On Wednesday, 23 April 2025, the Republic of Armenia deposited its instruments of accession to the 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the depository of the Conventions. The Republic of Armenia will thereby become the 125th Contracting Party of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (the “PCA”).
The Republic of Armenia’s instruments of accession were presented by Viktor Biyagov, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, accompanied by Kristine Stepanyan, the Second Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, and in the presence of the Secretary-General of the PCA, Dr. Hab. Marcin Czepelak. Receipt of the Republic of Armenia’s instruments was confirmed by Jules van Eijndhoven, the Head of the Treaties Division of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In his address Ambassador Biyagov noted: “As a diplomat, it is a great honor for me to officially hand over the Acts of Accession with the Depositary of the Conventions – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This is yet another milestone Armenia has achieved. It reaffirms our nation’s enduring commitment to the principles of international law, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and multilateral cooperation. By joining the Permanent Court of Arbitration – the first institution for international dispute resolution, established in 1899 by the First Hague Peace Conference – Armenia aligns itself with a global community dedicated to civilized dialogue, diplomacy, and justice.
We wish to express our deep appreciation to the Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Dr. Hab. Marcin Czepelak, and his team for their dedication, as well as to the Kingdom of the Netherlands – both as the host country of the Court and as the Depositary of two Conventions – for its unwavering support to international legal institutions and the rule of law in general. The Netherlands’ longstanding and invaluable role in promoting a culture of legal dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes is truly admirable.”
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The Secretary-General of the PCA, Dr. Hab. Marcin Czepelak, underscored the continued importance of States acceding to the Hague Conventions for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, emphasizing that the enduring relevance and effectiveness of these long-standing instruments reflect both their foundational value and the critical purposes they continue to serve within the international legal framework.
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Background on the Permanent Court of Arbitration
The Permanent Court of Arbitration is an intergovernmental organization established by the 1899 Hague Convention on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. Headquartered at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, the PCA facilitates arbitration, conciliation, fact-finding, and other dispute resolution proceedings among various combinations of States, State entities, intergovernmental organizations, and private parties. The PCA’s International Bureau is currently administering seven inter-state arbitrations, one other inter-state proceeding, 95 arbitrations arising under bilateral or multilateral investment treaties or national investment laws, 109 arbitrations arising under contracts involving a State or other public entity, and 4 other proceedings.