21 September 2012
With reference to Article 36 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, I have the honour to formulate on behalf of the Republic of Lithuania the following declaration:
1. The Republic of Lithuania declares that it recognizes as compulsory ipso facto and without special agreement, in relation to any other State accepting the same obligation, the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, in conformity with paragraph 2 of Article 36 of the Statute of the Court, until such time as notice may be given to the Secretary-General of the United Nations withdrawing the declaration and with effect as from the moment of such notification, over all disputes arising after the present declaration, with regard to situations or facts subsequent to this date, other than:
(i) any dispute which the parties thereto have agreed or shall agree to have recourse to some other method of peaceful settlement or which is subject to another method of peaceful settlement chosen by all the parties;
(ii) any dispute relating to any matter excluded from compulsory adjudication or arbitration under any treaty, to which the Republic of Lithuania is a party, or other instrument imposing international obligations to the Republic of Lithuania;
(iii) any dispute which arises from or is connected with a military operation carried out in accordance with a decision taken by consensus or unanimity by international security and defence organisation or organisation implementing common security and defence policy, to which the Republic of Lithuania is a member;
(iv) any dispute in respect of which any other party to the dispute has accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice only in relation to or for the purpose of the dispute; or where the acceptance of the Court’s compulsory jurisdiction on behalf of any other party to the dispute was deposited or ratified less than twelve months prior to the filing of the application bringing the dispute before the Court.
2. The Republic of Lithuania also reserves the right at any time, by means of a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and with effect as from the moment of such notification, either to add to, amend or withdraw any of the foregoing reservations, or any that may hereafter be added.”
Done at Vilnius, 21 September 2012
(Signed)
Dalia GRYBAUSKAITĖ
President of the Republic of Lithuania
Audronius AŽUBALIS
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania