éclaircis que contradictoirement.
Ainsi qu'il a étédit, la présente demande d'avis concerne unique-
ment l'applicabilité à certains différends de la procédure de règle-
nient instituée par les traités de paix, et il est permis d'en conclure
qu'elle ne touche assurément pas le fond mêrnede ces différends.
Pour le surplus, le règlement de ces différends étant entièrement
réservéaux commissions prévues par les traités de paix, c'est
à ces commissions qu'il appartiendra de statuer sur toutes contesta-
tions qui, pour chacun de ces différends,seraient élevéescontreleur
propre compétence, contestations dont le présent avis ne préjuge
aucunement la solution. Il en résulte que la position juridique des
parties à ces différends ne saurait à aucun degré êtrecon~promise
par les réponses que la Cour pourrait faire aux questions qui lui
sont posées.
Il est vrai que l'article 68 du Statut prévoit que la Cour, dans
l'exercice de ses attributions consultatives, s'inspirera en outre des
dispositions du Statut qui s'appliquent en matière contentieuse.
Mais, aux termes du mêmearticle, l'application de ces dispositions
ne devrait avoir lieu que « dans la mesure où elle [la Cour] les
reconnaîtra applicables ».Il en résulte clairement que cette applica-
tion dépend des circonstances particulières à chaque espèce et que
la Cour possède à cet égard un large pouvoir d'appréciation. Dans
le cas actuel, la Cour se trouve en présence d'une demande d'avis
qui ne tend pas à autre chose qu'à éclairerl'Assembléegénéralesur
les ressources que peut offrir la procédure prévue par les traités de
paix pour mettre un terme à une situation qui a étédénoncée à
l'Assemblée générale. Tel étant l'objet de la demande d'avis, la
Cour estime que l'opposition manifestée par la Bulgarie, la Hongrie
et la Roumanie ne doit pas la déterminer à s'abstenir de répondre à
la demande d'avis.
Pour les raisons énoncées ci-dessus, Ia Cour estime qu'elle a
le pouvoir de répondre aux questions 1 et II,et qu'elle a le devoir
de le faire. OPIK. OF 30 III50 (IS'TERPRETATION OF PEACE TRE- TIE ES)72
power to answer the present Request for an Opinion has been
challenged.
Article 65 of the Statute is permissive. It gives the Court the
power to examine whether the circumstances of the case are
of such a character as should lead it to decline to answer the
Request. In the opinion of the Court, the circumstances of the
present case are profoundly different from those which were
before the Permanent Court of International Justice in the
Eastern Carelia case (Advisory Opinion Ko. 5),when that Court
declined to give an Opinion because it found that the question
put to it was directly related to the main point of a dispute
actually pending between two States, so that answering the
question would be substantially equivalent to deciding the dispute
between the parties, and that at the same time it raised a question
of fact which could not be elucidated without liearing both parties.
As has been observed, the present Request for an Opinion is
solely concerned with the applicability to certain disputes of
the procedure for settlement instituted by the Peace Treaties,
and it is justifiable to conclude that it in no way touches the
merits of those disputes. Furthermore, the settlement of these
disputes is entrusted solely to the Commissions provided for by
the Peace Treaties. Consequently, it is for these Commissions to
decide upon any objections which may be raised to their jurisdiction
in respect of any of these disputes, and the present Opinion in
no way prejudges the decisions that may be taken on those
objections. It follows that the legal position of the parties to
these disputes cannot be in any way compromised by the answers
that the Court may give to the Questions put to it.
It is true that Article68 of the Statute provides that the Court in
the exercise of its advisory functionsshall further be guided by the
provisions of the Statute which apply in contentious cases. But
according to the same article these provisions would be applicable
only "to the extent to which it [the Court] recognizes them to be
applicable". It is therefore clear that their application depends on
the particular circumstances of each case and that the Court pos-
sesses a large amount of discretion in the matter. In the present
case the Court is dealing with a Request for an Opinion, the sole
object of which is to enlighten the General Assembly as to the
opportunities which the procedure contained in the Peace Treaties
may afford for putting an end to a situation which has been pre-
sented to it. That being the object of the Request, the Court finds
in the opposition to it made by Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania no
reason why it should abstain from replying to the Request.
For the reasons stated above, the Court considers that it has
the power to answer Questions 1 and II and that it is under a
duty to do so.
