Icelandic Fisheries Dispute (International Court's Jurisdiction)

HC Deb 07 February 1973 vol 850 cc137-8W

Mr. James Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications he has had from the International Court at The Hague upon its competence to adjudicate upon the Anglo-Icelandic fisheries dispute; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Amery

The International Court of Justice found on 2nd February by 14 votes to 1that it has jurisdiction to entertain the Application filed by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on 14th April 1972 and to deal with the merits of the dispute

Iceland, as a member of the United Nations, is under an obligation to accept the decisions of the court, since all members of the United Nations are ipso facto parties to the Statute of the International Court of Justice"— Article 93 of the United Nations Charter; each member of the United Nations undertakes to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice in any case to which it is a party"— Article 94 of the United Nations Charter; and in the event of a dispute as to whether the Court has jurisdiction the matter shall be settled by the decision of the Court"— Article 36(6) of the Statute of the International Court of Justice.