Appendix — Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia v. Karaha Bodas Co.
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APPENDIX A — RULE AND
REGULATIONS INVOLVED
UNITED STATES CODE ANNOTATED
FEDERAL RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE FOR
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTS
VIII. PROVISIONAL AND FINAL REMEDIES
Amendments received to April 18, 2003
Rule 69. Execution
(a) In General. Process to enforce a judgment
for the payment of money shall be a writ of
execution, unless the court directs otherwise.
The procedure on execution, in proceedings
supplementary to and in aid of a judgment, and in
proceedings on and in aid of execution shall be in
accordance with the practice and procedure of the
state in which the district court is held, existing
at the time the remedy is sought, except that any
statute of the United States governs to the extent
that it is applicable. In aid of the judgment or
execution, the judgment creditor or a successor
in interest when that interest appears of record,
may obtain discovery from any person, including
the judgment debtor, in the manner provided in
these rules or in the manner provided by the
practice of the state in which the district court is
held.
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Appendix A
(b) Against Certain Public Officers. When a
judgment has been entered against a collector or
other officer of revenue under the circumstances
stated in Title 28, U.S.C., § 2006, or against an
officer of Congress in an action mentioned in the
Act of March 3, 1875, ch. 130, § 8 (18 Stat. 401),
U.S.C., Title 2, § 118, and when the court has
given the certificate of probable cause for the
officer’s act as provided in those statutes,
execution shall not issue against the officer or the
officer’s property but the final judgment shall be
satisfied as provided in such statutes.
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Appendix A
MCKINNEY’S CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF
NEW YORK ANNOTATED
CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES
CHAPTER EIGHT OF THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS
ARTICLE 52—ENFORCEMENT OF
MONEY JUDGMENTS
§ 5201. Debt or property subject to enforcement; proper
garnishee
(a) Debt against which a money judgment
may be enforced. A money judgment may be
enforced against any debt, which is past due or which
is yet to become due, certainly or upon demand of
the judgment debtor, whether it was incurred within
or without the state, to or from a resident or non-
resident, unless it is exempt from application to the
satisfaction of the judgment. A debt may consist of
a cause of action which could be assigned or
transferred accruing within or without the state.
(b) Property against which a money
judgment may be enforced. A money judgment
may be enforced against any property which could
be assigned or transferred, whether it consists of a
present or future right or interest and whether or not
it is vested, unless it is exempt from application to
the satisfaction of the judgment. A money judgment
entered upon a joint liability of two or more persons
may be enforced against individual property of those
persons summoned and joint property of such
persons with any other persons against whom the
judgment is entered.
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Appendix A
(c) Proper garnishee for particular
property or debt
1. Where property consists of a right or
share in the stock of an association or
corporation, or interests or profits therein,
for which a certificate of stock or other
negotiable instrument is not outstanding, the
corporation, or the president or treasurer of
the association on behalf of the association,
shall be the garnishee.
2. Where property consists of a right or
interest to or in a decedent’s estate or any
other property or fund held or controlled by
a fiduciary, the executor or trustee under the
will, administrator or other fiduciary shall
be the garnishee.
3. Where property consists of an interest
in a partnership, any partner other than the
judgment debtor, on behalf of the
partnership, shall be the garnishee.
4. Where property or a debt is evidenced
by a negotiable instrument for the payment
of money, a negotiable document of title or
a certificate of stock of an association or
corporation, the instrument, document or
certificate shall be treated as property capable
of delivery and the person holding it shall
be the garnishee; except that section 8-112
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Appendix A
of the uniform commercial code shall govern
the extent to which and the means by which
any interest in a certificated security,
uncertificated security or security entitlement
(as defined in article eight of the uniform
commercial code) may be reached by
garnishment, attachment or other legal
process.
a
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Appendix A
MCKINNEY’S CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF
NEW YORK ANNOTATED
CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES
CHAPTER EIGHT OF THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS
ARTICLE 52—ENFORCEMENT OF MONEY
JUDGMENTS
§ 5222. Restraining notice
(a) Issuance; on whom served; form;
service. A restraining notice may be issued by the
clerk of the court or the attorney for the judgment
creditor as officer of the court, or by the support
collection unit designated by the appropriate
social services district. It may be served upon any
person, except the employer of a judgment debtor
or obligor where the property sought to be
restrained consists of wages or salary due or to
become due to the judgment debtor or obligor. It
shall be served personally in the same manner as
a summons or by registered or certified mail,
return receipt requested or if issued by the support
collection unit, by regular mail, or by electronic -
means as set forth in subdivision (g) of this
section. It shall specify all of the parties to the
action, the date that the judgment or order was
entered, the court in which it was entered, the
amount of the judgment or order and the amount
then due thereon, the names of all parties in whose
favor and against whom the judgment or order was
entered, it shall set forth subdivision (b) and shall
state that disobedience is punishable as a contempt
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Appendix A
of court, and it shall contain an original signature
or copy of the original signature of the clerk of
the court or attorney or the name of the support
collection unit which issued it. Service of a
restraining notice upon a department or agency
of the state or upon an institution under its
direction shall be made by serving a copy upon
the head of the department, or the person
designated by him or her and upon the state
department of audit and control at its office in
Albany; a restraining notice served upon a state
board, commission, body or agency which is not
within any department of the state shall be made
by serving the restraining notice upon the state
department of audit and control at its office in
Albany. Service at the office of a department of
the state in Albany may be made by the sheriff of
any county by registered or certified mail, return
receipt requested, or if issued by the support
collection unit, by regular mail.
(b) Effect of restraint; prohibition of
transfer; duration. A judgment debtor or obligor
served with a restraining notice is forbidden to
make or suffer any sale, assignment, transfer or
interference with any property in which he or
she has an interest, except upon direction of the
sheriff or pursuant to an order of the court,
until the judgment or order is satisfied or vacated.
A restraining notice served upon a person other
than the judgment debtor or obligor is effective
only if, at the time of service, he or she owes a
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Appendix A
debt to the judgment debtor or obligor or he or
she is in the possession or custody of property in
which he or she knows or has reason to believe
the judgment debtor or obligor has an interest, or
if the judgment creditor or support collection unit
has stated in the notice that a specified debt is
owed by the person served to the judgment
debtor or obligor or that the judgment debtor
or obligor has an interest in specified property in
the possession or custody of the person served.
All property in which the judgment debtor or
obligor is known or believed to have an interest
then in and thereafter coming into the possession
or custody of such a person, including any
specified in the notice, and all debts of such a
person, including any specified in the notice, then
due and thereafter coming due to the judgment
debtor or obligor, shall be subject to the notice.
Such a person is forbidden to make or suffer any
sale, assignment or transfer of, or any interference
with, any such property, or pay over or otherwise
dispose of any such debt, to any person other than
the sheriff or the support collection unit, except
upon direction of the sheriff or pursuant to an
order of the court, until the expiration of one year
after the notice is served upon him or her, or until
the judgment or, order is satisfied or vacated,
whichever event first occurs. A judgment creditor
or support collection unit which has specified
personal property or debt in a restraining notice
shall be liable to the owner of the property or the
person to whom the debt is owed, if other than
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Appendix A
the judgment debtor or obligor, for any damages
sustained by reason of the restraint. If a garnishee
served with a restraining notice withholds the
payment of money belonging or owed to the
judgment debtor or obligor in an amount equal to
twice the amount due on the judgment or order,
the restraining notice is not effective as to other
property or money.
(c) Subsequent notice. Leave of court is
required to serve more than one restraining notice
upon the same person with respect to the same
judgment or order.
(d) Notice to judgment debtor or obligor.
If a notice in the form prescribed in subdivision
(e) has not been given to the judgment debtor or
obligor within a year before service of a
restraining notice, a copy of the restraining notice
together with the notice to judgment debtor or
obligor shall be mailed by first class mail or
personally delivered to each judgment debtor or
obligor who is a natural person within four days
of the service of the restraining notice. Such nctice
shall be mailed to the defendant at his or her
residence address; or in the event such mailing is
returned as undeliverable by the post office, or if
the residence address of the defendant is unknown,
then to the defendant in care of the place cf
employment of the defendant if known, in an
envelope bearing the legend “personal and
confidential” and not indicating on the outside
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Appendix A
thereof, by the return address or otherwise, that
the communication is from an attorney or concerns
a judgment or order; or if neither the residence
address nor the place of employment of the
defendant is known then to the defendant at any
other known address.
(e) Content of notice. The notice required
by subdivision (d) shall be in substantially the
following form and may be included in the
restraining notice:
NOTICE TO JUDGMENT DEBTOR OR OBLIGOR
Money or property belonging to you may have
been taken or held in order to satisfy a judgment
or order which has been entered against you. Read
this carefully.
YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK
State and federal laws prevent certain money
or property from being taken to satisfy judgments
or orders. Such money or property is said to be
“exempt”. The following is a partial list of money
which may be exempt:
1. Supplemental security income, (SSI);
2. Social security;
3. Public assistance (welfare);
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Appendix A
4. Alimony or child support;
5. Unemployment benefits;
6. Disability benefits;
7. Workers’ compensation benefits;
8. Public or private pensions; and
9. Veterans benefits.
If you think that any of your money that has
been taken or held is exempt, you must act promptly
because the money may be applied to the judgment
or order. If you claim that any of your money that
has been taken or held is exempt, you may contact
the person sending this notice.
Also, YOU MAY CONSULT AN ATTORNEY,
INCLUDING LEGALAID IF YOU QUALIFY. The
law (New York civil practice law and rules, article
four and sections fifty-two hundred thirty-nine and
fifty-two hundred forty) provides a procedure for
determination of a claim to an exemption.
* * * *
12a
APPENDIX B — MEMORANDUM AND ORDER OF
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS,
HOUSTON DIVISION,
DATED DECEMBER 4, 2001
United States District Court,
S.D. Texas,
Houston Division.
No. CIV.A.H 01-0634.
In the Matter of an Arbitration Between KARAHA
BODAS COMPANY, L.L.C.,
Petitioner,
v.
PERUSAHAAN PERTAMBANGAN MINYAK DAN
GAS BUMI NEGARA
Respondent.
Dec. 4, 2001
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
ATLAS, District Judge.
This action to enforce an international arbitral award is
before the Court on Petitioner Karaha Bodas Company,
L.L.C.’s Motion for Summary Judgment Confirming Arbitral
Award (“KBC’s Motion”) [Doc. # 14] to which Respondent
Perusahaan Pertambangan Minyak Dan Gas Bumi Negara
a eedthelerth abalde wed —*
a re eet eC WOR Liat iS Tis Rab Cana
ADEN NR TS ELAN TSO
13a
Appendix B
(“Pertamina’’) has responded.' Having reviewed the parties’
briefs, all matters of record and the applicable authorities,
the Court concludes that KBC’s Motion should be granted.
I. BACKGROUND FACTS
KBC is a Cayman Islands limited liability company that
contracted to develop the 400 MW Karaha Bodas Geothermal
Project (the “Project”) in West Java, Indonesia. Pertamina is
an oil and gas corporation owned by the Government of the
Republic of Indonesia and entrusted with the exploration and
exploitation of geothermal resources and generation of
electricity in Indonesia. PLN is a state-owned electric utility
that supplies public electricity in Indonesia.
A. The Project
On November 28, 1994, Pertamina, PLN, and KBC
entered into two contracts to establish their roles and obliga-
tions in the Project. Pursuant to the Joint Operations Contract
(“JOC”) between KBC and Pertamina, Pertamina was
1. KBC also filed a Memorandum in Support of its Motion for
Summary Judgment Confirming Arbitral Award [Doc. # 16] (“KBC’s
Memorandum”). Pertamina filed its Memorandum in Opposition to
KBC’s Motion for Summary Judgment (“Pertamina’s Response”)
[Doc. #29]. In addition, KBC filed a Reply [Doc. # 34] and Pertamina
filed a Sur-reply [Doc. # 40].
PT. PLN (Persero) (“PLN”), was a Respondent at the arbitration
and was originally named as a Respondent in this action. PLN was
not served and has been dismissed from this case, [see Doc. # 44],
pursuant to KBC’s Notice of Dismissal [Doc. # 43).
14a
Appendix B
responsible for management of the geothermal operations
and KBC was designated the contractor responsible for
financing the Project and building, owning, and operating
the generating facilities. See Petitioner’s Exhibit (“PX”’) 2,
JOC. The Energy Sales Contract (“ESC”) among KBC,
Pertamina, and PLN, obligated PLN to purchase from
Pertamina the electricity generated by KBC’s facilities for
specified prices. See PX 3, ESC.
In almost identical provisions, both the JOC and the ESC
required the parties to arbitrate any disputes in Geneva,
Switzerland, pursuant to the Arbitral Rules of the United
Nations Commission on International Trade Law (the
“UNCITRAL Rules”). See JOC, Art. 13.2(a); ESC, § 8.2(a),
at 18. Additionally, the arbitration provisions required
the parties to appoint arbitrators within thirty days of a
party’s request to initiate arbitration. The JOC provided that
“fejach party will appoint an arbitrator,” while the ESC
specified that “PLN on one hand, and COMPANY [KBC]
and PERTAMINA on the other hand, will each appoint one
arbitrator.” Jd. In the event that an arbitrator was not selected
within this thirty-day time frame, both contracts provided
that an arbitrator would, by default, be appointed by the
Secretary General of the International Center for Settlement
of Investment Disputes (“ICSID”) upon the request of any
party. Jd. The JOC and the ESC also contained virtually
identical provisions limiting the parties’ rights to appeal or
otherwise bring legal proceedings concerning a dispute
subject to the arbitration provisions. JOC, Art. 13.2(d); ESC,
§ 8.2(d), at 19.
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Appendix B
The Government of Indonesia issued a Presidential
Decree dated September 20, 1997 indefinitely postponing
the Project. However, KBC continued development of the
project based on Pertamina’s and PLN’s assurances that the
Project suspension was temporary and would be restored.
