Letter from the Republic of Equatorial Guinea

October11,1999

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VIAFACSIMILE ANDMAIL

TheHonorableEduardo Valencia-Ospina

Registrar
TheInternational ourtof Justice
PeacePalace
2517KJ The Hague
TheNetherlands

DearSir:

I havethehonorto refeto yourletterdated14 September1999transmittina letter
fromtheAgentof Nigeriadated 13 September1999,andprovidingEquatoriaGl uineawiththe
opportunitytcomment thereonby 15October 1999. The letterfromthe AgenofNigeria
raisetwopointsconcerningtheApplicationof EquatoriaGuinea toInterveneinthe
Cameroon-Nigeriacase. Inresponseitwillbe convenientto dealwitthetwo points

separately,

I. Status of Equatorial-Guineas a Non-partyIntervenor

Equatoria luineabelievesits Applicatiof30 June X999is clearconcerningthe
status it seeksthroughtheprocessinterventiprovidedbyArticle62of theStatuteof the
Court. Equatorial uineadoesnotwish tointervenas aPart iytheCameroon-Nigeria case;

thus,there cabenoquestion ofthe Court'seventualjudgmentdetaminingthemaritime
boundariesof Equatoril uinea,whetherwith Cameroon orNigeria, EquatoriaGuineaseeks
thestatusof anon-partyintervenor.Ifthstatuwereto begrantedbythe Court,Equatorial
Guineawould expectthe rightocomment attheappropriateime upontheargumentsand
positionsadopteinthewritten ofthetwo Partiesinsofaas theypertain to interests
ofa legalnaturethatEquatoril uineamayhave inthe maritime boundarand ,lso,to
addresstbeCourtatan appropriateointinthe oralproceedmgsbetweenCameroon and
Nigeriato likewiseindicateEquatorl uinea'sinterestsaflegal nature insofathe

maritimeboundaryisconcerned.

1tisclearthathe StatutandRulesof theCourt do notrequira hearin og an
Applicationto intervene,althoughthathasbeenthe practiceoftheCourt. Initsloft3r
September1999,EquatorialGuineaindicateditswillingnestodispensewith oralproceedrngs
ifthe two PartiesagreinprinciplewithEquatoriaGuinea'sinterventiointhemanner setTheHonorableEduarrloValencia-Ospina
October 11,1999

forthby itApplication,andifthe Courtwas soinclinedandsoughtnofurtherinformation.In

its letterof 13 SeptemberNigeriaagreesthatthereis noneedforanoralhearin ogEquatorial
Guinea'sright to interveneandacceptsthat right. Equatorl uineahopesthatCameroon's
responseof 16August canbe interpretedbytheCourtin thesameway, andthat the Courtitself
willtakethatview.

2. Organizationof FurtherProceedingson theMaritimeBoundaryin the Cameroon-

SinceEquatorial Guineadoes notwishtobecome aParty, it woulbeinappropriatefor
EquatorialGuineato takea positiononhowtheCourtshouldorganizetheproceedmgsinthat
case. Equatorial uinea'sody commentisthattherewouldseemto beadvantageinhearingthe
viewsof EquatoriaGl uineainconnectionwiththeargumentsofthetwo Partiesregardingtheir
maritimeboundary. lftheCourtdecides itisappropriattoheartheviews ofEquatorialGuinea,

itishoped thattheopportunityaffordedto EquatoriaGuinea will'besuchas togive Equatorial
Guineaadequate time topresentthoseviews and to consideand replytoanyviewsexpressed
orallyorinwritingby thetwo Parties.

PleaseaccepS tir,the assuranceof myhighestconsideration.

e ObamaN'Fube
Ministerof State
InChargeofLaborandSocialSecurity

AgentfortheRepublic of EquatoriaGl uinea