On Monday, September 23, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague will begin hearings on the merits of Ukraine's claim against Russia for violation of the right of a coastal state under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. This is stated on the court's website, UNN reports.
The substantive hearings will last from September 23 to October 5.
The trial is expected to begin on September 23 at 10 a.m. local time (11 a.m. Kyiv time). After that, the Ukrainian side will have 20 minutes to make its opening statement. Following Ukraine, Russia will make its opening statement. After that, the hearing will be held in a closed format.
The following public statements will be made as currently scheduled: Ukraine - on October 3 at 17:40 local time (18:40 Kyiv time), Russia - on October 5 at 17:40 local time.
The open parts of the hearings will be broadcast by the court.
Recall
In September 2016, Ukraine initiated separate proceedings against Russia for violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and seeks to confirm Ukraine's rights in the Black and Azov Seas and the Kerch Strait through arbitration.
In May 2017, the first meeting of the tribunal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea was held, within the framework of which an arbitration tribunal was established to consider the dispute between Ukraine and Russia. In February 2018, Ukraine submitted to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague evidence of Russia's violation of Ukraine's sovereign rights in the Black and Azov Seas and the Kerch Strait.