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5.33. As established by <strong>the</strong> International Court of Justice when interpreting optional declarations<br />

of compulsory jurisdiction made by States <strong>under</strong> Article 36 (2) of <strong>the</strong> ICJ<br />

Statute 182 and as adopted recently by o<strong>the</strong>r ICSID tribunals, 183 legislation and unilateral<br />

acts by which a State consents to ICSID jurisdiction are to be considered as<br />

standing offers to foreign investors <strong>under</strong> <strong>the</strong> ICSID Convention and interpreted according<br />

to <strong>the</strong> ICSID Convention and <strong>under</strong> <strong>the</strong> rules of international law governing<br />

unilateral declarations of States.<br />

5.34. As explained by <strong>the</strong> Mobil and Cemex tribunals, 184 whilst <strong>the</strong> ICJ has decided that a<br />

restrictive interpretation should apply when construing acts formulated by States in<br />

<strong>the</strong> exercise of <strong>the</strong>ir freedom to act on <strong>the</strong> international plane, rules of interpretation<br />

differ when unilateral acts are formulated in <strong>the</strong> framework and on <strong>the</strong> basis of a<br />

treaty such as, in <strong>the</strong> present case, <strong>the</strong> multilateral ICSID Convention.<br />

5.35. In such cases, declarations must be interpreted as <strong>the</strong>y stand, having regard to <strong>the</strong><br />

words actually used 185 and taking into consideration “<strong>the</strong> intention of <strong>the</strong> government<br />

at <strong>the</strong> time it made <strong>the</strong> declaration.” 186 Such intention can be inferred from <strong>the</strong><br />

text, but also from <strong>the</strong> context, <strong>the</strong> circumstances of its preparation and <strong>the</strong> purposes<br />

intended to be served by <strong>the</strong> declaration. 187 In doing so, <strong>the</strong> relevant words should be<br />

interpreted in a natural and reasonable way.<br />

5.36. Applying <strong>the</strong>se principles, <strong>the</strong> Tribunal returns to <strong>the</strong> wording of Article 15 of <strong>the</strong><br />

Investment Law, providing that, in <strong>the</strong> case of disputes arising between foreign investors<br />

and <strong>the</strong> Respondent, regarding <strong>the</strong>ir investment in El Salvador, “<strong>the</strong> investors<br />

may submit <strong>the</strong> dispute to” [ICSID]. As noted above, <strong>the</strong> Tribunal determines that<br />

Article 15 of <strong>the</strong> Investment Law, formulated in <strong>the</strong> framework and on <strong>the</strong> basis of<br />

<strong>the</strong> ICSID Convention to which it explicitly refers, must be interpreted having re-<br />

182<br />

183<br />

184<br />

185<br />

186<br />

187<br />

Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria, Preliminary Objections – ICJ Reports 1998<br />

page 291 § 25; Fisheries Jurisdiction (Spain v. Canada) – ICJ Reports 1998 page 453 § 46.<br />

Mobil v. Venezuela, supra note 27, § 85; Cemex v. Venezuela, supra note 179, § 79.<br />

Mobil v. Venezuela, supra note 27, §§ 86-96; Cemex v. Venezuela, supra note 179, §§ 80-89.<br />

Anglo-Iranian Oil Co.- Preliminary objection – Judgement – ICJ Reports 1952 page 105.<br />

Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Pacific Properties (Middle East) Limited v. Arab Republic of Egypt, ICSID Case No ARB/84/3,<br />

Decision on Jurisdiction, 27 November 1985, 3 ICSID Reports 112, § 107; Anglo Iranian Oil Co. – ICJ<br />

Reports 1952 page 104; Rights of Minorities in Upper Silesia, 1 PCIJ, Series A, No. 15, page 22 (1928);<br />

Phosphates in Morocco, PCIJ, Series A/B, No. 74, pages 22-24 (1938).<br />

Mobil v. Venezuela, supra note 27, §§ 92-96; Cemex v. Venezuela, supra note 179, §§ 85-89.<br />

Part 5 - Page 10

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