Liechtenstein has appointed the renowned French expert on international law, Professor Alain Pellet, to the group of experts that is assisting the legal action of the Principality against Germany before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In mid 2001, Liechtenstein instituted legal proceedings against the Federal Republic of Germany because of its continued infringement of international law since 1998. The background to the proceedings is constituted by the treatment of Liechtenstein's assets in the territory of former Czechoslovakia as German external assets by the Federal Republic of Germany.

Professor Alain Pellet is one of the most distinguished French experts on international law and has not only been an advisor to the French Government for many years but has also made a name for himself as the representative of several countries before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He is one of the most active practitioners before the International Court of Justice as a Counsel. In addition, he acts in an advisory capacity to international organisations in issues concerning administration and international legislation. A member of the International Law Commission of the United Nations since 1990, he was their chairman in 1997.

Born in 1947, Professor Pellet teaches law with particular focus on international law and international law of economics at the University of Paris X-Nanterre and was the Director of the Centre de Droit International (CEDIN) from 1991 to 2001. He has received many international decorations and was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1998 for his services to the French state.

High-Calibre Group of Advisors to the Principality
In addition to Professor Pellet, the group of legal Counsels to the Principality for the legal proceedings before the International Court of Justice is constituted by the experts on international law, Professor Dieter Blumenwitz (University of Würzburg), Professor James Crawford (Cambridge) and Professor Gerhard Hafner (University of Vienna). The main task of these Councels is to advise the Special Commissioner and Agent of the Principality, the German lawyer Dr. Alexander Goepfert, in his work and to assist him in the preparation of statements of claim and arguments for the proceedings before the International Court of Justice.

Vaduz/The Hague/Paris, 26 March 2002

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