ARTICLE 14:
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
1. In the event of a dispute between any two or more Parties concerning the interpretation or application of the
Convention, the Parties concerned shall seek a settlement of the dispute through negotiation or any other
peaceful means of their own choice.
2. When ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to the Convention, or at any time thereafter, a Party which
is not a regional economic integration organization may declare in a written instrument submitted to the
Depositary that, in respect of any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention, it
recognizes as compulsory ipso facto and without special agreement, in relation to any Party accepting the same
obligation:
(a) Submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice, and/or
(b) Arbitration in accordance with procedures to be adopted by the Conference of the Parties as soon as
practicable, in an annex on arbitration.
A Party which is a regional economic integration organization may make a declaration with like effect in relation
to arbitration in accordance with the procedures referred to in subparagraph (b) above.
3. A declaration made under paragraph 2 above shall remain in force until it expires in accordance with its terms
or until three months after written notice of its revocation has been deposited with the Depositary.
4. A new declaration, a notice of revocation or the expiry of a declaration shall not in any way affect
proceedings pending before the International Court of Justice or the arbitral tribunal, unless the parties to the
dispute otherwise agree.
5. Subject to the operation of paragraph 2 above, if after twelve months following notification by one Party to
another that a dispute exists between them, the Parties concerned have not been able to settle their dispute
through the means mentioned in paragraph 1 above, the dispute shall be submitted, at the request of any of the
parties to the dispute, to conciliation.
6. A conciliation commission shall be created upon the request of one of the parties to the dispute. The
commission shall be composed of an equal number of members appointed by each party concerned and a chairman
chosen jointly by the members appointed by each party. The commission shall render a recommendatory award, which
the parties shall consider in good faith.
7. Additional procedures relating to conciliation shall be adopted by the Conference of the Parties, as soon as
practicable, in an annex on conciliation.
8. The provisions of this Article shall apply to any related legal instrument which the Conference of the Parties
may adopt, unless the instrument provides otherwise.
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