The Project was restored briefly by a Presidential Decree
dated November 1, 1997, but yet another Presidential Decree
dated January 10, 1998 (the “Presidential Decree”’) confirmed
the indefinite postponement of the Project. As a result,
Pertamina and PLN did not fulfill their contractual
obligations to purchase the energy to be generated by KBC’s
facilities. In February 1998, KBC gave Pertamina and PLN
notice that the Presidential Decree constituted an event of
Force Majeure under both the JOC and the ESC. On April
30, 1998, KBC served its Notice for Arbitration.
B. The Arbitration Proceedings
In the Notice of Arbitration, KBC appointed Professor
Piero Bernardini? to serve as an arbitrator. Pertamina,
however, did not designate an arbitrator in the allotted time
of thirty days or thereafter. Nor did Pertamina contest KBC’s
selection at that time. By letter dated June 2, 1998, KBC
notified the ICSID of Pertamina’s inaction and requested the
appointment of a second arbitrator pursuant to the default
appointment provisions of the contracts. See PX 8. The ICSID
questioned KBC concerning the consolidation of disputes
under the JOC and the ESC and KBC’s unilateral appointment
2. Prof. Bernardini was at the time Vice Chairman of the
international Chamber of Commerce’s International Court of
Arbitration (“ICC”) and Member of the London Court of International
Arbitration. KBC’s Memorandum, at 6-7.
l6a
Appendix B
of an arbitrator, and KBC responded by letter dated June 22,
1998. See PX 10. The ICSID confirmed receipt of the June 2
and June 22 letters. PX 11. In a June 29, 1998 letter to all
parties, the ICSID recapped the prior correspondence, noted
Respondents’ failure to respond, and expressed its intent
to grant KBC’s request to appoint the second arbitrator.
See PX 12. The ICSID also provided to the parties at this
time the name of Dr. Ahmed El-Kosheri and his accom-
panying curriculum vitae,’ and requested that any objections
to the appointee be proffered by July 13, 1998. The ICSID
sent all the preceding correspondence to PLN by courier and
to Pertamina by fax and courier. See PX 15. Respondents
did not object or respond to the potential appointment.‘
On July 13, 1998, having received no communications from
Respondents, the ICSID notified them of its intent to appoint
Dr. El-Kosheri, see PX 16, and made the appointment on
July 15, 1998, copying all parties, see PX 17. Dr. El-Kosheri
accepted the nomination on July 16, 1998. See PX 18.
Pursuant to the JOC and the ESC, the two appointed
arbitrators selected Mr. Yves Derains as Chairman of the
arbitration panel (the “Tribunal”), and duly notified the
parties. See PX 19.
3. Dr. El-Kosheri was also a Vice Chairman of the ICC. KBC’s
Memorandum, at 7.
4. KBC responded to the ICSID on July 1, 1998 (with copy
to Respondents) that it had no objection to the appointment of
Dr. El- Kosheri. See PX 13. The ICSID confirmed receipt of KBC’s
correspondence on July 2, with copies to Respondents. See PX 14.
On July 10, the ICSID again forwarded the correspondence to
Pertamina. See PX 15.
Fete SURRORee ieee SSR oS adap ene ea ee
OO
17a
Appendix B
Before proceeding on the merits of the case, PLN
requested that the Tribunal first consider certain preliminary
issues. See PX 21. The Tribunal heard the parties on these
preliminary issues on November 19, 1998. Following the
hearing, PLN and Pertamina, represented jointly by the same
lawyers, submitted a joint memorial, i.e., a memorandum,
contending that KBC had improperly attempted toconsolidate
claims against different parties arising under separate
agreements or putative agreements and that the Tribunal had
been improperly constituted as the result of (1) the nature of
a multi-party arbitration and (2) KBC’s failure to honor the
arbitrator nomination provisions of the ESC. See PX 23,
Respondents’ Memorial Regarding Preliminary Issues.
Respondents participated in further argument on their
preliminary objections at a hearing on May 31, 1999.
~“
On October 4, 1999, the Tribunal issued a unanimous
Preliminary Award, which held, in pertinent part, that:
(1) the Tribunal was properly constituted; (2) KBC was
entitled to file its claims, based on the JOC and the ESC,
in a single arbitration; and (3) the Government of Indonesia
was not a proper party to the arbitration. See PX 28,
Preliminary Award, at 34.
KBC, after a brief extension of time, filed its Revised
Statement of Claim on November 24, 1999. Thereafter,
Pertamina and PLN sought, and were granted, a series of
extensions to file a response to KBC’s Revised Statement of
Claim. The Tribunal also granted Respondents’ March 6,
2000 joint request for a further extension to accommodate
their change of counsel. Ultimately, pursuant to an agreement
of the parties that was memorialized in Procedural Order
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Appendix B
No. 4, KBC filed a Revised Statement of Claim and First
Memorial supplementing its claims on November 24, 1999;
Respondents submitted a Reply and First Memorial on
April 7, 2000; KBC submitted a Rebuttal and Second
Memorial (“Rebuttal”) on May 8, 2000; and Respondents
submitted a Rejoinder to KBC’s Rebuttal and Second
Memorial on June 9, 2000. Procedural Order No. 4 set the
hearing on the merits for June 19 through June 30, 2000.
See PX 38.
Pertamina and PLN sought a further continuance and
additional discovery after being served with KBC’s Rebuttal,
which they claimed contained new assertions and “significant
elements of its case in chief’ that had not previously been
revealed. The Tribunal denied their requests. Further, the
Tribunal determined that any adjustment to the proceedings,
that could be necessary, would be decided at the end of the
hearing. PX 57.
The hearing on the merits began June 19, 2000 and closed
on June 23, 2000. The hearing resulted in a transcript of over
800 pages reflecting extensive argument of counsel and live
testimony from seven witnesses. Written witness statements
were also submitted by the parties. The Tribunal noted that
at the conclusion of the hearing, counsel “declared that they
waived their respective requests for discovery,” and
confirmed that they had no objection beyond those already
stated as to the conduct of the proceedings. PX 71, Final
Award, at 12; see Transcript of Arbitration, Vol. V, at 807-
08, 814. Post-hearing briefs were submitted on August 7,
2000. PX 71, Final Award, at 13.
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Appendix B
On December 18, 2000, the Tribunal issued its Final
Award which held that Pertamina and PLN had breached the
ESC and that Pertamina had breached the JOC. /d. at 24, 47.
The Tribunal reasoned that Respondents contractually
assumed the risk of the harm created by the Presidential
Decree. Jd. at 19-20. Further, the Tribunal awarded KBC
$111,100,000 to recoup its expenditures on the Project,
$150,000,000 in future lost profits, and $66,654.92 in costs
and expenses, plus four percent interest from January 1, 2001,
until the date of full payment. Jd. at 47.
KBC seeks enforcement of the Final Award in this
proceeding pursuant to the Convention on the Recognition
and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, June 10, 1958
(“New York Convention”), codified at 9 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.
Il. STANDARD OF REVIEW
The parties agree that the recognition and confirmation
of international arbitral awards is governed by the New York
Convention. See 9 U.S.C. § 201; Schlumberger Tech. Corp.
v. United States, 195 F.3d 216, 217 (5th Cir.1999). “The goal
of the Convention, and the principal purpose underlying
American adoption and implementation of it, was to
encourage the recognition and enforcement of commercial
arbitration agreements in international contracts and to unify
the standards by which agreements to arbitrate are observed
and arbitral awards are enforced in the signatory countries.”
Imperial Ethiopian Govt v. Baruch-Foster Corp., 535 F.2d
334, 335 (Sth Cir.1976) (quoting Scherk v. Alberto-Culver
Co., 417 U.S. 506, 94 S.Ct. 2449, 41 L.Ed.2d 270 (1974)).
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Appendix B
The New York Convention is formally incorporated into
United States law through implementing legislation found
at 9 U.S.C. §§ 201-208.
In keeping with the expeditious nature of arbitration, this
implementing legislation provides for a “summary
procedure” for enforcement of foreign arbitral awards.
Imperial Ethiopian Govt, 535 F.2d at 335. Permissible
defenses are few and “the court shall confirm the award
unless it finds one of the grounds for refusal or deferral of
recognition or enforcement of the award specified in the said
Convention.” 9 U.S.C. § 207 (emphasis added); Jmperial
Ethiopian Gov t, 535 F.2d at 335-36. The defenses specified
in the Convention are narrowly construed to give effect to
the Convention’s goal of encouraging the timely and efficient
enforcement of awards. Jn re Arbitration Between Trans
Chem. Ltd. and China Nat'l Mach. Import and Export Corp.,
978 F.Supp. 266, 310 (S.D.Tex.1997), aff’d, 161 F.3d 314
(Sth Cir.1998). In short, there is a “general pro-enforcement
bias” manifested in the Convention. American Const. Mach.
& Equip. Corp. v. Mechanised Const. of Pakistan, Ltd.,
659 F.Supp. 426, 428 (S.D.N.Y.1987).
The New York convention contains only seven possible
defenses. 9 U.S.C. § 201, Art. V. Recognition and enforce-
ment of the award may be refused if the losing party furnishes
proof that: (a) the parties to the agreement were under some
incapacity or the agreement was invalid under the law to
which the parties have subjected it; (b) the party against
whom the award was invoked was not given proper notice
of the appointment of the arbitrator, the arbitration
proceedings, or was otherwise unable to present his case;
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Appendix B
(c) the final award deals with a difference not contemplated
by the submission to arbitration or is beyond the scope of
the submission to arbitration; (d) the composition of the
arbitral authority or the arbitral procedure was improper
and not in accordance with the agreement of the parties; or
(e) the award has not yet become binding or has been stayed
by a competent authority. /d., Art. V(1). A court also may
refuse confirmation on a arbitral award if it finds (a) the
subject matter of the difference between the parties is not
capable of settlement by arbitration under the law of the
enforcing state or (b) enforcement of the award is or would
be contrary to the public policy of the enforcing state. /d.,
Art. V(2).
Although it is necessary for the Court to analyze poten-
tial New York Convention defenses raised by Pertamina,
“({a]bsent extraordinary circumstances, a confirming court is
not to reconsider the arbitrator’s findings.” Europcar Italia
v. Maiellano Tours, 156 F.3d 310, 315 (2d Cir.1998).
A mistake in fact or law is insufficient to refuse confirmation
of an arbitral award. /d. at 316.
The burden of proof in confirmation proceedings rests
on the party defending against enforcement of the arbitral
award, in this case, Pertamina. Jmperial Ethiopian Gov t, 535
F.2d at 336; Empresa Constructora Contex Limitada v. Iseki,
Inc., 106 F.Supp.2d 1020, 1024 (S.D.Cal.2000); American
Const. Mach. & Equip. Corp., 659 F.Supp. at 428.
22a
Appendix B
III. CONTRACTUAL WAIVER OF OPPOSITION TO
ENFORCEMENT
As athreshold matter, the Court must determine whether
Pertamina agreed in the JOC or ESC to forgo any defense
against enforcement of the arbitration award. KBC contends
that the following language, present in both contracts,
prohibits Pertamina from opposing KBC’s enforcement
action: :
The award rendered in any arbitration commenced
hereunder shall be final and binding upon the
Parties and judgment thereon may be entered in
any court having jurisdiction for its enforcement.
The Parties hereby renounce their right to appeal
from the decision of the arbitral panel and agree
that in accordance with Section 641 of the
Indonesian Code of Civil Procedure neither Party
shall appeal to any court from the decision of the
arbitral panel and accordingly the Parties hereby
waive the applicability of Articles 15 and 108 of
Law No. 1 of 1950 and any other provision of
Indonesian Law and regulations that would
otherwise give the right to appeal the decision
of the arbitral panel. In addition, the Parties
agree that neither Party shall have any right
to commence or maintain any suit or legal
proceeding concerning a dispute [hereunder until
the dispute*] has been determined in accordance
5. The bracketed text inexplicably is absent from the JOC,
but the omission does not affect the meaning.
23a
Appendix B
with the arbitration procedure provided for herein
and then only to enforce or facilitate the execution
of the award rendered in such arbitration.
JOC, Art. 13(d); ESC, § 8(d). Pertamina contends that this
provision does not constitute a waiver of its rights under the
New York Convention.
Neither party has cited a case analyzing language
precisely like that in the contracts at issue here. KBC relies
on Jn re Arditration Between Chromalloy Aeroservices
and Arab Repub. of Egypt, 939 F.Supp. 907 (D.D.C.1996).
However, the holding in tliat case is not precisely on point.
In that case, the United States District Court for the District
of Columbia found that an Egyptian ruling nullifying an
arbitration award was ‘mproper because it was “the clear
intent of the parties that any arbitration of a dispute arising
under the Contract is not to be appealed to any court.” Jd. at
912. While Chromalloy supports the conclusion that language
such as that quoted above constitutes a waiver of Pertamina’s
rightto appeal the arbitration award, the current proceeding
is not an appeal but an enforcement action. Chromalloy did
not address the affect of such language on a party’s right to
raise New York Convention defenses in opposition to an
enforcement proceeding.
Pertamina cites M & C Corp. v. Erwin Behr GmbH &
Co., 87 F.3d 844, 847 (6th Cir.1996), for the proposition
that the contract provisions quoted above do not constitute
a waiver of its defenses under the New York Convention.
The contract at issue in M & C Corp., provided that “[t]he
arbitral award shail be final” and that the parties have “waived
their right to any form of appeal.” Jd. The M & C Corp. court
24a
Appendix B
determined that notwithstanding the contractual language at
issue in that case, the party against whom the award was
rendered was entitled to contest the validity and enforceability
of the award pursuant to the New York Convention. /d.
The Sixth Circuit was concerned that to hold otherwise:
“would insulate [arbitration] judgments from judicial review
even in cases involving fraud, procedural irregularities,
or exertion of improper influence upon arbitrators.” Jd.
