International Court of Justice concluded on September 17 public hearings on Russia’s preliminary objections in the case filed by Tbilisi against Moscow two years ago.

The Hague-based court said it would render judgment on Russia’s preliminary objections at a public sitting, “the date of which will be announced in due course.”

In its case filed before ICJ on August 12, 2008, Georgia claims Russia violated its obligations under the 1965 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) during three distinct phases of its interventions in South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the period from 1990 to August 2008.

But Russia claims that ICJ has no jurisdiction to hear the case. The sides presented their oral arguments before the court during the two rounds of public hearings held between September 13 and September 17.

Russia requested ICJ to declare that it lacks jurisdiction over the claims brought by Georgia and the latter requested the court to dismiss Russia’s objections and to accept Georgia’s case against Russia as admissible.

If the court decides in favor of Georgia and rules that it has jurisdiction, ICJ will hold separate hearings later on the merits of the complaint.