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* Professor, University Paris-Ouest, Nanterre/La Défense; former Chairman, ILC; Counsel of Nicaragua in eight cases before the ICJ [
].
Since our hosts - and I first mention Paul Reichler and Foley Hoag - have provided us with excellent interpreters, I will make my first short presentation in French, although I am conscious that this might be a bad idea, since Professor Philippe Sands recently declared, as reported by the London Evening Standard and The Telegraph (Mr Sands very much likes to speak in the media), that he and his friends constitute their pleading teams 'to avoid having any French people, because our productivity drops by about 38 per cent when a French person is on the team'.1 Just thinking how much loss of productivity I have caused in my 40 and something cases before the Court puts me in absolute dismay! However, I will venture to speak French2 and 'tant pis' if they do not associate me in their legal teams.
Before going to the heart of the matter, I would like to say a few words about two counsel of Nicaragua whose passing deprives us of their presence today.
Abe Chayes first - a former legal adviser to the State Department - one of the 'best and the brightest',3 reached this position of responsibility in the wake of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was gaiety and elegance incarnated - elegance of thought and mind. He chose to plead for Nicaragua, aware of the criticism he would face from much US public opinion (his portrait was even taken from the wall of legal counsel in the State Department!) but he considered that there was at stake, in fact, the honour of his country. One day, when I ventured to ask him whether it bothered him to plead against his country, he replied, 'We are a free country!' . . . Touché !
The other late eminent person I wish to mention is Ian Brownlie. Our relations were not always easy, but he was nevertheless my mentor and my friend. As I entered the beginning of my career thanks to the trust of Carlos Argüello, he already had an impressive practice at the Court...