The contractual provisions at issue here are broader than
the one in M & C Corp. in that they limit not only appeals
but the “right to commence or maintain any suit or legal
proceeding concerning a dispute hereunder.” The Court
nevertheless concludes that Pertamina is entitled to rulings
on the arguments it raises. The present suit is one in which
KBC seeks to enforce an arbitration award which Pertamina
opposes. The necessity of a suit to enforce the award was
envisioned by the drafters of the JOC and ESC. Implicitly,
the parties thus recognized the nght to defend against such
relief under the New York Convention. Had the drafters
intended to deprive an unsuccessful party of all New York
Convention defenses in an enforcement proceeding, the
drafters could and should explicitly have said so.
The defenses permitted by the New York Convention
ensure that arbitral awards meet minimum procedural
standards for protecting the litigants’ rights. The defenses
recognized by the New York Convention do not permit the
Court to address the merits of the dispute submitted to
arbitration. See Schlumberger, 195 F.3d at 220. The Court
concludes that Pertamina has not waived its New York
Convention defenses to enforcement of the arbitral award.
25a
Appendix B
Thus, the Court will consider the substantive points raised
by Pertamina’s Response.
IV. PERTAMINA’S NEW YORK CONVENTION DEFENSES
Article V of the New York Convention specifies seven
limited exceptions to the mandatory enforcement of foreign
arbitration awards. “Absent a convincing showing that one
of these narrow exceptions applies the arbitral award will be
confirmed.” Trans Chem., 978 F.Supp. at 309; see Yusuf
Ahmed Alghanim & Sons v. Toys “R” Us, 126 F.3d 15, 20
(2d Cir.1997). Pertamina asserts three of the enumerated New
York Convention defenses here: (1) the composition and
procedure of the Tribunal violated the terms of the parties’
agreements (Art. V(1)(d)); (2) the Tribunal deprived
Pertamina of due process (Art. V(1)(b)); and (3) the arbitral
award violates public policy (Art. V(2)(b)).
A. Alleged Violations of the Parties’ Agreements
Article V, § 1(d) of the Convention provides a defense
against confirmation of an arbitral award if the respondent
can prove that “the composition of the arbitral authority or
the arbitral procedure was not in accordance with the
agreement of the parties, or, failing such agreement, was not
in accordance with the law of the country where the
arbitration took place.” 9 U.S.C. § 201, Art. V(1)(d). At least
one district court faced with an objection to enforcement of
an arbitral award based on Article V(1)(d) has concluded that
because of the clear “pro-enforcement bias” of the New York
Convention, it is appropriate to “set aside an award based on
a procedural violation only if sucht violation worked
substantial prejudice to the complaining party.” Compagnie
26a
Appendix B
des Bauxites de Guinee v. Hammermills, Inc., No. 90-0169,
1992 WL 122712, *5 (D.D.C. May 29, 1992); American
Const. Mach. & Equip. Corp., 659 F.Supp. at 428. The Court
finds the Hammermills decision well-reasoned and adopts it
as persuasive authority. The Court therefore holds that
Pertamina must show that there is a violation of an arbitration
agreement between the parties and that the violation actually
caused Pertamina substantial prejudice in the arbitration.
Pertamina argues that the Final Award should not be
confirmed because first, the Tribunal improperly consolidated
the disputes under the JOC and ESC into one arbitral
proceeding and, second, the Tribunal was improperly
constituted because KBC unilaterally chose an arbitrator in
violation of the terms of § 8.2 of the ESC.°
1. Consolidation of KBC’s Claims Under the JOC
and ESC
Pertamina argues that the arbitral procedure was contrary
to the parties’ agreements because neither the JOC or the
ESC expressly allows consolidation. Because arbitration is
6. KBC characterizes Pertamina’s arguments as “arbitrability”
issues, and argues that Pertamina cannot raise such issues here
because it agreed to submit them for decision by the Tribunal. The
Court disagrees. Disputes concerning breaches of the contracts
are encompassed by the contracts’ arbitration clauses. To the extent
that Pertamina raises issues as to whether the arbitration procedures
were in accordance with the parties’ agreements, these matters
are not strictly arbitrability questions. However, KBC’s contention
that these contract issues were fully aired before the Tribunal is
well-taken. Absent some clear reason under the New York
Convention, the Court will enforce the Tribunal’s award.
27a
Appendix B
a product of contract, courts generally are reluctant to allow
consolidation unless the parties consent. See Government of
United Kingdom of Great Britain v. Boeing Co., 998 F.2d
68, 72 (2d Cir.1993) (district courts do not have authority to
consolidate arbitrations absent the parties consent).
In this case, the Tribunal approved a single arbitration
based on the “connexity” of KBC’s claims and the integration
of the two contracts.’ See PX 28, Preliminary Award, at 26.
The Tribunal found that “the parties did not contemplate the
performance of two independent contracts, but the
performance of a single project consisting of two closely
related parties.” Jd. at 27. The Tribunal had “not the slightest
doubt” that a single arbitration was appropriate due to the
integration of the two contracts and the fact that the
Presidential Decree, the consequences of which are at the
origin of the dispute, affected both of them. Jd. Compare
United Kingdom, 998 F.2d at 69 (reversing district court
consolidation of arbitration proceedings involving separate,
distinct agreements between the United Kingdom and two
different parties, absent the parties’ agreement).
The Tribunal based its integration finding on the facts
that the contracts were signed on the same day; that the JOC
expressly provided that the ESC “shall be an integral part of
this contract, and to the extent the provisions of the Energy
Sales Contract obligate the Parties hereto, shall be deemed
7. “Connexity,” as explained in the Preliminary Award, relates
to the legal relations between KBC and Pertamina on the basis of the
JOC on the one hand, and between KBC, Pertamina and PLN on the
basis of the ESC on the other hand. PX 28, Preliminary Award,
at 26.
ee 2
28a
Appendix B
incorporated into this contract for all purposes”; and that the
ESC provided that it and the JOC together constitute the
entire agreement between the parties. PX 28, Preliminary
Award, at 26-27. In essence, the Tribunal concluded that the
nature of the contracts at issue is such that the parties
contemplated arbitration in a single proceeding. This Court
strongly concurs. In addition, it is obvious that separate
arbitrations of the matters in dispute among the parties under
the JOC and ESC would have required substantial duplica-
tion of evidence on liability, damages and defensive issues.
Pertamina, the only Respondent in this enforcement
proceeding,’ is a party to both the JOC and the ESC. The
two Respondents in the arbitration, Pertamina and PLN, were
represented by the same counsel at all times during the
arbitration. Further, Pertamina has not cited any case in which
consolidation was deemed to be in error under similar
circumstances.’
8. See supra note 1.
9. One treatise, cited by Pertamina in support of its argument
that there can be no consolidation absent consent, acknowledges
“there is strong support for the view that a judicially consolidated
arbitration would be enforceable under the New York Convention
where allowed by the governing local law as long as all parties have
agreed (1) to arbitration and (ii) to the same arbitral jurisdiction.
Where the parties have in effect agreed to a /ex arbitri, it is reasonable
to infer that they have agreed to be governed by any mandatory
requirements of that law regarding consolidation which may override
the express choice of the parties in matters of composition and
procedure of the arbitral tribunal.” ALLAN REDFERN, MARTIN
HUNTER, LAW AND PRACTICE OF INTERNATIONAL
COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION 187 (2d Ed.1991). In this case,
the parties agreed to arbitration and that the arbitration would be
(Cont'd)
29a
Appendix B
The Tribunal acknowledged that “the position of each
party has to be considered independently when discussing
the substance of the case, on the basis of their respective
legal and contractual situations” (Jd. at 28), and carefully
adhered to this precept in all its rulings. There is no evidence
that the Tribunal failed to distinguish between the positions
of Pertamina and PLN in the arbitration. Indeed, the Tribunal
went to great lengths to address the contentions of each
separately, even though Pertamina and PLN chose to submit
joint memorials and were represented by the same counsel
at the arbitration hearing. There is simply no showing that
these findings by the Tribunal are in error and should not be
enforced.
In any event, Pertamina has not demonstrated that it
suffered any loss of contract rights from the consolidation.
The Court concludes that the consolidation did not violate
the parties’ agreements. Pertamina has not proven any
prejudice from the consolidation. Pertamina thus has failed
to meet its burden under the New York Convention to show
a violation of Article V(1)(d) that precludes enforcement of
the Final Award.
2. Appointment of Arbitrators
Pertamina also contends that the procedure used to
appoint the arbitrators for the arbitration proceedings violated
the ESC.
(Cont’d)
conducted in Geneva, Switzerland. Thus, there is a legal foundation
for the Tribunal’s application of the Swiss law of “connexity” to the
consolidation issue.
30a
Appendix B
The ESC provides for the appointment of arbitrators as
follows:
PLN on one hand, and COMPANY [KBC] and
PERTAMINA, on the other hand, will each
- appoint one arbitrator, in each case within thirty
(30) days after the date of a request to initiate
arbitration, who will then jointly appoint a third
arbitrator within thirty (30) days of the date of
the appointment of the second arbitrator, to act as
Chairman of the Tribunal. Arbitrators not
appointed within the time limits set forth in the
preceding sentence shall be appointed by the
Secretary General of the International Center for
Settlement of Investment Disputes, upon the
request of any Party.
ESC, § 8.2(a). The JOC’s procedure for arbitrators’
appointment is slightly different:
Each Party [KBC and Pertamina] will appoint an
arbitrator within thirty (30) days after the date of
a request to initiate arbitration, who will then
jointly appoint a third arbitrator within thirty (30)
days of the date of the appointment of the second
arbitrator, to act as Chairman of the Tribunal.
Arbitrators not appointed within the time limits
set forth in the preceding sentence shall be
appointed by the Secretary General of the Inter-
national Center for Settlement of Investment
Disputes.
3la
Appendix B
JOC, Art. 13.2(a). Thus, each contract provided for the
appointment of arbitrators by the ICSID in the event any party
failed to meet its own obligation to do so. There is no question
that the Tribunal was constituted in accordance with the
express terms of the JOC. The disputed issue is whether
KBC’s unilateral designation of the first arbitrator violated
the ESC.
The Tribunal rejected the Respondent’s position that in
all disputes under the ESC, KBC and Pertamina must jointly
appoint one arbitrator while PLN appointed the other.
See PX 28, Preliminary Award, at 30. The Tribunal found
that the ESC arbitration clause applies to the entire contract,
not only to disputes aligning KBC and Pertamina on one side
against PLN, and that therefore it defied common sense, ina
dispute between KBC and Pertamina, to oblige KBC and
Pertamina to jointly appoint an arbitrator. See id. Because
the ESC does not expressly address the method for appointing
arbitrators in the KBC v. Pertamina situation, the Tribunal
found that the appointment of arbitrators must be made in
accordance with UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, which the
parties incorporated into the ESC and which were satisfied
in this case.'° To the extent that the contract interpretation
issue is an arbitrable one, the Court sees no reason under the
New York Convention to reject the Tribunal’s reasoned
analysis of the ESC.
10. Section 8.2(a) of the ESC provides that any dispute arising
under that contract “shall finally be settled by an arbitral tribunal
(the “Tribunal”) under the UNCITRAL arbitration rules contained
in Resolution 31/98 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
on December 15, 1976 and entitled ‘Arbitration Rules of the United
Nations Commission on International Trade Law’ as in force at the
time such arbitration commenced.”
32a
Appendix B
In addition, looking at the issue afresh, the Court
concludes that Pertamina has not established a violation of
the ESC in regard to the first (or any other) arbitrator’s
selection. Pertamina has not claimed, before the Tribunal or
this Court, that it failed to receive KBC’s April 30, 1998
Notice of Arbitration. That Notice included Prof. Bernardini
as KBC’s choice of arbitrator. Pertamina also has not claimed
that it did not receive the ICSID’s June 29 and July 13, 1998
letters, see supra, at 4, informing Pertamina of the ICSID’s
intention to appoint Dr. El-Kosheri as the second arbitrator."
The ICSID’s action thus also indicated its acceptance of
Prof. Bernardini as the first arbitrator. Nonetheless, Pertamina
lodged no objection to the appointment of either Prof. Bernardini
or Dr. El-Kosheri.'?
The Court also rejects Pertamina’s contention that KBC’s
nomination of an arbitrator without Pertamina’s consent
violates the ESC because Pertamina’s construction of the
selection procedure renders the ESC’s arbitration provision
illusory. Under Pertamina’s interpretation, Pertamina would
11. Pertamina apparently argued to the Tribunal that it did not
name an arbitrator because it was contesting the legitimacy of the
arbitration and further contended that it did not receive certain of
the correspondence from the ICSID regarding KBC’s request that
the ICSID appoint the second arbitrator. See PX 28, Preliminary
Award, at 8. Pertamina does not assert these arguments before the
Court.
12. In fact, Pertamina expressly informed the Tribunal in its
Preliminary Memorial that it had no objection to Dr. El-Kosheri, the
arbitrator selected by the ICSID. See PX 23, at 36. Thus, Pertamina’s
objection is solely to fact that KBC was allowed to select one of the
arbitrators.
33a
Appendix B
hold the unilateral power to prevent the arbitration of disputes
between it and KBC arising under the ESC simply by refusing
to select or comment on KBC’s proposals for an arbitrator.
That is not a reasonable interpretation of the expressed intent
of the parties as set forth in the ESC. The parties intended
that in the event a party failed to name an arbitrator within
thirty days of the request for arbitration, the ICSID would
do so. In effect, that is the scenario that transpired in this
case. KBC nominated an arbitrator. Pertamina had ample
notice of this act. The time for Pertamina to object to KBC’s
selection or for Pertamina to have asserted its right to
participate in the first arbitrator’s appointment was within
thirty days of receiving KBC’s Notice of Arbitration and
arbitrator selection. In the absence of an objection from
Pertamina, nothing in the ESC precluded the ICSID from
accepting KBC’s nomination for the first arbitrator.'? This
procedure materially complies with the terms of the ESC."4
13. It is noted that Pertamina still lodged no objection to either
the first or the second individual appointed arbitrator.
