I. INTRODUCTION AND PARTIES 

1. The present dispute has been submitted to arbitration under the auspices of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (“ICSID”) on the basis of: (i) the Treaty between the United States of America and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic Concerning the Reciprocal Encouragement and Protection of Investment, which entered into force on 19 December 1992 (the “US-Slovak BIT”)1; (ii) the Agreement between Canada and the Slovak Republic for the Promotion and Protection of Investments, which entered into force on March 14, 2012 (the “Canada-Slovak BIT”)2; and (iii) the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States, which entered into force on 14 October 1966 (the “ICSID Convention”). 

2. The Claimants are EuroGas Inc. (“EuroGas”), a company incorporated under the laws of the United States, and Belmont Resources Inc. (“Belmont”), a company incorporated under the laws of Canada (together, the “Claimants”). The Claimants are represented in this proceeding by Dr. Hamid Gharavi, Dr. Mercedéh Azeredo da Silveira and Mr. Emmanuel Foy of the law firm Derains & Gharavi in Paris. 

3. The Respondent is the Slovak Republic (also referred to as the “Respondent”). The Respondent is represented in this proceeding by Mr. Stephen P. Anway of the law firm Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP in New York, Mr. George M. von Mehren and Mr. Alexis Martinez of Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP in London, Mr. Rostislav Pekař and Ms. Maria Lokajova of Squire Patton Boggs in Prague and JUDr. Ing. Andrea Holíková of the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic.