2. mirsuant to Article 40, paragraph 2, of the Statute, the Application was at once communicated to the Government of the Republic of Italy. In accordance with paragraph 3 of that Article, al1 other States entitled to appear before the Court were notified of the Application. 3. By a telegram dated 13 Febmary 1987 the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Italy informed the Court that his Government accepted the proposal put forward by the Government of the United States that the case be heard by a Chamber composed in accordance with Article 26 of the Statute; this acceptance was confirmed by a letter dated 13 Febmary 1987 from the Agent of Italy. 4. By an Order dated 2 March 1987, the Court, after recalling the request for a Chamber and reciting that the Parties had been duly consulted as to the composition of the proposed Chamber in accordance with Article 26, paragraph 2, of the Statute and Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Court, decided to accede to the request of the Governments of the United States of America and Italy to form a special Chamber of five judges to deal with the case, declared that at an election held on that day President Nagendra Singh and Judges Oda, Ago, Schwebel and Sir Robert Jennings had been elected to the Chamber, and declared a Chamber to deal with the case to have been duly constituted by the Order, with the composition indicated. 5. The Court further fixed time-limits, by the said Order, for the filing of a Memorial by the United States of America and a Counter-Memorial by Italy, which were duly filed within the time-limits. In its Counter-Memorial, Italy presented an objection to the admissibility of the Application; by letters addressed to the Registrar on 16 November 1987, the Parties agreed, with reference to Article 79, paragraph 8, of the Rules of Court, that the objection should "be heard and determined within the framework of the merits". By an Order dated 17 November 1987, the Chamber took note of that agreement, found that the filing of further pleadings by the Parties was necessary, authorized the filing of a Reply by the United States of America and a Rejoinder by Italy, and fixed time-limits for these; the Reply and Rejoinder were duly filed within those time-limits. 6. On I l December 1988 Judge Nagendra Singh, President of the Chamber, died. Following further consultations with the Parties with regard to the composition of the Chamber in accordance with Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Court, the Court, by Order dated 20 December 1988, declared that Judge Ruda, President of the Court, had that day been elected a Member of the Chamber to fil1 the vacancy left by the death of Judge Nagendra Singh. In accordance with Article 18, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Court, President Ruda became President of the Chamber. 7. At 12 public sittings held between ,13 February and 2 March 1989, the Chamber was addressed by the following representatives of the Parties: For the United States ofArnerieu: The Honorable A. D. Sofaer Mr. M. J. Matheson Mr. T. E. Ramish Ms M. P. Chandler Mr. S. D. Murphy The Honorable R. N. Gardner Mr. G. Bisconti Professor F. Bonelli Professor E. Fazzalari