14. There are other viable interpretations of the ESC arbitration
clause and the parties’ contracts generally that support the procedure
used in this dispute. For instance, because the ESC and JOC are
expressly integrated contracts, they must be interpreted together to
determine the intent of the parties. It is arguable that the parties to
the ESC intended to be bound by the arbitration provision (including
the provision for the selection of arbitrators) of the JOC when a
dispute involved that contract. Under that interpretation, the
arbitration provision of the ESC would be operative only in the event
the arbitration did not include issues arising under the JOC.
Alternatively, the contract provisions may be harmonized by applying
the ESC methodology only when KBC and Pertamina both were
adverse to PLN and not to each other.
34a
Appendix B
Pertamina’s belated arguments that Prof. Bernardini was
improperly selected are a futile attempt to avoid consequences
of its strategic decisions not to object timely to KBC’s selection
and to decline to participate in the selection of an arbitrator.
Moreover, there is no evidence—and Pertamina does not
even allege—that Prof. Bernardini, the KBC-selected
arbitrator, was biased against Pertamina. Indeed, to the extent
Pertamina must show prejudice from the contract violation
to support this New York Convention defense, Pertamina’s
evidence fails even if one assumes that Prof. Bernardini
unfairly favored KBC in the arbitration. All the findings
and awards were unanimous. See PX 28, Preliminary Award;
PX 71, Final Award. There is no evidence or even any
allegation that the other two arbitrators were not neutral, were
biased, or had any conflict of interest. Therefore, Pertamina
cannot show that the arbitration selection procedure worked
any prejudice to Pertamina. See Compagnie des Bauxites de
Guinee, 1992 WL 122712, at *5.
The Court accordingly holds that Pertamina has not met
its burden to show either that the composition of the Tribunal
violated the parties’ agreements or that the composition
caused Pertamina substantial prejudice.
B. Alleged Due Process Violations
The New York Convention allows denial of award
confirmation if the party against whom it is invoked can prove
that it “was not given proper notice of the appointment of
the arbitrator or of the arbitration proceedings or was other-
wise unable to present his case”. 9 U.S.C. § 201, Art. V(1)(b).
ia
35a
Appendix B
This enumerated defense “essentially sanctions the
application of the forum state’s standards of due process.”
Iran Aircraft Indus. v. Avco Corp., 980 F.2d 141, 145-46
(2d Cir.1992). The fundamental requirement of due process
is the opportunity to be heard at a “meaningful time and in
meaningful manner.” /d. at 146. Enforcement of the award
may be denied only if there was a procedural infirmity that
rendered the proceedings fundamentally unfair and caused
prejudice to the complaining party. Hammermills, 1992 WL
122712, at *5. A fundamentally fair hearing is one that meets
the minimum requirements of fairness: adequate notice, a
hearing on the evidence, and an impartial decision by the
arbitrators. See Generica Ltd. v. Pharm. Basics, 125 F.3d
1123, 1130 (7th Cir.1997); Sunshine Mining Co. v. United
Steelworkers, 823 F.2d 1289, 1295 (9th Cir.1987). The right
to due process does not, however, encompass the procedural
rights guaranteed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Imperial Ethiopian Government, 535 F.2d at 337; Empresa,
106 F.Supp.2d at 1026; Trans Chem., 978 F.Supp. at 310
(“The right to due process does not include the complete set
of procedural rights guaranteed by the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure. By agreeing to arbitration [the respondent]
subjected itself to its advantages and disadvantages.”).
Pertamina argues that it was not afforded due process in
the arbitration because the Tribunal (1) failed to grant a
continuance and denied it further discovery six weeks before
the scheduled hearing, and (2) “reversed,” without
notification, the Preliminary Award. The first of these alleged
procedural deficiencies relates to Pertamina’s alleged
inability to respond adequately to issues raised in KBC’s
Rebuttal briefing. In connection with its arguments regarding
36a
Appendix B
discovery, Pertamina further asserts that it is entitled to
discovery in this federal court proceeding pursuant to Federal
Rule of Civil Procedure 56(f) before the Court rules on KBC’s
summary judgment motion. The second alleged procedural
- deficiency relates to Pertamina’s perception that the Final
Award is contrary to the Tribunal’s Preliminary Award, which
found that the Government of Indonesia was not a proper
party to the arbitration and that Pertamina could not be held
liable for the acts of the Government of Indonesia. KBC
contends that Pertamina received a full and fundamentally
fair hearing.
1. Denial of Request for Continuance and Discovery
Tribunal’s Denial of Continuance and Discovery
Requests.—Six weeks before the hearing, in early May 20900,
KBC filed a Rebuttal with the Tribunal. Pertamina contends
that it was prejudiced by KBC’s Rebuttal because KBC
allegedly included an entirely new position on the financing
of the Project, made new allegations of the conduct
constituting Pertamina’s breach, relied on newly-submitted
awards in the arbitrations known as Himpurna and Patuha,
identified additional witnesses, and presented new
documentary evidence. Pertamina asserts that it was required
to secure new experts and fact witnesses and to impose upon
its existing experts and fact witnesses to review KBC’s
Rebuttal submissions in four weeks. Pertamina further
contends it had insufficient time post-Rebuttal to prepare for
the hearing.
In fact, KBC’s Rebuttal did not assert any new claims or
new legal theories for recovery. KBC’s Rebuttal responded
37a
Appendix B
to specific defenses asserted in Respondents’ Reply by
specifying additional facts, argument, and authority
supporting its claims, including the Himpurna and Patuha
awards. The Court is aware of no rule or law that obligated
KBC to specify in its Revised Statement of Claim all evidence
it intended to submit, and every argument it intended to make,
ultimately to support its claims at the hearing. Pertamina had
notice of KBC’s claims, and should have anticipated that
KBC would contest its defenses. The arbitration proceeding
was pending for approximately two years. Pertamina had
ample time to prepare its case. Moreover, the fact that KBC’s
Rebuttal was submitted only six weeks before the hearing
was the direct result of Respondents’ requests for extensions
of time to submit their Reply to KBC’s November 1999
Revised Statement of Claim. Pertamina was aware in mid-
March 2000, when the Tribunal granted its latest request for
an extension of time, that the hearing date remained set for
June 19, 2000. See PX 38, Procedural Order No. 4. Pertamina
did not file its Reply to KBC’s Revised Statement of Claim
until April 2000, which explains the timing of KBC’s
Rebuttal. ;
To the extent Pertamina also contends that it was unfairly
denied discovery on the “highly material” issue of KBC’s
ability to finance the Project, the record does not support the
contention. During the two years preceding the filing of the
Rebuttal, Pertamina had requested no discovery on this
“highly material” issue, even though KBC expressly sought
lost profits in its Revised Staternent of Claim in November,
1999, and even though Pertamina responded to KBC’s claim
by arguing that KBC was entitled to no damages because it
could not have completed the Project for reasons independent
38a
Appendix B
of the Presidential Decree. See PX 40, at 6. Moreover, even
without the requested discovery, Pertamina presented
substantial evidence on the Indonesian economy (infoi mation
easily accessible to Pertamina and PLN), and expert opinions
on the availability of financing, on the size of the “geothermal
reserve,” and on the “useable resource.” See PX 39, 41, 42,
43, and 44. Pertamina’s counsel thoroughly cross-examined
KBC’s witnesses on the issues raised in KBC’s Rebuttal.
Pertamina, which bears the burden to prove that the hearing
was fundamentally unfair, does noi identify specific topics
or other matters it was prevented from raising; nor does
Pertamina identify anything it would have done differently
if it had move preparation time. Pertamina refers to the broad,
general discovery requests attached to its letter of submission
to the arbitrators, see PX 54, but it has not identified a single
specific piece or type of evidence it believes exists that would
have aided in 'ts defense on these issues. Pertamina has failed
to establist. under the New York Convention that it was
denied a .undamentally fair hearing, and thus denied due
process. as a result of the lack of discovery or a continuance
after KBC’s Rebuttai.'°
In addition, the transcript of the June 23, 2001
proceedings (the last day of the arbitration hearing)
establishes that Respondents informed the Tribunal that they
were Satisfied with the record as it existed, and that they
abandoned their pre-hearing discovery requests:
15. The issue is not whether this Court would have granted the
discovery or the continuance. The question is whether the procedures
employed met the minimum requirements of fairness.
39a
Appendix B
MR. CHAIRMAN: May we, before departing have a
discussion on what is going to be done now in these
proceedings, and we see two items on this particular
agenda. There were first a certain number of procedural
objections which have been made before this hearing,
and in the procedural order we said that this would be
decided after the hearing. In summary, there was a
request for discovery from one side, and there was
objection to the submission of this arbitral award and
the business of confidentiality. You remember this
discussion.
MR. MISHKIN [Respondents’ Attorney]: I think there
was a request for discovery from both sides.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Our first question is are these
requests maintained, all of them, part of them, because
we would like to know on what we have to decide.
MR. MISHKIN: May I just give you my views on that
question.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Yes.
MR. MISHKIN: And that is that the purpose of
discovery is to prepare for the hearing, it is not to
supplement the record after the hearing. So I think the
discovery requests are moot, and if discovery is now
permitted, then you have to re-open the proceedings
and so on. So I treated, notwithstanding the fact that
it was theoretically open, I treated this request as
effectively being denied, and we went forward. Our
40a
Appendix B
request went to the purported financial ability, the
purported financing that would have been made
available and other things, and / think ithe record on
that has been fully made. I am prepared to rest on that
record, and so / think discovery requests should no
longer be in the picture.
MR. SCHILLER [Petitioner’s Attorney]: I agree.
PROF. BERNARDINI [Arbitrator]: And you agree on
their withdrawing their request. What about yours?
MR. SCHILLER: I withdraw my request.
Hearing Transcript, Vol. V, at 807-08 (emphasis added).
Thus, Pertamina expressly abandoned its arguments
concerning the timing and other alleged procedural defects
in the arbitration proceedings.
In any event, these procedural decisions were well within
the reasonable exercise of the Tribunal’s discretion. These
decisions did not prevent Pertamina from having a
meaningful hearing. They do not rise to the level of
fundamental unfairness necessary to deny enforcement of the
arbitration award.
Pertamina’s Rule 56(f) Request for Discovery.—
As another avenue in its due process defense under the New
York Convention, Pertamina requests discovery in this
lawsuit under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Speci-
fically, Pertamina requests, as it did before the Tribunal,
additional discovery related to KBC’s ability to finance the
4la
Appendix B
Project. KBC opposes Pertamina’s request, contending
that it is improper under applicable law and the New York
Convention, and is unwarranted factually. Pertamina’s request
for discovery is denied.
Rule 56(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure permits
a district court, upon a proper showing by the party seeking
Rule 56(f) relief, to delay consideration of a motion for
summary judgment pending additional discovery. FED. R.
CIV. P. 56(f); Krim y. BancTexas Group, Inc., 989 F.2d 1435,
1441 (Sth Cir.1993). “In order to obtain a continuance of a
motion for summary judgment for discovery purposes, a party
must set forth some statement to the court indicating why
additional discovery is necessary and ‘how additional
discovery will create a genuine issue of material fact.’”
Canady v. Bossier Parish School Bd., 240 F.3d 43 7,445 (Sth
Cir.2001) (citing Leatherman vy. Tarrant County Narcotics
Intelligence and Coordination Unit, 28 F.3d 1388, 1395 (Sth
Cir.1994)). A party “may not simply rely on vague assertions
that additional discovery will produce needed, but
unspecified facts.” Krim, 989 F.2d at 1442 (internal citations
omitted). It must show (1) why additional discovery is needed
and (2) how that discovery will create a genuine issue of
material fact. Stearns Airport Equip. Co. v. FMC Corp., 170
F.3d 518, 535 (Sth Cir.1999) (citing Krim, 989 F.2d at 1442).
If the party has not dili gently pursued discovery, however, it
is not entitled to relief under Rule 56(f). See Leatherman v.
Tarrant County Narcotics Intelligence & Coordination Unit,
28 F.3d 1388, 1397 (Sth Cir.1994).
Pertamina argues that this Court’s review of its New York
Convention defenses involves legal issues subject to de novo
42a
Appendix B
review, but concedes that the Court must defer to the
Tribunal’s factual findings. Pertamina’s Response, at 2.
Pertamina also concedes that the grounds for review under
the New York Convention typically relate to the existing
record and do not otherwise depend on discovery. Pertamina’s
Response, at 50 (citing Frere v. Orthofix, Inc., Nos. 99
CIV4049 and 00CIV1968, 2000 WL 1789641, at *4-*8
(S.D.N.Y. Dec.6, 2000)). Discovery is particularly inappro-
priate in enforcement proceedings under the New York
Convention. See Imperial Ethiopian Govt, 535 F.2d at 337
(“the loser in arbitration cannot freeze the confirmation
proceedings in their tracks and indefinitely postpone
judgment by merely requesting discovery.’’).
As noted above, the right to due process protected by
the New York Convention does not encompass the procedural
rights guaranteed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
See Imperiai Ethiopian Government, 535 F.2d at 337;
Empresa, 106 F.Supp.2d at 1026; Trans Chem., 978 F.Supp.
at 310 (“The right to due process does not include the
complete set of procedural rights guaranteed by the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure. By agreeing to arbitration [the
respondent] subjected itself to its advantages and
disadvantages.”). Pertamina had notice at least as early as
November 24, 1999, upon KBC’s submission of its Revised
Claim, that KBC was seeking lost profits.'® See PX 31,
16. In its Notice of Arbitration, KBC claimed it was seeking
damages from PLN and Pertamina for breach of both the JOC and
ESC. See PX 6, Notice of Arbitration, { 17(A). It was apparent at
that point that KBC’s ESC claim likely would include lost profits,
and thus raised the issue of financing, because the ESC contemplated
that the Project would be completed and electricity sold to PLN.
43a
Appendix B
Revised Statement, at 37. Indeed, the issue of available
financing was raised and thoroughly addressed by Pertamina,
without the benefit of any discovery, in its Reply to KBC’s
Revised Statement, see PX 40, Respondents’ Reply, at 6, and
through witness statements. There is no reason to allow the
discovery Pertamina requests at this enforcement Stage of
the proceedings.
