Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro)

The President of the International Court of Justice,

Having regard to Article 48 of the Statute of the Court and Article 44, paragraphs 3 and 4, of the Rules of Court,

Having regard to the Order dated 17 December 1997, by which the Court directed Bosnia and Herzegovina to submit a Reply and Yugoslavia to submit a Rejoinder relating to the claims of both Parties and, account having been taken of the views expressed by the Parties, fixed, respectively, 23 January 1998 and 23 July 1998 as the time-limit for the filing of the Reply and of the Rejoinder;

Whereas, by letter dated 12 January 1998 and received in the Registry on the same day by facsimile, the Deputy-Agent of Bosnia and Herzegovina informed the Registrar that Bosnia and Herzegovina would not be able to finish the preparation of its Reply in the time-limit thus fixed and that, at the start of the following week, he would ask the Court to extend the time-limit as necessary; and whereas the Deputy-Registrar immediately transmitted a copy of that letter to the Agent of Yugoslavia;

Whereas, by a letter dated 20 January 1998 and received in the Registry on the same day by facsimile, the Deputy-Agent of Bosnia and Herzegovina asked the Court to extend to 23 April 1998 the time-limit for the filing of the Reply; and whereas the Deputy-Registrar, referring to Article 44, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court, immediately transmitted a copy of that letter to the Agent of Yugoslavia;

Whereas, by a letter dated 21 January 1998 and received in the Registry on the same day by facsimile, the Agent of Yugoslavia indicated that his Government consented to the extension of the time-limit requested by Bosnia and Herzegovina, provided that the time-limit fixed for the filing of the Rejoinder be extended likewise,

Extends to 23 April 1998 the time-limit for the filing of the Reply of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Extends to 22 January 1999 the time-limit for the filing of the Rejoinder of Yugoslavia; and

Reserves the subsequent procedure for further decision.

Done in English and in French, the English text being authoritative, at the Peace Palace, The Hague, this twenty-second day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives of the Court and the others transmitted to the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, respectively.