II I,a question 1 est conçue dans les termes suivants
«Ressort-il de la correspondance diplomatique échangéeentre
la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie, d'une part, et certaines
Puissances alliéeset associéessignataires des traités de paix, d'au-
tre part, touchant l'application de l'article 2 des traités avec la
Bulgarie et la Hongrie et de l'article 3 du traité avec la Roumanie,
qu'il existe des différends pour lesquels l'article 36 du traité de
paix avec la Bulgarie, l'article 40 du traité de paix avec la
Hongrie et l'article 38 du traité de paix avec la Roumanie, pré-
voient une procédure de règlement ? »
Le texte desarticlesmentionnés dansla question 1 est le suivant :
Article 2 du traité avec la Bulgarie (auquel correspondent,
mutatis mutandis, l'article2,paragraphe 1, du traité avec la Hongrie
et l'article 3, paragraphe 1, du traité avec la Roumanie) :
La Bulgarie prendra toutes les mesures nécessairespour assurer
à toutes les personnes relevant de sa juridiction, sans distinction
de race, de sexe, de langue ou de religion, la jouissance des droits
de l'homme et des libertés fondamentales, y compris la liberté
d'expression de la pensée,la liberté de presse et de publication, la
liberté du culte, la libertéd'opinion et de réunion))
Article 36 du traité avec la Bulgarie (auquel correspondent,
mutatis mutandis, l'article 40 du traité avec la Hongrie et l'article38
du traité avec la Roumanie) :
((I. Exception faite des cas pour lesquels une autre procédure
est expressément prévue par un article du présent traité, tout
différend relatif à l'interprétation ou à l'exécution de ce traité,
quin'a pas étéréglépar voie de négociationsdiplomatiques directes,
sera soumis aux trois chefs de mission, agissant comme il est prévu
à l'article 35, mais, en pareil cas, ces chefs de mission ne seront
pas tenus par les délaisfixésdans ledit article. Tout différendde
cette nature qu'ils n'auraient pas encore réglédans un délai de
deux mois sera, sauf si les parties au différendconviennent l'une
et l'autre d'un autre mode de règlement, soumis, à la requêtede
l'une ou l'autre des parties, à une commission composée d'un
représentant de chaque partie et d'un tiers membre choisi d'un
commun accord entre les deux parties parmi les ressortissants d'un
pays tiers. A défautd'accord dans un délai d'un mois entre les deux
parties au sujet de la désignation de ce tiers membre, l'une ou
l'autre partie pourra demander au Secrétaire généraldes Nations
Unies de procéder à cette désignation.
2. La décisionprise par la majorité des membres de la commis-
sion sera considéréecomme décision dela commission et acceptée
par les parties comme définitive et obligatoire. »
Le texte de l'article 35, visé à l'article 36 du traité avec la Bul-
garie (et auquel correspondent, mutatis mutandis, les articles 39
du traité avec la Hongrie et 37 du traité avec la Roumanie),
est le suivant : OPIN. OF 30 III50 (INTERPRETATION OF PEACE TREATIES) 73
* * *
Question 1 is framed in the following terms :
"Do the diplomatic exchanges between Bulgaria, Hungary and
Romania on the one hand and certain Allied and Associated Powers
signatones to the Treaties of Peace on the other, concerning the
implementation of Article 2 of the Treaties with Bulgaria and
Hungary and Article 3 of the Treaty with Romania, disclose dis-
putes subject to the provisions for the settIement of disputes
contained in Article 36 of the Treaty of Peace with Bulgaria,
Article 40 of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary and Article 38 of
the Treaty of Peace with Romania ?"
The text of the articles mentioned in Question 1 is as follows :
Article 2 of the Treaty with Bulgaria (to which correspond
mutatis mutandis Article 2, papagraph 1, of the Treaty with
Hungary and Article 3, paragraph 1,of the Treaty with Romania) :
"Bulgaria shall take al1 measures necessary to secure to al1
persons under Bulgarian jurisdiction, without distinction as to race,
sex, language or religion, the enjoyment of human rights and of
the fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, of
press and publication, of religious worship, of political opinion and
of public meeting."
Article 36 of the Treaty with Bulgaria (to which correspond
mutatis mutandis Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary and
Article 38 of the Treaty with Romania) :
"1. Except where another procedure is specifically provided
under any article of the present Treaty, any dispute conceming
the interpretation or execution of the Treaty, which is not settled
by direct diplomatic negotiations, shall be referred to the Three
Heads of Mission acting under Article 35,except that in this case
the Heads ofMissionwillnot be restncted by the time-limit provided
in that Article. Any such dispute not resolved by them within a
period of two months shall, unless the parties to the dispute mutu-
ally agree upon an~ther means, of settlement, be referred at the
request of either party to the dispute to a Commission composed
of one representative of each party and a third member selected
by mutual agreement of the two parties from nationals of a third
country. Should the two parties fail to agree within a period of
one month upon the appointment of the third member, the Secre-
tary-General of the United Nations may be requested by either
party to make the appointment.
2. The decision of the majority of the members of the Commission
shall be the decision of the Commission, and shall be accepted by
the parties as definitive and binding."
The text of Article 35, which is referred to in Article 36 of
the Treaty with Bulgaria (and to which correspond mutatis
mutandis Article 39 of the Treaty with Hungary and Article 37
of the Treaty with Romania), is as follows: «1. Pendant une période qui n'excédera pas dix-huit mois à
partir desl'entréeen vigueur-duprésenttraité,les chefsdes missions
diplomatiques à Sofia des Etats-Unis d'Amérique,du Royaume-
Uni et de l'Union soviétique,agissant de concert, représenteront
les Puissances alliéeset associéespour traiter avecle Gouvernement
bulgare de toutes questions relatives à l'exécution et à l'inter-
prétation du présent traité.
2.Ces trois chefs de mission donneront au Gouvernement bul-
gare les conseils, avis techniques et éclaircissementsqui pourront
êtrenécessairespour assurer l'exécutionrapide et efficacedu pré-
sent traité, aussi bien dans sa lettre que dans son esprit.
3. Le Gouvernement bulgare fournira à cestrois chefs de mission
toutes les informations nécessaireset toute l'aide dont ils pourront
avoir besoin dans l'accomplisçement des tâches qui leur sont
dévoluespar le présent traité. ))
La question 1 comprend deux points principaux. En premier
lieu, ressort-il de la correspondance diplomatique échangéeentre
la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie, d'une part, et certaines
Puissances alliées et associées, signataires des traités de paix,
d'autre part, qu'il existe des différends? En second lieu, si tel est
le cas, ces différends sont-ils de ceux pour lesquels l'article36 du
traité avec la Bulgarie, l'article 40 du traité avec la Hongrie
et l'article38 du traité avec la Roumanie prévoient une procédure
de règlement ?
