On October 12, 2003, Total S.A. (“Total” or the “Claimant”) submitted before the Secretary-General of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (“ICSID” or the “Centre”) a Request for Arbitration against the Argentine Republic (“Argentina” or the “Respondent”), pursuant to the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of other States (“ICSID Convention”) and the Treaty between France and Argentina concerning the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investment of July 3, 1991 (“BIT”).