Finally, the Court’s conclusion that the requested discovery
is unwarranted at this Stage is supported by statements of
Pertamina’s counsel at the conclusion of the arbitration
hearing. Counsel stated that “discovery is to prepare for the
hearing, it is not to supplement the record after the hearing”
and that Pertamina’s discovery request “went to the purported
financial ability, the purported financing that would have been
made available and other things, and I think the record on
that has been fully made. Iam prepared to rest on that record,
and so I think the discovery requests should no longer be in
the picture.” Hearing Transcript, Vol. V, at 807-08.
Even if discovery were appropriate at this late Stage in
the parties’ dispute, and even if the Tribunal made a factual
or legal error, Pertamina has failed to meet its Rule 56(f)
burden to demonstrate why the requested discovery is
material. This Court may not disturb the Tribunal’s ruling
absent a due process violation, or other ground under the
New York Convention. Pertamina has failed to show that the
evidence that could be discovered likely would lead to a
finding that the arbitration process was fundamentally unfair,
constituted a due process violation for some other reason, or
violated the New York Convention in some other way. Thus,
Pertamina’s discovery request under Rule 56(f) is denied.
Oo
44a
Appendix B
In sum, Pertamina has failed to meet its burden to show
that circumstances warrant opening the record for additional
evidence in this enforcement proceeding. Thus, the Court
rejects Pertamina’s request for discovery and its argument
that KBC’s motion for summary judgment is premature.
2. “Reversal” of the Preliminary Award
Pertamina contends that it was denied due process when
the Tribunal found it liable for abiding by the requirements
of the Presidential Decree despite having determined in the
Preliminary Award that a “Government Related Event” is “not
deemed to be a breach of contract by Pertamina or PLN but
a Force Majeure event excusing KBC’s non-performance.”
PX 28, Preliminary Award, at 19. Further, Pertamina contends
that because the Tribunal explicitly stated that the matters to
be considered at the hearing on the merits were to be “issues
not resolved in this Preliminary Award,” it did not have notice
that it would be held liable for breach of contract. Pertamina’s
position misinterprets both the Preliminary Award and the
Final Award, and defies logic. The Preliminary Award found
that the Government of Indonesia was not a party to the
contracts and that Pertamina was not the alter-ego of the
Government. However, it expressly recognized that
Pertamina would bear the risk of loss arising from a
Government Related Event:
[T]he parties took care of the close relation of
PERTAMINA and PLN with the [Government].
They included in both contracts a definition of
“Government [R]lelated Event” and, in both
contracts, the Force Majeure clause indicates
Id.
45a
Appendix B
that a “Government [R]elated Event” is an event
of Force Majeure with respect to KBC only. This
has two consequences for the interpretation of the
parties’ intention. On the one hand, they were
acknowledging that PERTAMINA and PLN had
such a close relation with the GOI that a decision
of the latter was not a Force Majeure event for
them; on the other hand, they were confirming
that the [Government] was not a party to the
contracts since a governmental decision which
prevents KBC to perform its obligations is not
deemed to be a breach of contract by PERTA-
MINA or PLN but a Force Majeure event excusing
KBC’s non performance.
In the Final Award, the Tribunal found that Pertamina
had a contractual responsibility to make KBC whole for a
“Government [R]elated Event,” not that the Presidential
Decree constituted a breach of c
Tribunal stated:
[The Preliminary Award] was not meant to express
any view as to the consequences for PERTAMINA
or PLN of a Governmental decision which prevents
the performance of the Contracts. Contrary to
Respondents’ point of view, the fact that they are
not responsible for the Governmental decision to |
prevent the performance of the Contracts does not
exempt them from liability if they do not perform
their own obligations in abiding by the decision.
ontract by Pertamina. The
46a
Appendix B
The Governmental decisions, in this case the
Presidential Decrees n. 39/1997 and n. 5/1998,
do not amount to a breach of Pertamina’s and
PLN’s obligations. However, since a Govern-
mental event is not a Force Majeure event for
them, their non-performance has no legitimate
excuse and must be considered as a breach of
contract.
Such distinction is far from being artificial, as the
Respondents contend. It applies each time a party
is actually prevented from performing its
contractual obligations by an event which it cannot
invoke as Force Majeure due to the existence of
provisions to that effect in the contract or by
application of the law.
PX 71, Final Award, §§ 56-57.
Moreover, the Preliminary Award must be read in context
with the Notice of Arbitration and all subsequent pleadings
by claimant KBC and Respondents. KBC clearly and directly
sought relief for alleged breaches of contract. In these
circumstances, if Pertamina truly thought the Preliminary
Award eliminated its liability for non-performance, then there
was nothing left to arbitrate. At the very least, Pertamina
had ample notice that the Tribunal would be hearing all of
the matters addressed in KBC’s Revised Statement of Claim,
submitted after the Preliminary Award and approximately
seven months before the hearing on the merits. Pertamina
responded to those claims in its briefing to the Tribunal and
thus demonstrated its awareness at the time of the matters in
LK
47a
Appendix B
issue. Pertamina’s self-serving, erroneous interpretation of
the Preliminary Award, does not Support a finding that the
arbitration was fundamentally unfair. Indeed, Pertamina has
failed to demonstrate that the Tribunal’s own interpretation
of its order is in any way unfounded.
C. Alleged Violations of Public Policy
The Convention allows confirmation of an award to be
refused if “the recognition or enforcement of the award would
be contrary to the public policy of that country.” 9 U.S.C.
§ 201, Art. V(2)(b). Pertamina asserts that the Final Award
is contrary to United States public policy because it (1) violates
the internationally recognized doctrine of “abuse of rights”
by awarding lost profits to KBC: and (2) holds Pertamina
liable for refusing to violate governing Indonesian law.
Application of the public policy exception will succeed
in only the narrowest of circumstances; indeed, vacating an
arbitral award under this defense requires a violation of the
“most basic notions of morality and justice.” Slaney v. Int’l
Amateur Athletic Fed n, 244 F.3d 580, 593 (7th Cir.2001)
(quoting Fotochrome, Inc. y. Copal Co., 517 F.2d 512, 516
(2d Cir.1975)); see also Europcar, 156 F.3d at 31 5; Industrial
Risk Ins. v. M.A.N. Gutehoffnungshutte GmbH, 141 F.3d
1434, 1445 (11th Cir] 998); Parsons & Whittemore Overseas,
Co., Inc. v. Societe Generale de L’Industrie du Papier
(RAKTA), 508 F.2d 969, 974 (2d Cir. 1974). The award must
violate an “explicit public policy that is well-defined and
dominant . . . [and is] ascertained by reference to the laws
and legal precedents and not from general consideration of
Supposed public interests.” Industrial Risk Ins., 141 F.3d
48a
Appendix B
at 1445 (quoting Drummond Coal Co. v. United Mine
Workers, Dist. 20, 748 F.2d 1495, 1499 (11th Cir.1984)
(internal quotes deleted)).
1. Does The Lost Profits Award Constitutes An
“Abuse of Rights”?
The international “abuse of rights” doctrine put forth by
Pertamina in its defense of enforcement of the Final Award
is akin to America’s “good faith” principle of law. Joseph
M. Perillo, “Abuse of Rights, A Pervasive Legal Concept,”
27 PAC. L.J. 37, (Fall 1995). Actions constitute an abuse
within the scope of the doctrine if: “(1) the predominant
motive for the action is to cause harm; or (2) the exercise of
a right is totally unreasonable given the lack of any legitimate
interest in the exercise of the mght and its exercise harms
another; or (3) the right is exercised for a purpose other than
that for which it exists.” JOHN D. CALAMARI AND
JOSEPH M. PERILLO, THE LAW OF CONTRACTS,
§ 11.39 (4th 1998).
In asserting the “abuse of rights” doctrine, Pertamina
does not argue that lost profits are never a legitimate form of
damages for breach of contract, but that an award of lost
profits in this particular case, when KBC never finished
construction on the Project and the Indonesian economy was
in ruins, constitutes an abuse of rights in violation of United
States public policy.
First, Pertamina falls far short of meeting its burden to
show that the “abuse of rights” doctrine is well-defined and
dominant inUnited States law. Pertamina has not cited a
49a
Appendix B
single case holding that “abuse of rights” is a recognized
doctrine in the United States or applying that doctrine to avoid
enforcement of a contractual right. However, even assuming
for purposes of the instant motion that “abuse of rights” is
an accepted legal doctrine in this country, the facts of this
case, as found by the Tribunal, do not meet the elements of
an “abuse of rights” as set forth by the authority relied upon
by Pertamina. There is no evidence, and thus can be no
finding, that KBC’s primary motivation was to cause harm
to Pertamina or the Indonesian People; that KBC lacks a
legitimate interest in asserting its right to lost profits by virtue
of its contracts with Pertamina; or that KBC was attempting
to exercise its right to recover lost profits for any purpose
other than being compensated for its losses caused by
Pertamina’s failure to perform its obligations under the
contracts. The fact that KBC was awarded a substantial sum
of money, and Pertamina may think that its resources are
better spent elsewhere, does not Satisfy the doctrine.
In arguing that the lost profits award constitutes an
“abuse of rights,” Pertamina cites two arbitration awards that
resulted from the same Presidential Decree that precipitated
the arbitration in the instant case. See Petitioner’s Legal
Authorities (“LA”) 2, Final Award dated May 4, 1999,
Himpurna California Energy Ltd. v. PT. (Persero) Peru-
sahaan Listruik Negara (“Himpurna “); LA 3, Final Award
dated June 11, 1998, Patuha Power Ltd. v. PT. (Persero)
Perusahaan Listruik Negara (“‘Patuha’’). The arbitral tribunal
that decided both Himpurna and Patuha invoked the doctrine
of “abuse of rights” to deny the claimants’ awards of lost
profits. These awards contain extensive discussion of the
50a
Appendix B
“abuse of rights” doctrine. See Pertamina’s Response,
at 60-64. A review of those awards reveals that the tribunal
was influenced by PLN’s status as “an arm of governmental
policy acting in pursuit of the public welfare” that had not
intentionally deprived the claimant of valuable contractual
rights, and by the dire straits of the Indonesian economy."’
The Himpurna and Patuha Final Awards were introduced
into evidence by KBC, over Pertamina’s objection.'®
Pertamina contends that despite its objection to those awards,
it argued for application of the “abuse of rights” doctrine
detailed therein, but the Tribunal ignored the doctrine.
See Pertamina’s Response, at 60. Pertamina’s arguments
fail for several reasons. First, prior arbitral awards are
not precedential authority for the Tribunal or this Court.
See Peoples Sec. Life Ins. Co. v. Monumental Life Ins. Co.,
991 F.2d 141, 147 (4th Cir.1993). .
17. It is noted that Pertamina’s argument to this Court, that the
interests of the Indonesian public demand that Pertamina be immune
from liability for lost profits, is at odds with the vigorously defended
position in the arbitration that Pertamina and PLN are not the alter-
egos of the Indonesian Government. In any event, it is possible that
the results in Himpurna and Patuha are attributable, at least in part,
to positions taken by PLN in those cases that are materially different
from PLN’s positions here.
18. Pertamina’s reliance on Himpurna and Patuha is also
somewhat disingenuous given its argument to the Tribunal that those
decisions should not be treated as precedents. PX 71, Final Award,
q 31.
Sla
Appendix B
Second, it is clear that the doctrine of “abuse of rights”
was before the Tribunal, and was not “ignored.”’? The Final
Award indicates that the Tribunal in reaching its conclusion
considered the state of the Indonesian economy and balanced
the harm to Pertamina and PLN against KBC’s legitimate
interest in enforcing its contractual rights. The Tribunal noted
that “the worsening of the economic and political situation
in Indonesia at the time has to be taken into account as regards
both the conditions at which financing could have been
obtained and possible delays in arranging the same.” PX 71,
Final Award, § 133. The Tribunal further noted, “[t]here is
no doubt. . . that the Claimant is entitled to obtain the benefit
of its bargain in addition to recovering the expenditures it
has incurred. As stated in the Himpurna award, ‘[t]o limit
the recovery of the victim of a breach to its actual expendi-
tures is to transform it into a lender, which is commercially
intolerable when the party was at full risk for the amount
of investments made on the strength of the contract.’” Jd.,
q 122. Thus, by awarding KBC its lost profits, the Tribunal
necessarily rejected the “abuse of rights” doctrine in light of
the facts and arguments presented.
19. In any event, it is likely that disregard of a principle of law
is not a valid basis for avoiding confirmation under the Convention.
See M & C Corp., 87 F.3d at 851 n. 2 (“Whatever may be meant by
the manifest disregard doctrine applicable in domestic arbitration
cases, it is clear that such a doctrine does not rise to the level of a
violation of public policy that is necessary to deny confirmation of a
foreign arbitral award.”); RAKTA, 508 F.2d at 977 (“Both the
legislative history of Art. V and the statute enacted to implement the
United States’ accession to the Convention, are strong authority for
treating as exclusive the bases set forth in the convention for vacating
an award.”).
52a
Appendix B
This Court sees no reason to revisit the merits of the
Tribunal’s factual findings or its Final Award in this regard.
The Court concludes that Pertamina has not met its burden
to establish that the award to KBC of lost profits violates
public policy.
2. Does the Final Award Hold Pertamina Liable For
“Obeying The Law”
Pertamina lastly contends that the Tribunal held it liable
for refusing to violate governing Indonesian law. As discussed
supra in Section IV.B.2, at 953 — 54, this contention
mischaracterizes the Final Award. The Tribunal did not find
Pertamina liable for refusing to break the law.”° Rather,
in the Final Award, consistent with the Preliminary Award,
the Tribunal found that Pertamina had a contractual
responsibility to make KBC whole for a “Government
[R]elated Event.” The Tribunal thus found Pertamina liabie
for damages based on the parties’ express contractual
allocation of the risk of loss. As the Tribunal pointed out,
the risk of loss was rational based on Pertamina’s close
relationship with the Indonesian Government.
Pertamina accordingly has not satisfied its burden to
show that the Final Award offends the “most basic notions
of morality and justice.” Enforcement of the Final Award is
not contrary to United States public policy.