L'existence d'un différend international demande à êtreétablie
objectivement. Le simple fait que l'existence d'un différend est
contestée ne prouve pas que ce différend n'existe pas. Daris la
correspondance diplomatique qui a été soumise à la Cour, le
Royaume-Uni, agissant de concert avec l'Australie, ie Canada
et la Nouvelle-Zélande, et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique ont accusé
la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie d'avoir enfreint, à divers
égards, les dispositions des articles qui, dans les traités de paix,
ont trait aux droits de l'homme et aux libertés fondamentales ;
ils ont invité les trois Gouvernements à prendre des mesures de
redressement afin d'exécuter les obligations que leur imposent
les traités. Les trois Gouvernements, d'autre part, ont repoussé
ces accusations. Il s'est donc produit une situation dans laquelle
les points de vue des deux parties, quant à l'exécution ou à la
non-exécution de certaines obligations découlant des traités,
sont nettement opposés. En présence d'une'telle situation, la Cour
doit conclure que des différends internationaux se sont produits.
Cette conclusion n'est pas infirmée par les termes de l'article 36
du traité avec la Bulgarie (article 40 du traité avec la Hongrie
et article 38 du traité avec la Roumanie). Cet article, par sa
référenceà cctout différend », s'exprime en termes généraux. Il
n'autorise pas à limiter la potion du «différend » à celle d'un
différend qui opposerait les Etats-Unis d'Amérique, le Royaume-
Uni et l'Union des Républiques soviétiques socialistes, agissant "1. For a period not to exceedeighteen months from the coming
into force of the present Treaty, the Heads of the Diplomatic
Missionsin Sofia of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and
the UAllied and Associated Powers in dealing with the Bulgariannt
Government in all matters concerning the execution and inter-
pretation of the present Treaty.
2.The Three Heads of Missionwill give the Bulgarian Govern-
ment such guidance, technical advice and clarification as may be
necessaryto ensure the rapid and efficientexecution of the present
Treaty both in letter and in spirit.
3.The Biilgarian Government shall afford the said Three Heads
of Missionall necessaryinformation and any assistance which they
may require in the fulfilmentof the tasks devolvingon themunder
the present Treaty."
Question 1 involves two main points. First, do the diplomatic
exchanges between Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania on the one
hand and certain Allied and Associated Powers signatories to
fhe Peace Treaties on the other, disclose any disputes ? Second,
if they do, are such disputes among those which are subject to
the provisions for the settlement of disputes contained in Article36
of the Treaty with Bulgaria, Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary,
and Article 38 of the Treaty with Romania ?
Whether there exists an international dispute is a matter for
objective determination. The mere denial of the existence of a
dispute does not prove its non-existence. In the diplomatic corre-
spondence submitted to the Court, the United Kingdom, acting
in association with Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and the
United States of America charged Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
with having violated, in various ways, the provisions of the articles
dealing with human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Peace
Treaties and called upon the three Governments to take remedial
measures to carry out their obligations under the Treaties. The
three Governments, on the other hand, denied the charges. There
has thus arisen a situation in which the two sides hold clearly
opposite views concerning the question of the performance or
non-performance of certain treaty obligations. Confronted with
such a situation, the Court must conclude that international
disputes have arisen.
This conclusion is not invalidated by the text of Article 36 of
the Treaty with Bulgana (Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary
and Article 38 of the Treaty with Romania). This article, in refemng
to "any dispute", is couched in general terms. It does not justify
limiting the idea of "the dispute" to a dispute between the United
States of America, the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics acting in concert on the one hand, and Bulgaria
13de concert, à la Bulgarie (ou à la Hongrie ou à la Roumanie).
On se- trouve ici en présence d'un différend entre chacun des
trois Etats - la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie -, et
chacune des Puissances alliées et associées qui leur ont adressé
des protestations.
Le point suivant à examiner est celui de savoir si les différends
tombent sous l'application des dispositions des articles qui, dans
les traités de paix, visent le règlement des différends.Les différends
doivent être considérés comme tombant sous l'application de
ces dispositions s'ils ont trait à l'interprétation ou à l'exécution
des traités, et si aucune autre procédure de règlement n'est
expressément prévue ailleurs dans les traités.
Étant donné que les différends sont relatifs à l'exécution ou à
la non-exécution des obligations prévues dans les articles qui
traitent des droits de l'homme et des libertés fondamentales,
ces différends sont nettement de ceux qui portent sur l'inter-
prétation ou sur l'exécution des traités de paix. En particulier,
certaines réponses des Gouvernements auxquels des manquements
aux traités de paix ont étéreprochés entrent dans des considé-
rations qui mettent nettement en jeu l'interprétation de ces
traités.
Aucune procédure de règlement n'étant expressément prévue
dans un autre article des traités, les différends doivent êtreréglés
par les méthodes que prévoient les articles pour le règlement de
tous les différends.
La Cour arrive ainsi à la conclusion qu'elle doit répondre
affirmativement à la question 1.
Dans ces conditions, il devient nécessaire d'examiner la ques-
tion II,qui est ainsi conCue :
((Les Gouvernements de la Bulgarie, de la Hongrie et de la
tionnése àola question 1, notamment ceiles qui concernent lan-
désignation de leurs représentants aux commissionsprévuespar
les traités »
Avant de répondre à cette question, il y a lieu de définirla
portée de l'expression (les clauses des articles mentionnés à la
question 11).La question 1 vise deux séries d'articles : l'une se
compose des articles relatifs aux droits de l'homme, savoirl'article 2
des traitfts conclus avec la Bulgarie et la. Hongrie et l'article 3
du traité coriclu avec la Roumanie ; l'autre comprend les articles
relatifs au règlement des différends, savoir l'article 36 du traité
conclu avec la Bulgarie, l'article 40 du traité conclu avec la Hongrie
et l'article 38 du traité conclu avec la Roumanie. La Cour estime
que l'expression ((lesclausesdes articles mentionnés à la question 1 ))
ne porte que sur les articles qui prévoient le règlement des différends
et non sur ceux qui traitent des droits de l'homme.
14(Hungary or Romania) on the other. In the present case, a
dispute exists between each of the three States-Bulgaria, Hungary
and Romania-and each of the Allied and Associated States which
sent protests to them.
The next point to be dealt with is whether the disputes are
subject to the provisions of the articles for the settlement of
disputes contained in the Peace Treaties. The disputes must be
considered to fa11within those provisions if they relate to the
interpretation or execution of the Treaties, andif no other procedure
of settlement is specifically provided elsewhere in the Treaties.
Inasmuch as the disputes relate to the question ofthe performance
or non-performance of the obligations provided in the articles
dealing with human rights and fundamental freedoms, they are
clearly disputes concerning the interpretation or execution of the
Peace Treaties. In particular, certain answers from the Govern-
ments accused of violations of the Peace Treaties make use of
arguments which clearly involve an interpretation of those Treaties.
Since no other procedure is specifically provided in any other
article of the Treaties, the disputes must be subject to the methods
of settlement contained in the articles providing for the settlement
of all disputes.
The Court thus concludes that Question 1 must be answered
in the affirmative.
In these circumstances, it becomes necessary to take up Ques-
tion II, which is as follows :
"Are the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
obligated to carry out the provisionsof the articles referred to in
Question 1, including the provisions for the appointment of their
representatives to the Treaty Commissions"
Before answering the Question, the Court must determine the
scope of the expression "the provisions of the articles referred to
in Question 1". Question 1 mentions two sets of articles : one set
being those articles concerning human rights, namely, Article 2
of the Treaties with Bulgaria and Hungary, and Article 3 of the
Treaty with Romania ;the other set being those articles concerning
the settlement of disputes, namely, Article 36 of the Treaty with
Bulgaria, Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary and Article 38
of the Treaty with Romania. The Court considers that the expres-
sion "the provisions of the articles referred to in Question 1"
refers only to the articles providing for the settlement of disputes,
and does not refer to the articles dealing with human rights.
14 Cette manière de voir trouve nettement un appui dans les
diverses considérations énoncées à la résolution de l'Assemblée
généraledu 22 octobre 1949. Elle est confirmée par le fait que
les questions posées à la Cour ont pour seul objet de faire
déterminer si les différends, dans le cas où ils existent, sont de
ceux qui relèvent de la procédure prévuepar les traités, afin d'être
régléspar la voie de l'arbitrage. La Cour ne pense pas que 1'Assem-
blée généraleait entendu lui demander si la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et
la Roumanie sont tenues d'appliquer les articles relatifs aux droits
de l'homme. Car, en premier lieu, les trois Gouvernements n'ont pas
soutenu qu'ils ne sont pas obligésd'appliquer ces articles. En second
lieu, les termes qui précèdentla question II : ((si la réponse à la
question 1 est affirmative», excluent l'idée que cette question II se
réfèreaux articles relatifs aux droits de l'homme. Il n'y a pas de
raison de croire que l'Assembléegénéraleait fait dépendre l'examen
d'une question qui aurait trait aux droits del'homme d'une réponse
affirmative à une question qui vise l'existence de, différends. Les
articles relatifs aux droits de l'homme ne sont mentionnés dans la
question 1 que pour caractériser l'objet de la correspondance
échangéeentre les États intéressés.
De l'avis de la Cour, le sens réel de la question II est le suivant.
Étant donné les différends qui se sont élevéset qui n'ont pas été
réglésjusqu'à présent, la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie
sont-elles tenues d'appliquer, respectivement, les dispositions de
l'article 36 du traité conclu avec la Bulgarie, de l'article 40 du
traité conclu avec la Hongrie et de l'article 38 du traité conclu
avec la Roumanie ?
Les articles relatifs au règlement des différends disposent que
tout différend qui ne pourra êtreréglépar des négociations diplo-
matiques directes, sera soumis aux trois chefs de mission. Si les
chefs de mission ne règlent pas le différend dans un délaide deux
mois, celui-ci sera, sauf si les parties au différendconviennent d'un
autre mode de règlement, soumis, à la requête de l'une ou l'autre
des parties,à une commissioncomposéed'un représentant de chaque
partie et d'un tiers membre choisi conformément aux articles
pertinents des traités.
Il ressort des documents diplomatiques présentés à la Cour
que le Royaume-Uni et les États-unis d'Amérique, d'une part,
et la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie, d'autre part, n'ont
pas réussi à régler les différendspar voie de négociations directes.
