HAVING SEEN:

1.             The request for an advisory opinion submitted by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter "the Court" or "the Tribunal") by the State of Chile on November 13, 1996, seeking an interpretation of Articles 50 and 51 of the American Convention on Human Rights.

2.             The Order of the President of the Court of March 18, 1997, in which he decided to "[h]old a public hearing on the request for advisory opinion OC-15 at the seat of the Court on April 12, 1997, at 10:00 a.m."

3.             The brief presented on March 24, 1997, by the State of Chile, in which it communicated its "decision [...] to withdraw the request made to this Tribunal for an advisory opinion."

4.             The brief presented on March 31, 1997, by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, in which it stated that "it is in agreement with the withdrawal of the request for an advisory opinion."

CONSIDERING:

1.             That the public hearing in this proceeding was convoked for the purpose of hearing the views of the interested parties concerning the merits of the request for Advisory Opinion OC-15.

2.             That the State of Chile has informed this Tribunal of its decision to withdraw the aforementioned request and the Inter-American Commission has indicated that it is in agreement with the withdrawal. Consequently, at this stage of the proceeding the Court should examine the propriety of that withdrawal and not the merits of the issue, so that there is no need for the public hearing planned for April 12, 1997.

NOW, THEREFORE:

THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS,

in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Article 29.2 of its Rules of Procedure and in consultation with the other judges of the Court,

DECIDES,

                To cancel the public hearing convened for April 12, 1997, in the proceeding concerning the request for Advisory Opinion OC-15.