20. Nor did the Tribunal hold that the Presidential Decree
constituted a breach of contract by Pertamina, as Pertamina has argued
elsewhere.
53a
Appendix B
V. CONCLUSION AND ORDER
Pertamina did not waive its right to assert the defenses
established by the New York Convention in this case, but
has failed to meet its burden of proof on any of its asserted
defenses under the New York Convention. The Court finds
that the arbitration was not contrary to the contractual
agreements of the parties; Pertamina was not denied due
process in connection with the arbitration proceeding;
and the Final Award does not violate United States public
policy. In addition, the Court concludes that Pertamina’s
request to be allowed to conduct discovery in this enforce-
ment proceeding is without merit. It is therefore
ORDERED that KBC’s Motion for Summary Judgment
Confirming Arbitral Award [Doc. # 14] is GRANTED.
The Court will issue a separate Final Judgment.
FINAL JUDGMENT
In accordance with the Memorandum and Order issued
this date, it is hereby
ORDERED that Petitioner Karaha Bodas Company,
L.L.C.’s (“KBC’s”) Motion for Summary Judgment is
GRANTED. It is further
ORDERED that the Final Award in the Arbitration
dated December 18, 2000 is CONFIRMED. Therefore, in
accordance with the Final Award, KBC shall recover from
Pertamina:
54a
Appendix B
(1) $111,100,000.00 for lost expenditures, plus
interest at the rate of 4% per annum from January
, 2001 until the date of full payment;
(2) $150,000,000 for lost profits, plus interest at
the rate of 4% per annum from January 1, 2001
until the date of full payment;
(3) $66,654.92 for costs and expenses of the
arbitration, plus interest at the rate of 4% per
annum from January 1, 2001 until full payment.
Each party shall pay its own costs incurred in this proceeding.
55a
APPENDIX C — TEMPORARY RESTRAINING
ORDER AND ORDER OF CONTEMPT OF THE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, DATED
APRIL 9, 2002 AND ENTERED APRIL 11, 2002
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
HOUSTON DIVISION
CIVIL ACTION NO. H 01-0634
IN THE MATTER OF AN
ARBITRATION BETWEEN
KARAHA BODAS COMPANY, L.L.C.,
Petitioner,
Vv.
PERUSAHAAN PERTAMBANGAN MINYAK DAN GAS
BUMI NEGARA,
Respondent.
TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER
AND
ORDER OF CONTEMPT
KBC sought a Temporary Restraining Order (Doc. # 88}
to enjoin Pertamina from proceeding with an action
commenced in the District Court of the Central District of
Jakarta, Indonesia, to set aside an Arbitral Award dated
56a
Appendix C
December 18, 2000, made in Switzerland. This United States
District Court for the Southern District of Texas has held the
Arbitral Award to be enforceable under the Convention on
Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards
(“New York Convention”) in a Memorandum and Order,
entered December 4, 2001, upon a declaratory judgment
complaint and summary judgment motion filed by KBC, after
notice and full briefing by both parties. The Judgment in this
case has become final and is on appeal before the United
States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Based on findings of fact and conclusions of law stated
orally on the record at the hearing on March 29, 2002, as
supplemented at a hearing on April 2, 2002, the Court issued
orally a Temporary Restraining Order. A copy of transcripts
of each of Court’s oral orders was provided to the parties on
March 30, 2002, and April 3, 2002, respectively. This
Temporary Restraining Order, set forth below, is a formal
writing containing the Court’s prior rulings. This is not the
Court’s ruling on the Motion for Preliminary injunction that
remains pending before the Court.
The Court held a hearing on April 2, 2002, on KBC’s
Motion for Contempt [Doc. # 97], because the Indonesian
Court issued on April 1, 2002, an injunction purporting to
prevent KBC from taking any steps, world-wide, to enforce
or execute on the Judgment entered in this case. Pertamina
had not informed the Indonesian Court that this Court had
issued an injunction effective March 29, 2002, as set forth
in the following Temporary Restraining Order.
57a
Appendix C
TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER
Based on the findings and conclusions set forth on the
record on March 29, 2002, it is hereby (and previously)
ORDERED, as stated orally on the record on March 29,
2002 and effective that date, that Petitioner’s Motion for a
Temporary Restraining Order is GRANTED in part.
Specifically, it is
ORDERED that, during the pendency of this Temporary
Restraining Order, Pertamina shall withdraw its application
for injunctive relief against KBC in the District Court of the
Central District of Jakarta, Indonesia. It is further
ORDERED that, to effectuate the foregoing, Pertamina
shall amend its Complaint filed in the District Court of the
Central District of Jakarta, Indonesia, to specifically and
explicitly withdraw Pertamina’s request for injunctive relief
against KBC, and shall withdraw its request for penalties
associated with any injunction issued by that Court. It is
further
ORDERED that Pertamina affirmatively shall request
that the Distract Court of the Central District for Jakarta,
Indonesia, not issue any injunctive relief. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina shal explain to the District
Court of the Central District of Jakarta, Indonesia, that the
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
is to be permitted adequate time to complete the assessment
of the legal right of Pertamina under Article VI of the New
58a
Appendix C
York Convention to proceed in the courts of Indonesia, in
light this Court’s final Judgment declaring the Arbitral Award
issued on December 18, 2000, fully enforceable. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina is enjoined from seeking
from the District Court of the Central District of Jakarta,
Indonesia, expedited relief to set aside the December 4, 2000
Arbitral Award. Pertamina is not at this time required to
withdraw its Complaint filed under Article V of the New
York Convention in the District Court of the Central District
of Jakarta, Indonesia, but is directed to proceed with filings
in this action to perform ministerial actions only. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina shall arrange for the
preparation of a transcript of the April 1, 2002 hearing before
the District Court of the Central District of Jakarta, Indonesia.
KBC and Pertamina shall each pay one-half of the cost of
the transcript. It is further
ORDERED that during the pendency of this TRO, until
the issue of the Preliminary Injunction is determined by this
Court, KBC shall not seek in courts of Canada, Hong Kong,
Singapore, or any other jurisdiction outside the United States,
expedited relief, ex parte relief, or other relief to execute
upon Pertamina’s assets located in Canada, Hong Kong,
Singapore, or any other jurisdiction outside the United States.
This is not an injunction preventing KBC from seeking
execution upon assets of Pertamina in jurisdictions within
the United States on notice to Pertamina. It is further
ORDERED that KBC shall post a bond of $1,000,000,
in support of this Temporary Restraining Order. As stated on
59a
Appendix C
the record on March 29, 2002, this bond was to be posted on
or before April 1, 2002.
ORDER OF CONTEMPT
Based on the Court’s findings of fact and conclusions of
law as stated orally in connection with KBC’s Motion for
Contempt [Doc. #97], at the hearing on April 2, 2002, it is
hereby
ORDERED that Pertamina is in civil contempt of the
Temporary Restraining Order issued by the Court on March
29, 2002, reflected in the transcript of the March 29, 2002
ruling (delivered to Pertamina’s counsel on March 30, 2002),
and reaffirmed above. The Temporary Restraining Order was
clear and precise. There is no question, as evidenced by the
record, that Pertamina had notice of the Court’s injunction
issued March 29, 2002, and that Pertamina knowingly did
not comply with the Order. It is further
ORDERED that, effective April 2, 2002, Pertamina must
direct its counsel to withdraw immediately its application
for injunctive relief against KBC in the District Court of the
Central District of Jakarta, Indonesia. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina shall request immediately
that the Central District and any appropriate Appellate Court
vacate the injunctive relief ordered by the Jakarta, Indonesia
District Court on April 1, 2002. It is further
ORDERED that, in order to protect the status quo
between the parties as if the Indonesian injunction had never
60a
Appendix C
existed, Pertamina shall indemnify KBC for all monetary
punishments or penalties imposed under the injunction issued
by the District Court for the Central District of Jakarta,
Indonesia, as a result of any action taken by KBC between
March 29, 2002 and this Court’s final ruling on KBC’s
Motion for Preliminary Injunction [Doc. # 111] seeking to
preclude Pertamina from proceeding with the Indonesian
litigation. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina will not recover, at any time,
any monies as a result of the injunction issued on April 1,
2002, by the District Court for the Central District of Jakarta,
Indonesia, or as a result of any appeals therefrom, or as a
result of any similar injunctions issued in favor of Pertamina
by an Indonesian Court. KBC has no obligation to pay any
penalties arising from such order, to the extent such monies
are imposed as a penalty for any actions taken by KBC
between March 29, 2002 and this Court’s final ruling on
KBC’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction. It is further
ORDERED that, if any order is issued by any court
against KBC to pay penalties arising from the injunction order
of the District Court for the Central District of Jakarta based
on any action taken by KBC between March 29, 2002 and
this Court’s final ruling on KBC’s Motion for Preliminary
Injunction, Pertamina must pay KBC such monies prior to
KBC having any obligation to pay to Pertamina such
amounts. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina retains all its defenses to
enforcement of the Arbitral Award and execution against its
or others’ assets, and may defend against KBC’s enforcement
6la
Appendix C
of the Award and against enforcement of the Judgment of
this Court, or against KBC’s execution upon its or others’
assets, in all jurisdictions. It is further
ORDERED that the injunction entered against KBC by
the District Court for the Central District of Jakarta shall not
bar KBC from pursuing its enforcement actions anywhere in
the world if this Temporary Restraining Order is dissolved
and not converted to a comparable or similar Preliminary
Injunction. It is further
ORDERED that the letter of the President Director of
Pertamina dated April 1, 2002 as interpreted by the Court at
the April 2, 2002 hearing shall be treated as a judicial
admission on which this Court and KBC may rely. It is further
ORDERED that, because of the hardship to the parties
that may result from enforcement of the Indonesian injunction
before this Court has an opportunity to make a final ruling
on the Preliminary Injunction, good cause exists to extend
this Temporary Restraining Order for ten days from the date
of this Order.
The Clerk will file and record this Temporary Restraining
Order with copies to all parties.
SIGNED at Houston, Texas, at 5:30 p.m. on this 9th day
of April, 2002.
s/ Nancy F. Atlas
NANCY F. ATLAS
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
62a
APPENDIX D — ORDER GRANTING PRELIMINARY
INJUNCTION OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT
COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS,
HOUSTON DIVISION, DATED AND FILED
APRIL 26, 2002
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
HOUSTON DIVISION
CIVIL ACTION NO. H 01-0634
IN THE MATTER OF AN
ARBITRATION BETWEEN
KARAHA BODAS COMPANY, L.L.C.,
Petitioner,
V.
PERUSAHAAN PERTAMBANGAN
MINYAK DAN GAS BUMI NEGARA,
Respondent.
ORDER GRANTING PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION
This case, in which a final judgment confirming an
arbitral award in favor of Karaha Bodas Company, L.L.C.
(“KBC’”’) against Perusahaan Pertambangan Minyak Dan Gas
Bumi Negara (“Pertamina”) was entered on December 4,
2001, is before the Court on KBC’s Motion for Preliminary
SA
63a
Appendix D
Injunction.’ The Motion has been briefed and is ripe for
determination.” Both parties represented to the Court that no
evidentiary hearing on KBC’s Motion for Preliminary
Injunction was necessary. Having considered the parties’
submissions, argument of counsel at hearings on March 29,
2002 and April 2, 2002, all matters of record, and applicable
legal authorities, the Court concludes that KBC’s Motion for
Preliminary Injunction should be granted.
1. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
An international arbitral tribunal made an award of over
$261,000,000, plus interest, in damages in favor of KBC
1. The Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order orally on
the record at a hearing on March 29, 2002 and issued a Temporary
Restraining order and Order of Contempt orally on the record at a
hearing April 2, 2002. The Court’s oral orders were memorialized in
a Temporary Restraining Order and Order of Contempt issued
April 9, 2002 [Doc. # 129], as extended by Order issued April 17,
2002 [Doc. # 132].
2. KBC filed an Application for Temporary Restraining Order [Doc.
# 88] and Memorandum in Support of Application for Temporary
Restraining Order (“KBC’s Memorandum of Law”) [Doc. # 90],
followed by its Memorandum in Support of its Motion for Preliminary
Injunction [Doc. # 111] and KBC’s Reply Memorandum in Support of
its Motion for a Preliminary Injunction [Doc. # 128]. Pertamina filed
Pertamina’s Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Petitioner’s Motion
for a Restraining Order and in Support of its Right to Seek Annulment
of the Arbitral Award in Indonesia (“Pertamina’s Memorandum in
Opposition”) [Doc. # 115] and Pertamina’s Reply Memorandum of Law
in Opposition to Petitioner’s Motion for a Restraining Order and in
Support of its Right to Seek Annulment of the Arbitral Award in Indonesia
[Doc. # 127].
64a
Appendix D
against Pertamina in Geneva, Switzerland, on December 18,
2000 (the “Arbitral Award’’). The arbitration arose from a
commercial dispute over the construction and operation of a
power plant in West Java, Indonesia. Pertamina acknowledges
that all post-arbitration proceedings are governed by
the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of
Foreign Arbitral Awards (the “New York Convention”).
As contemplated by the New York Convention, Pertamina
appealed the Arbitral Award to the Swiss Supreme Court.
The Swiss court declined to hear Pertamina’s appeal due to
a procedural error in paying the appeal costs. In August 2001,
the Swiss court rejected Pertamina’s request for
reconsideration and the Swiss Court’s dismissal of the appeal
became final.
Meanwhile, in February 2001, KBC filed this case
seeking confirmation of the Arbitral Award pursuant to
Article V of the New York Convention. This Court entered a
final judgment (the “Judgment”) confirming the Arbitral
Award on December 4, 2001. Pertamina appealed the
Judgment to the Fifth Circuit, but has not filed a supersedeas
bond or otherwise acted to stay the Judgment’s execution.
The appeal is still pending.
