AD HOC COMMITTEE NEGOTIATING CONVENTION ON JURISDICTIONAL IMMUNITIES OF STATES OPENS 5-DAY HEADQUARTERS SESSION

Ad Hoc Committee on Jurisdictional                         

Immunities of States and Their Property                    

7^th Meeting (AM)

AD HOC COMMITTEE NEGOTIATING CONVENTION ON JURISDICTIONAL

IMMUNITIES OF STATES OPENS 5-DAY HEADQUARTERS SESSION

A decisive moment had been reached in preparing a complete text of a Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property for submission to the General Assembly, Gerhard Hafner (Austria), Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee negotiating the Convention, said this morning.

The Convention applies to the immunity of a State and its property from the jurisdiction of the courts of another State.  The Ad Hoc Committee was established by General Assembly resolution 55/150 of 12 December 2000.

Mr. Hafner, speaking as the Committee opened a 5-day Headquarters session, said the last session had completed the text of articles and understandings for the Convention [contained in Annex I of the Committee’s report on its meetings during 24 to 28 February 2003, document A/58/22].  The need for such a Convention could not be doubted, he said, as the number of relevant cases before courts was increasing.  By maintaining a spirit of constructive cooperation, the Committee could successfully conclude its mandate.

The Committee adopted its agenda and programme of work for the current session, with a view to completing a preamble and final clauses to the Convention.

The Committee’s Vice-Chairpersons are:  Karim Medrek (Morocco); Piotr Ogonowski (Poland); and Manimuthu Ghandi (India).  Its Rapporteur is Ana Carlina Plazas (Colombia).

After adjourning its opening meeting, the Committee continued deliberations in closed consultations.  The full Committee will meet again at a date to be announced.

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