TNAG-2820-FCO40-4069-Future-of-Hong-Kong-International-Rights-and-Obligations-(IR-1993 — Page 56

advocates whose names and authority shall be notified by that party to the Secretary-General, who shall promptly inform the Commission 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 Commission 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 Commission, 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 Commission required to

constitute a quorum at its sittings;

(b) the language or languages to be used in the proceeding; (c) the evidence, oral or written, which each party intends to produce or to request the Commission to call for, and the written statements which each party intends to file, as well as the time limits within which such evidence should be produced and such statements filed;

(d) the number of copies desired by each party of instruments

filed by the other; and

(e) the manner in which the record of the hearings shall be

kept.

(2) In the conduct of the proceeding the Commission shall apply any agreement between the parties on procedural matters, except as otherwise provided in the Convention or the Administrative and Finan- cial Regulations.

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Rule 21

Procedural Languages

nares on the use of one or two languages to be

used in the proceeding, provided that, if they agree on any language that is not an official language of the Centre, the Commission, after consul- tation with the Secretary-General, gives its approval. If the parties do not agree on any such procedural language, each of them may select one of the official languages (i.e. English, French and Spanish) for this purpose.

(2) If two procedural languages are selected by the parties, any instrument may be filed in either language. Either language may be used at the hearings, subject, if the Commission so requires, to translation and interpretation. The recommendations and the report of the Com- mission shall be rendered and the record kept in both procedural languages, both versions being equally authentic.

Chapter IV

Conciliation Procedures

Rule 22

Functions of the Commission

(1) In order to clarify the issues in dispute between the parties, the Commission shall hear the parties and shall endeavor to obtain any information that might serve this end. The parties shall be associated with its work as closely as possible.

(2) In order to bring about agreement between the parties, the Commission may, from time to time at any stage of the proceeding, make orally or in writing-recommmendations to the parties. It may recommend that the parties accept specific terms of settlement or that they refrain, while it seeks to bring about agreement between them, from specific acts that might aggravate the dispute; it shall point out to the parties the arguments in favor of its recommendations. It may fix time limits within which each party shall inform the Commission of its decision concerning the recommendations made.

(3) The Commission, in order to obtain information that might enable it to discharge its functions, may at any stage of the proceeding: (a) request from either party oral explanations, documents

and other information;

(b) request evidence from other persons; and

(c)

with the consent of the party concerned, visit any place connected with the dispute or conduct inquiries there, provided that the parties may participate in any such visits and inquiries.