KBC actively is pursuing execution on the Judgment by
registering it in other states and seeking writs of execution,
garnishment, and turnover of assets KBC believes are owned
by Pertamina. These proceedings are being conducted
according to the local laws and practices of the states in which
the assets are located. KBC also is seeking enforcement in
Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore of the Arbitral Award in
original proceedings commenced under Article V of the New
York Convention.
65a
Appendix D
In March 2002, about fifteen months after entry of this
Court’s Judgment enforcing the Arbitral Award and seven
months after the Swiss Supreme Court dismissed Pertamina’s
appeal, Pertamina filed suit in the District Court of Central
Jakarta, Indonesia, seeking an injunction and penalties against
KBC to prevent it from enforcing the Arbitral Award and
seeking to annul the Arbitral Award (the “Indonesian
Action”).
KBC filed an emergency request in this Court for a
temporary restraining order to prevent Pertamina’s
Indonesian Action from proceeding and to prevent entry of
an injunction against it at a hearing scheduled for April 1,
2002 in Indonesia. The Court held a hearing on March 29,
2002, at which both parties argued their respective positions
at length. This Court issued a limited temporary restraining
order directing Pertamina to withdraw its request for
injunctive relief against KBC at or prior to the hearing
scheduled for April 1, 2002, in the Indonesian Action. This
temporary restraining order was issued in order to preserve
the integrity of the Court’s Judgment, which had become final
and was on appeal without bond, and to maintain the parties’
positions prior to Pertamina’s commencement of the
Indonesian Action. The Court needed additional time to
determine the merits of Pertamina’s position that it had the
right to proceed with its annulment action. So as not to
prejudice Pertamina’s rights, the Court did not grant KBC’s
request io order Pertamina to dismiss the Indonesian Action.
/.1S0, to protect Pertamina’s interests in being able to defend
against proceedings initiated by KBC to enforce the Arbitral
Award or to execute on the Judgment, KBC was ordered not
to seek ex parte or emergency relief from any court. The
66a
Appendix D
Court made it clear that the parties were permitted to make
any and all arguments they saw fit in enforcement or
execution proceedings on notice to the opponent. The
temporary restraining order was narrowly tailored to protect
the status quo that existed prior to Pertamina seeking entry
of the Indonesian Injunction without interfering with the
jurisdiction of other courts. By its terms, the temporary
restraining order was to last only until a ruling could be made
on the pending motion for a preliminary injunction after full
briefing.
Despite receiving actual notice of this Court’s March 29
Order, Pertamina did not withdraw its injunction request:
in the Indonesian Action. The Indonesian court on April 1,
2002, issued an injunction with draconian enforcement
penalties against KBC (the “Indonesian Injunction”).’
KBC complained, and at a hearing on April 2, 2002, this
Court found Pertamina in contempt of the March 29, 2002
restraining order, again ordered Pertamina to withdraw its
3. The Indonesian Injunction prohibits KBC from taking any
action to enforce:
[t]he arbitral award rendered in Geneva, Switzerland,
on 18 December 2000 (P-1), arising from Joint Operating
Contract/JOC; and Energy Sales Contract/ESC, upon the
condition that KBC is imposed with the obligation
to pay enforcement money in the amount of
US $500,000.00 for each day this order is contravened,
which amount must be paid promptly and fully to the
Pertamina.
Exhibit 3 to Petitioner Karaha Bodas Company, L.L.C.’s Motion for
Contempt.
67a
Appendix D
request in Indonesia for injunctive relief against KBC, and
ordered Pertamina to indemnify KBC for any penalties
imposed pursuant to the Indonesian Injunction for conduct
by KBC that takes place while KBC’s Motion for Preliminary
Injunction is pending. As the Court explained on April 2 and
in its written injunction, Pertamina’s pursuit in Indonesian
courts of a broad injunction, and “enforcement penalties”
for violation of that injunction, impinges on this Court’s
Jadgment and upon KBC’s legitimate efforts to enforce its
rights thereunder.
Pertamina has sent a transcript of the hearings in this
Court to the Indonesian court and has sent a letter notifying
the Indonesian court that this Court has ordered Pertamina
to file an application for the withdrawal of the Indonesian
Injunction.* To date Pertamina has not filed a formal
application withdrawing its injunction request nor made any
commitment to the Indonesian court not to enforce the
Injunction. Pertamina has committed through a letter from
its President Director and C.E.O. that it will not seek to
enforce the Indonesian Injunction against KBC for KBC’s
actions within the United States.
4. Pertamina has filed a Motion to Purge Contempt and to
Alter or Amend the Adjudication holding Pertamina in Contempt
[Doc. # 131]. Pertamina contends that its letter to the Indonesian
court satisfies the Court’s Temporary Restraining Order. Pertamina
further contends that it should be purged of contempt because the
oral TRO issued March 29, 2002, on which the contempt was based,
was defective and, given the time difference involved, compliance
was impossible. Pertamina’s Motion to Purge Contempt is denied.
However, the Court notes that the April 9, 2002 Temporary
Restraining Order and Order of Contempt is superseded by this
Preliminary Injunction Order.
68a
Appendix D
II. KBC’S MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY
INJUNCTION
KBC’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction has two parts.
First, it seeks an injunction prohibiting Pertamina from
seeking (a) to enjoin KBC’s attempts to execute on this
Court’s December 4, 2001 Judgment and (b) to take steps to
enforce the December 18, 2000 Arbitral Award in the United
States or in other jurisdictions. Second, KBC seeks an anti-
suit injunction prohibiting Pertamina from pursuing its ©
annulment action in Indonesia altogether.
Pertamina contends that this Court cannot enjoin the
Indonesian action because Indonesia is the only court with
jurisdiction to consider Pertamina’s claim for annulment of
the Arbitral Award.
Traditionally, a plaintiff seeking a preliminary injunction
must show the following four elements: (1) a substantial
likelihood of success on the merits; (2) a substantial threat
that it will suffer irreparable injury absent the injunction;
' (3) that the threatened injury outweighs any harm the
injunction might cause the defendants; and (4) that the
injunction will not impair the public interest. Enrique Bernat
F,, S.A. v. Guadalajara, Inc., 210 F.3d 439, 442 (Sth Cir.
2000) (citing Sugar Busters, L.L.C. v. Brennan, 177 F.3d 258,
265 (Sth Cir. 1999)). In addition, it is well-established in the
Fifth Circuit that federal courts have the power to enjoin
foreign suits by persons subject to their jurisdiction. Kaepa,
_ Inc. v. Achilles Corp., 76 F.3d 624, 626 (Sth Cir. 1996);
see also Bethell v. Peace, 441 F.2d 495, 498 (Sth Cir. 1971);
accord Laker Airways Ltd. v. Sabena Belgian World Airlines,
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69a
Appendix D
731 F.2d 909, 926 (D.C. Cir. 1984). There is no dispute that
this Court has jurisdiction over Pertamina.
In setting the standard for issuance of an anti-suit
injunction, the Fifth Circuit has emphasized the need to
prevent vexatious or oppressive litigation, and has concluded
that “a district court does not abuse its discretion by issuing
an anti-suit injunction when it has determined that allowing
simultaneous prosecution or the same action in a foreign
forum thousands of miles away would result in ‘inequitable
hardship’ and ‘tend to frustrate and delay the speedy and
efficient determination of the cause.’” Kaepa, 76 F.3d at 627.
The Fifth Circuit has declined “to require a district court to
genuflect before a vague and omnipotent notion of comity
every time that it must decide whether to enjoin a foreign
action.” Jd.
In this case, there is a Judgment issued by this Court
after extensive and detailed liti gation. The Judgment has long
been final in the District Court and has been appealed by
Pertamina to the Fifth Circuit The Judgment enforces the
Arbitral Award. Until two weeks ago, after this Court issued
its temporary restraining order, Pertamina did not seek a Stay
of the Judgment. Pertamina has never filed, nor offered to
file, any bond to prevent KBC’s execution or enforcement
efforts. KBC contends this Court’s Judgment and KBC’s
ability to seek enforcement of it are threatened by Pertamina’s
new Indonesian proceeding. After a judgment on the merits,
there is less need for concern about interfering with a
foreign court’s jurisdiction and “a court may freely protect
the integrity of judgments by preventing their evasion
through vexatious or oppressive reliti gation.” Laker Airways,
731 F.2d at 928.
70a
Appendix D
To the extent that it is necessary for KBC to meet the
traditional requirements for a preliminary injunction in
addition to meeting the standard articulated in Kaepa, the
Court finds KBC has done so with respect to both aspects of
its preliminary injunction request. First, KBC has shown a
substantial likelihood of success on the merits. As explained
further below, the Indonesian court is not the proper forum
for Pertamina’s annulment action. Pertamina raises the same
issues in Indonesia that this Court has already ruled upon in
KBC’s favor. Second, absent a preliminary injunction, KBC
will suffer irreparable harm; KBC will be forced to relitigate
in a foreign forum issues it has already fully litigated and
won in this Court. Further, KBC is justified in assuming that
forum will be biased against it, rendering the current
Judgment meaningless. Third, the balance of harm weighs
in favor of granting a preliminary injunction. The Indonesian
Injunction and Indonesian Action pose draconian penalties
_ threatening KBC’s ability to collect on the Judgment of this
Court both in the United States and abroad, Indeed, at
Pertamina’s request the Injunction was issued without any
meaningful due process afforded to KBC. On the other hand,
Pertamina is permitted to assert any and all arguments in its
favor in courts where KBC seeks to enforce or execute on
assets on the basis of this Court’s judgment.
Although the Court has been careful not to undermine
international comity, the Court is not required to give absolute
deference to proceedings in a foreign court filed without
viable legal authority, especially when a final judgment on
the matter has already been entered. In this case, a preliminary
injunction of this Court does not impinge on another court’s
jurisdiction or cause comity concerns. It is the late-filed
T7la
Appendix D
Indonesian Action that potentially interferes with this Court’s
jurisdiction, not vice versa. Moreover, as explained hereafter,
the Indonesian court does not have jurisdiction under the New
York Convention over Pertamina’s claims. Thus, the
preliminary injunction KBC seeks is consistent with the
standards expressed by the Fifth Circuit in Kaepa and is not
contrary to public policy.
These elements and the ways in which the Indonesian
Injunction and the Indonesian Action threaten this Court’s
jurisdiction and KBC’s rights are discussed in detail below.
1. The Indonesian Injunction
KBC argues that the injunction sought and obtained by
Pertamina in Indonesia is an attack on this Court’s jurisdiction
and interferes with this Court’s inherent authority to enforce
its judgments. KBC contends that this effect flows both from
the fact that the Indonesian Injunction prevents KBC from
seeking enforcement of the Judgment enforcing the Arbitral
Award in the United States, and because it prevents KBC
from seeking enforcement of the Arbitral Award in other
countries under the New York Convention and through other
local means.
Pertamina’s briefs do not address the injunction aspect
of its Indonesian Action except with the following oblique
statement: “The only aspect of the Indonesian annulment
proceeding that even raised this prospect [of interference]
was to the extent [Pertamina] sought an injunction against
enforcement of the [arbitral] Award that might apply in the
United States, which this Court’s March 29 order and now
Pertamina’s commitment not to pursue or enforce such
relief.” Pertamina’s Memorandum in Opposition, at 13. The
72a
Appendix D
Court interprets this statement as Pertamina’s continued
commitment to this Court that Pertamina will not take steps
to enforce the Indonesia Injunction against KBC as to actions
KBC might undertake in the United States. It is unclear
what Pertamina’s position is as to the Indonesian Court’s
sua sponte deeming KBC’s actions within the United States
a violation of its injunction. As to steps KBC might take to
enforce the Arbitral Award outside of the United States under
the New York Convention or otherwise, the Court construes
Pertamina’s position to be that the Indonesian Injunction does
not interfere with this Court’s jurisdiction, that this Court’s
restraining order is invalid or ineffective outside the United
States, and that Pertamina is not in contempt for any violation
of that order.
The Court at the March 29 (and April 2) hearing raised
the issue of whether res judicata bars Pertamina’s Indonesian
Action and whether the Indonesian Action is simply an end-
run around the Judgment and appeal here. Pertamina has
declined this Court’s invitation to submit briefing on the
res judicata effect of this Court’s Judgment in foreign
jurisdictions where KBC seeks enforcement. KBC has
presented affidavits supporting its contention that the courts
and laws of Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore would apply
res judicata or analogous principles to give effect to this
Court’s Judgment is making their own enforcement
determinations.° Pertamina has submitted nothing to
5. See Declaration of Douglas Alexander Bodner, Exhibit 1 to
KBC’s Memorandum of Law (Canada); Declaration of Russell
Coleman, Exhibit 2 to KBC’s Memorandum of Law (Hong Kong);
Declaration of Nandakumar Ponniya, Exhibit 3 to KBC’s
Memorandum of Law (Singapore).
73a
Appendix D
contradict KBC’s evidence as to the extraterritorial effect of
this Court’s Final Judgment.
Moreover, Pertamina has presented no authority to
support the legitimacy of the Indonesian Injunction in light
of the completion of the enforcement proceeding here
pursuant to Article V of the New York Convention. Pertamina
has cited, and the Court has found, no authority under the
New York Convention (which Pertamina concedes contains
the exclusive procedure for recognition and enforcement of
foreign arbitral awards by its signatories, including Indonesia)
for a court in which an action to annul an award is pending
to enjoin enforcement proceedings or a party’s post judgment
enforcement efforts in another jurisdiction. Instead, the New
York Convention contemplates that, under appropriate
circumstances, a court in which enforcement is sought may
stay the enforcement proceeding pending the annulment
action.°®
The Court concludes that unless and until this Court’s
Judgment is vacated or stayed by the Court of Appeals for
6. Article VI of the New York Convention provides: “If an
application for the setting aside or suspension of the award has been
made to a competent authority referred to in Article V(1)(e), the
authority before which the award is sought to be relied upon may, if
it considers it proper, adjourn the decision of the enforcement of the
award and may also, on the application of the party claiming
enforcement of the award, order the other party to give suitable
security.” (Emphasis added.) In connection with its response to KBC’s
pending application for turnover, Pertamina filed a cross-motion to
stay enforcement proceedings until the Indonesian court has ruled
(Doc. # 101]. Pertamina’s cross-motion, filed April 1, 2001, has only
recently become ripe and will be addressed in a separate order.
