The International Court of Justice and the indication of provisional measures of protection

Abstract

Several cases before the International Court of Justice have served to focus attention on the problems concerning the indication of provisional or interim measures of protection to parties before the Court1 either on an application by one or both parties or proprio motu. The most recent case was the United States Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran, Provisional Measures, Order of 15 December 1979.2 Another factor which impelled attention to the problem of provisional measures of protection in the jurisprudence of the Court was the fact that there has been a general overall revision of the Rules of Court during recent years culminating with the adoption by the Court of a new set of Rules in 1978.