Il en ressort également que les différends ne furent pas réglés
par les chefs de mission dans le délai prescrit de deux mois. C'est
un fait que les parties au différend ne sont pas convenues d'un
autre mode de règlement. C'est également un fait qu'après l'expi-
ration du délaiprescrit, le Royaume-Uni et les États-unis d'Amé-
rique ont demandé que les différends soient régléspar les com-
missions mentionnées dans les traités. This view is clearlyborne out by the various considerations stated
in the Resolution of the General Assembly of October zznd, 1949.
It is confirmed by the fact that the Questions put to the Court have
for their sole object to determinewhether the disputes, if they exist,
are among those falling under the procedure provided for in the
Treaties with a view to their sextlement by arbitration. The Court
does not think that the General Assembly would have asked it
whether Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania are obligated to carry out
the articles conceming human rights. For, in the first place, the
three Governments have not denied that they are obligated to carry
out these articles. In the second place, the words which precede
Question II, "In the event of an affirmative answer to Question 1",
exclude the idea that Question II refers to the articles relating to
human rights. There is no reason why the General Assembly should
have made the consideration of the question conceming human
rights depend on an affirmative amwer to a question relating to the
existence of disputes. The articles concerning human rights are
mentioned in Question 1 only by way of describing the subject-
matter of the diplomatic exchanges between the States concemed.
-The real meaning of Question II, in the opinion of the Court, is
this :In view of the disputes which have arisen and which have
so far not been settled, are Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
obligated to carry out, respectively, the provisions of Article 36
of the Treaty with Bulgaria, Article 40 of the Treaty with Hungary,
and Article 38 of the Treaty with Romania ?
The articles for the settlement of disputes provide that any
dispute which is not settled by direct diplomatic negotiations shall
be referred to the Three Heads of Mission. If not resolved by them
within a period of two months, the dispute shall, unless the parties
to the dispute agree upon another means of settlement, be referred
at the request of either party to the dispute to a Commission com-
posed of one representative of each party and a third member,
to be selected in accordance with the relevant articles of the
Treaties.
The diplomatic documents presented to the Court show that the
United Kingdom and the United States of America on the one hand,
and Bulgaria, Hungaryand Romania onthe other,have not succeeded
in settling their disputes by direct negotiations. They further show
that these disputes were not resolved by the Heads of Mission
within the prescribed period of two months. It is a fact that the
parties to the disputes have not agreed upon any other means of
settlement. It is also a fact that the United Kingdom and the
United States of Amenca, after the expiry of the prescribedperiod,
requested that the disputes should be settled by the Commissions
mentioned in the Treaties. C'est en face de cette situation, et pour êtreà mêmed'apprécier
ce qui peut être fait à l'avenir, que l'Assembléegénéralea posé
la question II.
La Cour constate que toutes les conditions requises pour que
soit ouverte la phase du règlement des différendspar commissions
sont remplies.
Les traités prévoyant que tout différend sera soumis aux
commissions ((à la requêtede l'une ou l'autre des parties », il en
résulte que chacune d'elles est tenue, à la requête de l'autre,
de coopérer à la constitution de la commission, notamment en
désignant son représentant. S'il en était autrement, la niéthode
de règlement par commissions instituées par les traités man-
querait complètement son but.
La réponse à la question II, interprétée comme il a été dit
ci-dessus, doit donc êtreaffirmative.
Par ces nïotifs,
Sur la questionI :
par onze voix contre trois,
qu'il ressort de la correspondance diplomatique échangéeentre
la Bulgarie, la Hongrie et la Roumanie, d'une part, et certaines
Puissances alliées et associées signataires des traités de paix,
d'autre part, touchant l'application de l'article 2 des traités
avec la Bulgarie et la Hongrie et de l'article 3 du traité avec
la Roumanie, qu'il existe des différends pour lesquels l'article 36
du traité de paix avec la Bulgarie, l'article 40 du traité de paix
avec la Hongrie et l'article 38 du traité de paix avec la Roumanie
prévoient une procédure de règlement ;
Sur la questio+ItI :
par onze voix contre trois,
que les Gouvernements de la Bulgarie, de la Hongrie et de la
Roumanie sont tenus d'exécuter les clauses desarticles mentionnés
à la question 1 qui sont relatifs au règlement des différends,
notamment celles qui les obligent à désignerleurs représentants
aux commissions prévues par les traités.
Fait en français et en anglais, le texte français faisant foi,
au Palais de la Paix, à La Haye, le trente mars mil neuf cent
cinquante, en deux exemplaires, dont l'un restera déposéaux
16 This situation led the General Assembly to put Question II so as
to obtain guidance for its future action.
The Court finds that all the conditionsrequired for the commence-
ment of the stage of the settlement of disputes by the Commis-
sions have been fulfilled.
In view of the fact that the Treaties provide that any dispute
shall be referred to aComnlission "at the request of either party",
it follows that either party is obligated, at the request of the other
party, to CO-operatein constituting the Commission, in particular
by appointing its representative. Othenvise the method of settle-
ment by Commissions provided for in the Treaties would com-
pletely fail in its purpose.
The reply to Question II, as interpreted above, must therefore
be in the affirmative.
