Written Statement of the Observations and Submissions of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on the Preliminary Objections made by the Kingdom of Belgium

On 20March 2002, respondingto arequest submittedby the Govemmentof the

Federal Republicof Yugoslavia,the Court extendedto 7 April2003 the time

limitwithinwhich the FederalRepublicof Yugoslaviamaypresentwritten
statementsof its observationsandsubmissions onpreliminaryobjectionsmade

by Beigiurn,Canada,France, Gerrnany,ItalytheNetherlands, Portugal,and the

UnitedKingdom,in the cases concemingLenalitvof Use of Force(Yu~ - oslavia
v. Belgium);rIugoslavia v. Canada);(.Yunoslaviav. France);(Yunoslaviav.

Gennanyk (Yu~oslaviav. Italy);(Yunoslaviav. Netherlands); (Yugoslaviav.

Portunal);and (Yugoslaviav.UnitedKinndom). Havingtakenadvantageof a
substantialpart of the extensiongranted bythe Court, theGovernent of the

Federal Republicof Yugoslavia submitsthe following

WRITTENOBSERVATIONS

The FederalRepublicof Yugoslaviais supplementingits earlier

communicationson the groundofnewly discovered facts which haveemerged
sinceearlierpleadingswere filed.Thesefactshave beenrevealedin the lightof

the acceptanceof the FederalRepublicof Yugoslavia as a new member ofthe

UnitedNationson 1November2000.TheFederal Republicof Yugoslavia
submitsthat it is now clear that: a) WithregardtoArticle 35 and36 of theStatuteof the Court,with

regardto the GenocideConvention(andwithregardto bilaterai

conventionsin the casesagainstBelgiurnand TheNetherlands)
Asthe Federal Republicof Yugoslaviabecamea new memberof the

UnitedNationson 1November2000,it followsthatit wasnot a member

before thatdate.Accordingly,itbecamean establishedfactthat before1
November2000, theFederal Republic of Yugoslavia was noandcould

not havebeen aparty to the Statuteof the Courtby way of UN
membership.

b) Withregardto the Genocide Convention.

The Federal Republicof Yugoslaviadidnot continuethepersonalityand
treaty membershipof the former Yugoslavia,andthus specifically,it was

not boundby the GenocideConventionuntilit accededto that Convention
(witha reservation to ArticleIX) in March2001.

SUBMISSIONS

The Federal Republicof Yugoslaviarequeststhe Courtto decideon its

jurisdictionconsidering the pleadingsformulatedintheseWrittenObservations.

18December 2002

Pro essor iborVarady

Agent oftheFederal Republicof Yugoslavia