Article 24
Settlement of disputes
(1) If a dispute arises between two or more Contracting Parties about the interpretation or application
of this Convention, they shall seek a solution by negotiation or by any other means of dispute settlement
acceptable to the parties to the dispute, if appropriate with assistance by the International Commission.
(2)
(a) If the parties to the dispute are not able to settle the dispute in accordance with paragraph 1 of this
Article within a reasonable time, but not more than twelve months after the International
Commission has been notified about the dispute by a party to the dispute, the dispute shall be
submitted for compulsory decision to one of the following means of peaceful settlement:
– the International Court of Justice;
– arbitration in accordance with Annex V to this Convention.
(b) When ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to this Convention or at any time thereafter a
Contracting Party may declare in writing to the Depositary that, for a dispute not resolved in ac-
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cordance with paragraph 1 of this Article, it accepts one or both means of dispute settlement
referred to in subpara (a) of this paragraph.
(c) If the parties to the dispute have accepted both means of dispute settlement referred to in subpara
(a) of this paragraph the dispute shall be submitted to the International Court of Justice, unless the
parties agree otherwise.
(d) If the parties to the dispute have not accepted the same means of dispute settlement referred to in
subpara (a) of this paragraph, the dispute shall be submitted to the arbitration.
(e) A Contracting Party which has not made a declaration in accordance with subpara (b) of this
paragraph or whose declaration is no longer in force is considered to have accepted the
arbitration.
A