For these reasons,
THE COURT IS OF OPINION,
On Question I .
by eleven votes to three,
that the diplomatic exchanges between Bulgaria, Hungary and
Romania on the one hand and certain Allied and Associated
Powers signatories to the Treaties of Peace on the other, concerning
the implementation of Article 2 of the Treaties with Bulgaria
and Hungary and Article 3 of the Treaty with Romania, disclose
disputes subject to the provisions for the settlement of disputes
contained in Article 36 of the Treaty of Peace with Bulgaria,
Article 40 of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary, and Article 38
of the Treaty of Peace with Romania ;
On QuestionII :
by eleven votes to three,
that the Governments of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania are
obligated to carry out the provisions, of those articles referred to
in Question 1, which relate to the settlement of disputes, including
the provisions for the appointment of their representatives to the
Treaty Commissions.
Done in French and English, the French text being authoritative,
at the Peace Palace, The Hague, this thirtieth day of March, one
thousand nine hundred and fifty, in two copies, one of which will
16archives de la Cour et dont l'autre sera transmis au Secrétaire
généraldes Nations Unies.
Ide Président de la Cour,
(SignéB)ASDEVANT.
Le Greffier de la Cour,
(Signé ).HAMBRO.
M. AZEVEDO,juge, tout en souscrivant à l'avis de la Cour,
se prévaut du droit que lui confère l'art57ldu Statut et joint
audit avis l'exposé de son opinion individuelle.
MM. WINIARSKI,ZORIEICet KRYLOV,juges, considérant que
la Cour aurait dû s'abstenir d'émettre un avis en l'espèce et se
prévalant du droit que leur confère l'article7 du Statut,
joignent audit avis les exposés de leur opinion dissidente.
(Paraphé) J. B.
(Paraphé)E. H.be placed in the archives of the Court and the other transmitted
to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
(Signed) BASDEVANT,
President .
(Signed) E. HAMBRO,
Registrar.
Judge AZEVEDO, while concurring in the Opinion of the Court,
has availed himself of the right conferred on him by Article 57
of the Statute and appended to the Opinion a statement of his
separate opinion.
Judges WINIARSKI,ZORIEICand KRYLOVc ,onsidering that the
Court should have declined to give an Opinion in this case, have
availed themselves of the right conferred on them by Article 57
of the Statute and appended to the Opinion statements of their
dissenting opinions.
(Initialled)J. B.
(Initialled)E. H. ANNEXE
DOCCMEXTS TRAXS311S PAR LEISECRÉTAIRE GÉNÉRAL
DES NATIONS UNIES A LA COUR INTERXATIOKALE DE
JUSTICE CONFORMÉMENT -4 LA RÉSOLUTION ADOPTÉE
PAR L'ASSEMBLÉE GÉNÉRALE, LE 22 OCTOBRE 1949
CONTENU DU DOSSIER
Chemise 1.
Inscription de la questioà L'ordredu jour.
Comptes rendus des débats.
Comptes rendus du Bureau, 58me et 5gme séances.
Comptes rendus de l'Assemblée générale,189meet 190n1eséances
plénières.
Chemise2.
Inscription de la questioà L'ordredu jour.
Documents.
Lettre en date du 16 mars 1949 adressée
au Secrétaire généralpar le représen-
tant permanent de la Bolivie et de-
mandant l'inscription d'une nouvelle
question à. l'ordre du jour de la
troisième session ordinaire de l'As-
semblée générale Al820
Lettre en date du 19 mars 1949 adressée
au Secrétaire généralpar la Mission
de l'Australie auprès des Nations
Unies et demandant l'inscription d'une
nouvelle question à l'ordre du jour
de la troisième session ordinaire de
l'Assemblée générale Al821
Ordre du jour de la troisième session
ordinaire de l'Assemblée générale ;
rapport du Bureau de l'Assemblée AIS29
[Voir paragraphes
3 a, 3 b.1
53 ANNEX
DOCUMENTS TRANSMITTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL
COURT OF JUSTICE BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF
THE UNITED NATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
ON 22 OCTOBER, 1949
1. RECORDS OF GENERALASSEMBLY, SECOND PART OF THIRD
SESSION
FolderI.
Inclusion oj item in agenda.
Records oj proceedings.
Records of the General Committee, 58th and 59th meetings.
Records of the General Assembly, 189th and 190th plenary meet-
ings.
Folder2.
Inclusionof item in agenda.
Documents.
Letter dated 16 March, 1949, from the
permanent representativeof Bolivia
to the Secretary-General requesting
the inclusion of an additional item in
the agenda of the third regular ses-
sion of the General Assembly A/Szo
Letter dated 19 March, 1949, from the
Australian Mission to the United
Nations addressed to the Secretary-
General requesting the inclusion of an
additional item in the agenda of the
third regular session of the General
Assembly AIS21
Agenda of the third regular session of
the General Assembly ; report of the
General Committee A1829
[See paragraphs
3 a and 3 b.]
53II5 AVIS DU 30 III50 (INTERPRÉTATION DES TRAITÉS DE p.41~)
[Note - Voir Chemise 4 pour :
Télégrammeen date du 4 avril I949
adressé au Président de l'Assemblée
généralepar le Gouvernement de la
République populairede Hongrie
A1831
Télégrammeen date du 9 avril 1949
adressé au Secrétaire généralpar le
Gouvernement de la République popu-
laire de Bulgarie A1832 et Corr.1.1
Chemise 3.
Commission politique spéciale.
Comptes rendus des débats.
34meséance.
35meséance.
36rneséance.
37rnCséance.
38111séance.
39"le séance.
401nCséance.
41nl"éance.
Chemise 4.
Commission politique spéciale.
Documents.
