This arbitration has been brought by Claimant on the basis of the Energy Charter Treaty (the “ECT” or the “Treaty”), a multilateral convention which was signed in December 1994 and entered into effect on April 16, 1998 and whose stated purpose is to establish “a legal framework in order to promote long-term cooperation in the energy field, based on complementarities and mutual benefits, in accordance with the objectives and principles of the Charter.” (Article 2). Austria became a party to the ECT on December 16, 1997 and the Republic of Tajikistan on June 25, 1997, upon the deposit of their instruments of ratification.