The Claimant in this case is the Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka AS, a commercial bank organized under Czech law, the Respondent is the Slovak Republic. CSOB filed its "Request for Arbitration" with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes on April 18 1997, charging the Slovak Republic with a breach of the Agreement on the Basic Principles of a Financial Consolidation of Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka dated December 17, 1993 (hereinafter the "Consolidation Agreement"), taht was concluded between the Ministry of FInance of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic and CSOB. CSOB alleged that the breach consisted in the failure of the Slovak Republic to cover the losses incurred by the Slovenska Inkasna spol. sro, as agreed to in the Consolidation Agreement and claimed damages for the losses sustained, plus costs. The Request was registered by the Centre on April 25, 1997.