Télégramme en date du 4 avril 1949
adressé au Président de l'Assemblée
généralepar le Gouvernement de la
République populaire de Hongrie A1831
Télégramme en date du 9 avril 1949
adressé au Secrétaire généralpar le
Gouvernement de la République popu-
laire de Bulgarie A/832 et Corr. I
Répartition des questions inscrites à
l'ordre du jour de la deuxième partie
de la troisième session; lettre en date
du 13 avril 1949 adresséeau Président
de la Commission politique spéciale
par le Président de l'Assemblée géné-
rale AlAC.24147
54[Note-See Folder 4 for :
Telegram dated 4 April, I949, from the
Governmentof the Republic of Hungary
tothe President of the General Assembly Al831
and
Telegram dated 9 April, 1949, from the
Government of the People's Republic
of Bulgaria to the Secretary-General -41832 and Covr. I.
Folder 3.
Ad hoc Political Committee.
Records of proceedings.
34th meeting.
35th meeting.
36th meeting.
37th meeting.
38th meeting.
39th meeting.
40th meeting.
41st meeting.
Folder 4.
Ad hoc Political Comnzittee.
Documents.
Telegram dated 4 April, 1949, from the
Government of the Republic of Hun-
gary to the President of the General
Assembly A1831
Telegram dated 9 April, 1949, from the
Government of the People's Repub-
lic of Bulgaria to the Secretary-Gen-
eral Al832 and Corr. I
Allocation of items on the agenda of the
second part of the third session;letter
dated 13 April, 1949, from the Presi-
dent of the General Assembly to the
Chairman of the Ad hoc Political
Cornmittee AIAC.24147Cuba : projet de résolution A/AC.z4/48 et Corr. r
Cuba : projet de résolution amendé A/AC.z4/48/Rev. 2
Australie : projet de résolution A/AC.z4/5o
Bolivie :projet de résolution A/AC.z4/51/Corr. I
Australie : projet de résolution A/AC.z4/5z
Chili: amendement au projet de réso-
lution présenté par la Bolivie (A/AC.
24/51/Corr. 1) AIAC.24153
Colombie et Costa-Rica : amendement
au projet de résolution présentépar
la Bolivie (A/AC.z4/51/Corr. 1) AIAC.24154
Cuba et Australie: amendement au
projet de résolution présenté par la
Bolivie (A/AC.z4/51/Corr. 1) A/AC.z4/56
Télégramme endate du 23 avril 1949
adressé au Secrétaire généralpar le
Gouvernement de la République popu-
laire de Hongrie AIAC.24157
Télégramme endate du 27 avril 1949
adressé au Secrétaire généralpar le
Gouvernement de la République popu-
laire de Bulgarie A/AC.z4/58
Rapport de la Commission politique
spéciale Al844
Chemise 5.
Séancesplénièresde l'Assembléegénérale.
Comptes rendus des débats.
201me séance.
202mC séance.
zo3meséance.
Chemise 6.
Séancesfilénièresde l'Assemblée générale.
Documents.
Résolution 272 (III) adoptée par l'As-
semblée générale,le 30 avril 1949.
[Note - Voir Chemise 4 fiour :
Rapport de la Commission politique
sfiéciale A 1844.1 A/AC.z4/48 and Corr. I
Cuba : draft resolution
Cuba : amended draft resolution A/AC.z4/48/Rev. 2
-lustralia: draft resolution A/AC.24/50
Bolivia : draft resolution A/AC.z4/51/Corr. I
Australia :draft resolution A/AC.z4/5z
Chile : amendment to the Bolivian
draft resolution (A/AC.z4/51/Corr. 1) AlAC.24153
Colombia and Costa Rica : amendment
to the Bolivian draft resolution
(A/AC.z4/51/Corr. 1) A/AC.24/54
Cuba and Australia :amendment to the
Bolivian resolution (A/AC.z4151/
Corr. 1) A/AC.q/ 56
Telegram dated 23 April, 1949, from the
Government of the People's Republic
of Hungary to the Secretary-General A/AC.z4/57
Telegram dated 27 April, 1949, from the
Government of the People's Republic
of Bulgaria to the Secretary-General A/AC.24/58
Report of the Ad hoc Political Com-
mittee Al844
Plenary meetings of the General Assembly.
Records of poceedings.
201st meeting.
aoznd meeting.
203rd meeting.
Plenary meetings of the General Assembly.
Documents.
Resolution 272 (III), adopted by the
General Assembly, 30 April, 1949.
[Note-See Folder 4 for :
Report of theAd hoc Political Committee A1844.1 II7 AVIS DU 30 IIIjO (INTERPRÉT.~TIOK DES TRAITÉS I)E PAIX)
II.CORRESPONDANC DIPLOMATIQUE COMMUNIQUÉE AU SECRÉ-
TAIRE GÉNÉRAL POUR ÊTRE PORTÉE A LA CONNAISSANCE DES
MEMBRES DES NATIONSUNIES
Chemise 7.
Lettre en date du 20 septembre 1949
adressée au Secrétaire généralpar le
représentant des États-unis dJAmé-
nque (et annexes jointes) A/985/Rev. I
Lettre en date du 19 septembre 1949
adressée au Secrétaire généralpar le
représentant du Royaume-Uni de
Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord
(et annexes jointes) ~/ggo/~ev. I
III. COMPTES RENDUS DE L'ASSEMBLÉE GÉNÉRALE, QUATRIÈME
SESSION
Chemise 8.
