Summaries of Judgments, ANot an official documenters of the Internationa
l Court of Justice
AEGEAN SEACONTINENTAS LHELFCASE(INTERIP M ROTECTION)
Orderof 11 September 1976
ThisOrder,madebytheCourt inthe AegeanSeaConti- dispute concerning the Aegean Sea ContinentalShelf.
nental Shelfcase,found,bytwelvevotestolone,that the cir-ece requested the Courteraliatodeclarewhatis the
cumstances,astheypresented themselvetsotheCourt,were courseofthe boundarybetweenthe portionsofthe continen-
not suchastorequirethe exerciseofitspowerunderArticletal shelf appertaining respeco GreeceandWey in
41ofits Statutetoindicate interim meaosfprotection. thearea,andto declarethat%key isnotentitled tounder-
TheCourtwascomposedasfollows: PresidenJimbnezde takeanyactivitiesthe Greekcontinentalshelf,whetherby
Whaga; Vice-PresidentNagendraSingh; JudgesForster, exploration,ploitation,research orotherwise,withoutthe
Gros, Lachs, Dillad, Morozov,Waldack,Ruda, Mosler, consentofGreece.
EliasandTarazi;JudgeadhocStassinopoulcs. Onthe sameday(be alsrequested the Courttoindi-
The President, the Vice-Presidentand Judges Lachs, cateinterimmeasureofprotectiontotheeffectthattheGov-
Morozov,Ruda, Mosler,EliasandTaraziappendedseparate ernmentsof bothStntesshould:(a)refrain,unlesswiththe
opinionsto theOrderof theCourt.Judgead hocStassino- consentofeachotherandpending thefinal judgmet fthe
poulosappendedadissentingopinion. Court,hm allexplorationactivityoranyscientificresearch
withrespectto thereasin dispute;(b) refrainfromtaking
furthermilitary measures actionswhichmay endanger
theirpeacefullatioins.
Atpublic hearinon25.26 and27August 1976 theCourt
In its Order theCourt recalls thaton 10 August 1976heardobservationpresentednbehalfoftheGovernmentof
Greece instituted proceedings against inrespectof a Greeceonitsrequestforthe indicationof interimsuses
Continued onnext page ofprotection.On26 Augustthelhrkish Govemnnent,which thecontextofArticle41ofitsStatute,isunabletofindinthe
had not appointedan agent andwas not represented at the allegedbreachof Greece's rightssucha risk of irreparable
hearings,communicatedto .theRegistryof !:heCourtcertain prejudicetorightsinissuas mightrequiretheexerciseofthe
writtenobservationsin whichit submittediinparticularthat power to indicate interim measuresof protection. With
' theCourthadno jurisdictiotoentertainthedisputeandsug- regard to(b)theCourtconsidersthat itisnottobepresumed
gestedthat the requestforinterimmeasureIxdismissed and thateilherGovernmentwillfailto heed itsobligationsunder
thecaseremovedfromthelist. the UnitedNationsCharteror failto heedSecurity Council
Injustificationof its requestfor interimnneasureGreece resolution395 (1976)of 25 August1976,wherein the two
alleged:(a)that certainactsonthepartofTurkey(thegrant- Governmentswere urged"to doeverythingintheir powerto
ingofpetroleumexplorationpermits,theexplorationsofthe reduce the presenttensionsin the area" and called on "to
vesselMTA Sismi Ikconstit~iinfringementsofitsexclusive resumedirectnegotiationsovertheir differences".
sovereignrights to the explorationand ex.ploitationof its The Court observes that, to pronounce onthe present
continentarshelf,andthatthebreachoftherightof acoastal requestforinterimmeasures,itwas notcalledupontodecide
Statetoexclusivityofknowledgeofits continentrllshelfcon- any questionof its jurisdictionto entertain thedispute,and
stitutes irreparable prejudice;(b) that the activitiescom-that itspresentdecisionin no way prejudgesany question
plainedof would, if continlied,aggravate the dispute.lhr- relating to its jurisdictionor the merdtsthe case. It is
keycontended:(a)that theseactivitiescannot eregardedas unable,atthepresentstageof theproceedings,to accedeto
involvingany prejudiceto the existenceof an~yrights of lbrkey's requestthatthecaseberemovedfrom thelist,but it
Greece overthe disputedareaand that, even if theycould, willbenecessarytoresolve asthenextstepthequestionofits
therewouldbe no reason why such prejudicecould notbe jurisdictionwithrespectto the case. The writtenpleadings
compensated;(b)thatlbrkeq hasno intentiionof takingthe are fint to be addresseto that questionand will be filed
initiativeintheuseofforce. withintime-limitsthe fixingofwhichthe Courthas reserved
Sofaras(a)isconcerned,theCourt,viewingthematterin forfurtherdecision.
Summary of the Order of 11 September 1976