Tribunal, after consultation with the Secretary-General and with the parties as far as possible.
(3) The Tribunal shall meet at the seat of the Centre or at such other place as may have been agreed by the parties in accordance with Article 63 of the Convention. If the parties agree that the proceeding shall be held at a place other than the Centre or an institution with which the Centre has made the necessary arrangements, they shall consult with the Secretary-General and request the approval of the Tribunal. Failing such approval, the Tribunal shall meet at the seat of the Centre.
(4) The Secretary-General shall notify the members of the Tribunal and the parties of the dates and place of the sessions of the Tribunal in good time.
Rule 14
Sittings of the Tribunal
(1) The President of the Tribunal shall conduct its hearings and preside at its deliberations.
(2) Except as the parties otherwise agree, the presence of a majority of the members of the Tribunal shall be required at its sittings.
(3) The President of the Tribunal shall fix the date and hour of its sittings.
Rule 15
Deliberations of the Tribunal
(1) The deliberations of the Tribunal shall take place in private and remain secret.
(2) Only members of the Tribunal shall take part in its deliberations. No other person shall be admitted unless the Tribunal decides otherwise.
Rule 16
Decisions of the Tribunal
(1) Decisions of the Tribunal shall be taken by a majority of the votes of all its members. Abstention shall count as a negative vote.
(2) Except as otherwise provided by these Rules or decided by the Tribunal, it may take any decision by correspondence among its mem- bers, provided that all of them are consulted. Decisions so taken shall be certified by the President of the Tribunal.
Rule 17
Incapacity of the President
If at any time the President of the Tribunal should be unable to act, kis functions shall be nerformed by one of the other members of the
Tribunal, acting in the order in which the Secretary-General had re- ceived the notice of their acceptance of their appointment to the Tribunal.
Rule 18
Representation of the Parties
(1) Each party may be represented or assisted by agents, counsel or advocates whose names and authority shall be notified by that party to the Secretary-General, who shall promptly inform the Tribunal and the other party.
(2) For the purposes of these Rules, the expression "party" includes, where the context so admits, an agent, counsel or advocate authorized to represent that party.
Chapter III
General Procedural Provisions
Rule 19
Procedural Orders
The Tribunal shall make the orders required for the conduct of the proceeding.
Rule 20
Preliminary Procedural Consultation
(1) As early as possible after the constitution of a Tribunal, its President shall endeavor to ascertain the views of the parties regarding questions of procedure. For this purpose he may request the parties to meet him. He shall, in particular, seek their views on the following
matters:
(a) the number of members of the Tribunal required to
constitute a quorum at its sittings;
(b) the language or languages to be used in the proceeding; (c) the number and sequence of the pleadings and the time
limits within which they are to be filed;
(d) the number of copies desired by each party of instruments
filed by the other;
(e) dispensing with the written or the oral procedure;
(f) the manner in which the cost of the proceeding is to be
apportioned; and