Inscription de la questionà L'ordredu jour.
Comptes rendus des débats.
Compte rendu du Bureau, 65me [Voir pages 3 et 4,
séance paragraphes 71-73,
et page 7,
paragraphes104 et 105.1
Compte rendu de l'Assemblée générale, [Voir pages 20 et 21,
224rn0séance plénière paragraphes 2-10,
et Page 25,
à la suite du
paragraphe 56.1
Chemise g.
Inscription de la question à l'ordre du jour.
Documents.
Liste supplémentaire de questions à
inscrire à l'ordre du jour de la qua-
trième session ordinaire ; questions
proposées par l'Australie Al948
Adoption de l'ordre du jour de la qua-
trième session ordinaire et répartition
des points de l'ordre du jour entre les
Commissions ;rapport du Bureau
Al989
[Voir fiaragrafihes
9 'à 12.1
56II. RELEVANT EXCHANGES OF DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE COM-
MUNICATED TO THE SECRETARY-GENERA FOR CIRCULATION TO
THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITEDNATIONS
Letter dated 20 September, 1949, from
the representative of the United States
of America to the Secretary-General
(with annexes) A/g85/Rev. I
Letter dated 19 September, 1949, from
the representative of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and North-
ern Ireland to the Secretary-General
(with annexes) A/ggo/Rev. I
III. RECORDS OF GENERALASSEMBLY ,OURTH SESSION
Folder8.
Inclasion of item in agenda.
Records of proceedings.
Records of the General Committee, 65th [See pages 3 and 4,
meeting paragraphs 71-73,
ana Page 7,
paragraphs 104
and 105.j
Records of the General Assembly, 224th [See pages 18 and 19,
plenary meeting paragraphs 2-10,
and page 23,
after paragraph 56.1
Incksion of item in agenda.
Documents.
Supplementary list of items for the
agenda of the focrth regular session ;
items praposed by Australia A1948
Adoption of the agenda of the fourth
regular session and allocation of items
to Committees ; report of the General
Cornmittee Al989
[See paragraphs 9-12.]118 AVIS DL 30 IIIj0 (IXTI~~IPR~TATIOS DES TKAITÉS DE PAIS)
Chemise IO.
Commission politique spéciale.
Comptes rendus des débats.
7me séance.
8me séance.
9me séance.
IO"^ séance.
II~~ séance.
12me séance.
13meséance.
14meséance.
Ijnle séance.
Chemise II.
Commission politique spéciale.
Documents.
Lettre en date du 26 septembre 1949
adressée par le Président de l'As-
semblée généraleau Président de la
Commission politique spéciale AIAC.3 112
Bolivie, Canada et États-Unis d'Amé-
rique : projet de résolution A/AC.~I/L.I/R~V. I
Australie : amendement au projet de
résolutiqn de la Bolivie, du Canada
et des Etats-Unis d'Amérique (A/AC.
~I/L.I/R~v. 1) AIAC.311L.z
Brésil, Liban et Pays-Bas :amendement
au projet de résolution proposé par
la Bolivie, le Canada et les Etats-Unis
d'Amérique (A/AC.~I/L.I/R~V. 1) A/AC.y/L.3
Télégrammeen date du 7 octobre 1949
adressé au Secrétaire général par le
Gouvernementde la République popu-
laire de Roumanie A/AC.~I/L.~
Rapport de la Commission politique
spéciale Ai1023
57 OPIS. OF 30 III50 (INTERPRETATION OF PEACE TRE- TIE ES)118
Folder IO.
Ad hoc Political Committee.
Records of proceedings.
7th meeting.
8th meeting.
9th meeting.
~cth meeting.
11th meeting.
12th meeting.
13th meeting.
14th meeting.
15th meeting.
Folder II.
Ad hoc Political Committee.
Documents.
Letter dated 26 September, 1949, from
the President of the General Assembly
to the Chairman of the Ad hoc Polit-
ical Committee AlAC.3 112
Bolivia, Canada and the United States
of Amenca : draft resolution A/AC.~I/L.I/R~V. I
Australia : amendment to the draft
resolution proposed by Bolivia, Ca-
nada and the United States of America
(A/AC.~I/L.I/R~V. 1) A/AC.y/L.z
Brazil, Lebanon and the Netherlands :
amendment to the draft resolution
proposed by Bolivia, Canada and the
United States of Amenca
(A/AC.~I/L.I/R~V. 1) AlAc.31lL.3
Telegram dated 7 October, 1949, from
the Government of the People's Re-
public of Romania to the Secretary-
General AlAC.3rlL.4
Report of the Ad hoc Political Com-
mittee A/IOZ~ Chemise 12.
Séances plénièredse l'Assembléegénérale.
Comptes rendus des débats.
z34me séance.
235meséance.
Chemise13.
Séancesplénièresde l'Assembléegénérale.
Documents.
Résolutionadoptéepar l'Assemblée géné-
rale, le 22 octobre 1949.
[Note - Voir Chemise II pour :
Rapport de la Commission politique spé-
ciale A/1023.] Plenary meetivtgsof the General Assembly.
Records of proceedings.
234th meeting.
235th meeting.
Folder 13.
Plenary meetings of the General Assembly .
Documents.
Resolution adopted by the General
Assembly, 22 October, 1949.
[Note-See Folder II for:
Report of theAd hoc Political Committee Al1023.1
Advisory opinion of 30 March 1950 (first phase)