74a
Appendix D
the Fifth Circuit, KBC has ever right to rely on this Court’s
Judgment in its enforcement actions in other countries.
The Indonesian Injunction against enforcement of the Arbitral
Award is a patent attempt to interfere with the Court’s
Judgment against and deprives KBC of enjoyment of the
Judgment’s purpose and effect under United States law and
the New York Convention. Therefore, The Court concludes
that KBC’s request for a preliminary injunction restraining
Pertamina from enforcing the Indonesian Injunction has merit
and will be granted. The Court also concludes that the
indemnification provision of the temporary restraining order
is fully justified and necessary. The indemnification
provisions will be included in a preliminary injunction, until
and unless Pertamina withdraws its request for an injunction
and the present injunction is vacated by the Indonesian court.
2. The Indonesian Actioa
KBC contends that no proceeding under the New York
Convention may be maintained in Indonesia because
Indonesia is neither the place of arbitration nor the place in
which enforcement is sought. Pertamina argues that the
Indonesian court has jurisdiction over its annulment
proceeding pursuant to Articles V(1)(e) and VI of the
New York Convention, and that this Court, as an enforcing
court, cannot enjoin the annulment proceeding. Article
V(1)(e) provides that recognition and enforcement of an
award “may be refused” if “[t]he award has not yet become
binding on the parties, or has been set aside or suspended by
a competent authority of the country in which, or under the
law of which, the award was made.” Pertamina concedes that
the phrase “under the law of which” in Article V(1)(e) refers
75a
Appendix D
to the arbitral law under which the award was made, not the
substantive law that applied to the merits of the dispute.’
Because of the distinction under the New York Convention
between the proper forum for enforcement of an arbitral
award versus the forum for annulment of an arbitral award,
Pertamina nevertheless contends that the Indonesian Action
in no way interferes with this Court’s jurisdiction.
Pertamina insists that this Court lacks jurisdiction under
the New York Convention to enjoin the Indonesian Action.
Pertamina misconstrues the source of this Court’s injunction
jurisdiction. The Court is not attempting ‘o usurp the
annulment jurisdiction that is bestowed upon the “country
of origin” under the New York Convention. Instead, the
Court’s injunction is based on its inherent power to protect
7. See Pertamina’s Memorandum of Law, at 3 (“Under
Indonesian law and as envisaged by the New York Convention,
Pertamina is authorized to seek annulment of the Award in Indonesia
because the Award is governed by the arbitration law of Indonesia.”);
Expert Report of Albert Jan van den Berg, Exhibit B to Pertamina’s
Memorandum of Law, § 7 (“In most cases, the country of origin is
the country where the place of arbitration is located and the arbitral
award is made. That corresponds to the territorial concept of
international arbitration, according to which the place of arbitration
determines the applicable arbitration law (which law is to be
distinguished from the law applicable to the merits).”); id. ] 19 (“when
parties agree on a governing arbitration law that is different than
that of the arbitral locale, the country whose arbitration law was
chosen by the parties to govern the proceedings is the proper
jurisdiction for bringing an annulment proceeding.”); see also Yusuf
Ahmed Alghanim & Sons, W.L.L. v. Toys “R” Us, Inc., 126 F3d 15,
21(2d Cir. 1997) (“only the state under whose procedural law the
arbitration was conducted has jurisdiction under Art. V(1)(e) to vacate
the award.” (Emphasis added)).
76a
Appendix D
its own jurisdiction, as clearly established by Fifth Circuit
authority. Kaepa, 76 F.3d at 627. The Court has jurisdiction
over Pertamina and thus has jurisdiction to enjoin Pertamina’s
actions in a foreign country to the extent those actions
interfere with the jurisdiction of this Court or the effect and
scope of its orders. Jd.
The Court finds that KBC has met its burden to show
that an anti-suit injunction is appropriate in this case.
Pertamina’s assertion that the annulment proceeding is not
an attack on this Court’s jurisdiction and Judgment is
disingenuous. Pertamina has admitted that if it is successful
in the Indonesian Action, it intends to invoke Article V(1)(e)
in support of a motion to this Court to vacate the Judgment
confirming the Arbitral Award.’ In fact, Pertamina clearly
seeks to circumvent this Court’s rulings by belatedly
relitigating the validity of the Arbitral Award in a presumably
more sympathetic forum. The Court recognizes that, as an
enforcing court, its review of the Arbitral Award was limited
to the defenses listed in Article VI of the New York
Convention, whereas a court of competent authority with
8. Pertamina’s plan is complicated by the fact that this Court
lacks jurisdiction to issue the relief Pertamina seeks, since the
Judgn.ent has been final for months and Pertamina has appealed the
matter. Pertamina would have to seek relief in the Fifth Circuit.
Moreover, this Court would not be obligated to give effect to an
Indonesian judgment annulling the Arbitral Award. See Jn re
Chromalloy Aeroservices, 939 F. Supp. 907, 911-13 (refusing to give
res judicata effect to an Egyptian judgment annulling an otherwise
valid arbitration award made in Egypt). Based on the information
currently presented, the Court questions how much weight an
Indonesian annulment judgment would be entitled to in a proceeding
to vacate the Judgment. .
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77a
Appendix D
jurisdiction to set aside the Arbitral Award is not so limited.
See Yusuf, 126 F.3d at 21 (a motion to set aside an
international arbitral award is controlled by the domestic law
of the rendering state). Nevertheless, in this case, virtually
all Pertamina’s asserted grounds for annulling the Arbitral
Award were litigated fully before this Court. Pertamina states:
Pertamina’s application to annu] the award
is based inter alia, on the following grounds:
(1) in rendering the Award, the Tribunal exceeded
the power conferred on it by the applicable
arbitration agreements by disregarding the parties’
express choice of Indonesian law, in violation of
both the parties’ agreements and the applicable
UNCITAL Arbitration Rules; (2) the Tribunal
improperly consolidated the two proceedings into
a single arbitration, also in violation of both
parties’ agreements and the applicable
UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules; (3) the Tribunal
improperly forced Pertamina to share the choice
of an arbitrator with the Government of Indonesia
and with PLN, in violation of the express
procedure laid out by the parties’ agreements; and
(4) the Award contravenes the public policy of the
Republic of Indonesia because it held Pertamina
(and PLN) liable for its (their) compliance with
Indonesian law. Neither grounds (1) nor (4) had
been rased before this Court in the enforcement
proceedings.
Pertamina’s Memorandum in Opposition, at 3-4. This
argument is belied by the record in the present case. Pertamina
78a
Appendix D
expressly argued before this Court that the Arbitral Tribunal
failed to consider Indonesian law. See Respondent
Pertamina’s Memorandum in Opposition to KBC’s Motion
for Summary Judgment [Doc. #29], at 67 (“Not only is such
a result fundamentally unfair and contrary to public policy,
but it makes no sense under the contracts or Indonesian law.
As a matter of Indonesian law, the Tribunal’s determination
to award damages is in conflict with its factual determination
that the parties were prevented from performing by an action
that neither party caused — specifically, Presidential Decree
No. 5/1988.”); id. at 71 (“there is no basis under the contracts
or Indonesian law for the award of damages”); see also
Respondent Pertamina’s Sur-Reply Memorandum in
Opposition to KBC’s Motion for Summary Judgment
[Doc. # 42], at 26 (“[KBC] ignores (as did the tribunal) that
it [secured contractual benefits from Pertamina] in return for
and in the context of the application of Indonesian law.
As Pertamina’s Indonesian law expert Didi Dermawan
established, the clauses in the JOC and ESC did not shift the
risk of a Government Related Event to Respondents as KBC
seeks to do, as a matter of Indonesian law . . . In reaching a
different conclusion, the tribunal did not purport to resolve
disagreements between experts on the interpretation of
Indonesian law. ... Nor did the tribunal purport to explain
how and why the JOC or ESC should be construed as
modifying Indonesian law. To the contrary, the tribunal did
not refer at all to Indonesian law, but instead reasoned from
abstract legal propositions that were not founded on
Indonesian law.”’).
In addition, this Court expressly ruled that the Arbitral
Tribunal did not find Pertamina liable for its compliance with
.
ie
is
79a
Appendix D
Indonesian law. Although the issue before this Court arose,
in part, in the context of the application of United States’
public policy, this finding would be equally applicable to an
argument regarding Indonesian public policy. Moreover,
Pertamina in effect argued that the award also violated
Indonesian public policy in connection with its “abuse of
rights” defense. Respondent Pertamina’s Memorandum in
Opposition to Further, KBC’s Motion for Summary Judgment
[Doe. #29], at 57 (“The award violates public policy and
should not be enforced because, by awarding $150 million
in lost profits where KBC had not yet even begun construction
of a power plant, could not have reasonably done so, and
would have senselessly contributed to the further
impoverishment of Indonesia by doing so, it sanctions an
abuse of rights by KBC and against Pertamina and PLN (and
ultimately, the people of Indonesia”)); id. at 64 (“And the
economic distress to which Indonesia had fallen in 1997 had
no more improved as of the hearing in this case than it had
in the Himpurna or Patuha cases, and there continues to be
a considerable over-supply of electricity.”); id. at 64 n.37
(“As of July 27, 2001, the Dollar-Rupiah exchange rate
(1:10050) is still more than four times greater than it was
before the Asian financial crisis, thus increasing the
prospective prices for KBC’s electricity by four-fold; clearly
this is prohibitive in the dramatically depressed Indonesian
economy. . . . It remains the fact that the natural resources of
Indonesia belong to the Government for the benefit of all
people; they do not belong to Pertamina. Pertamina’s
exploitation of those resources is for the benefit of the people
of Indonesia, not for its own benefit or for the benefit of
any private parties, and payment of the Award would cause a
very substantial blow to Indonesia’s precarious economic
80a
Appendix D
standing.”). Presumably, Pertamina intends to argue that the
Award violates Indonesian public policy for the same reasons
it argued that Award violates United States public policy,
namely because it holds Pertamina liable for engaging in
conduct that was compelled by Indonesian law, which
governed the parties’ relations” and because it is “injurious
to the public interest.’ Jd. at 67. Thus, Pertamina’s efforts
to relitigate the same issues actually decided by this Court is
an obvious attempt to attack this Court’s jurisdiction by
relitigating old issues in a more favorable forum.'°
9. Pertamina’s argument that the damages award is contrary to
public policy because it would be injurious to the Indonesian economy
is at odds with its position that it is an independent company and the
Indonesian government is not liable for its debts. The Court is not
making a ruling as to the ownership of any assets at this time. If in
fact Pertamina has no assets subject to execution, as it has contended
in response to KBC’s attempts at execution, then the existence of the
Arbitral Award itself will not affect Indonesia’s assets nor injure the
Indonesian economy.
10. Pertarnina is much like the vexatious plaintiffs enjoined in
Younis Bros. & Co. v. Worldwide Ins. Co., 167 F.Supp. 2d 743, 747
(E.D. Pa. 2001):
[P]laintiffs are obviously unhappy with the results of
their litigation [in the United States] and are attempting
to get a’second opinion’ from the Liberian courts ...
[defendant] has already succeeded on the merits, and it
will be irreparably harmed if it is forced to continue to
defendant against plaintiff’s’ vexatious and duplicative
Liberian litigation and/or defend against execution upon
a judgment that conflicts with the final judgment in
this case.
Bik.
PT oe eae Rn ‘
8la
Appendix D
In this case, Pertamina never raised the possibility of seeking
annulment of the Arbitral Award by an Indonesian court during
the summary judgment proceedings, dzspite Pertamina’s
awareness of the defense to enforcement provided by Article
V(1)(e) of the New York Convention. Furthermore, Pertamina
has spared no expense in its attack on the Arbitral Award. The
company is represented by highly regarded, sophisticated
lawyers who have raised every conceivable argument in
Pertamina’s defense. The Indonesian Action appears to be no
more than a last ditch effort to avoid the effect of this Court’s
Judgment enforcing the Arbitral Award.
To the extent Pertamina contends that the Indonesian
Action is based on grounds not presented to this Court, that
position depends on a finding that, pursuant to the parties’
agreements, Indonesian arbitral law applied in the
arbitration.'' Pertamina’s interpretation of the contracts in
this regard is unpersuasive.'? Under Pertamina’s own expert’s
11. There is no dispute that Indonesian law applied to the merits.
However, Pertamina does not argue that the choice of substantive
law governs the forum for its annulment proceeding under the New
York Convention.
12. Pertamina’s own expert points out that “if the parties agree
on a place of arbitration, it is generally assumed that such agreement
implies a choice on the arbitration law of the place of arbitration.
However, if the parties have agreed on a place of arbitration and the
applicability of the arbitration law of another country (which is
exceptional), they have agreed on the place of arbitration in the
physical sense as opposed to the one they agreed to in the legal sense.”
Expert Report of Jan van den Berg, § 9. Jan van den Berg further
states “[m]y own view is that the agreement to arbitrate under the
law of a country which is not the country in which the award is to be
(Cont’d)
82a
Appendix D
standards, the parties failed to make it clear in the governing
agreements that Indonesian arbitral law was to apply.
Rather, the parties made it clear to the arbitrators that the
arbitration in fact was to be conducted under the arbitral law
of Switzerland.'* The Court combed the arbitration record
(Cont'd)
made needs to be clear as it is a rather exceptional agreement.” Expert
Report of Jan van den Berg, §] 20. Yet, Jan van den Berg seems to
ignore his own standards when he goes on to opine that the parties’
mere reference to certain provisions of the Indonesian Code of Civil
Procedure is a sufficiently “clear” expression of the parties’ intent to
make the “rather exceptional” selection of Indonesian law as the law
governing the arbitration and award. /d. { 27. This Court places no
weight on this expert’s ultimate conclusion as to the parties’ intent
as to the choice of arbitral law.
13. See, e.g., Preliminary Award in an Arbitration Procedure
Under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, September 30, 1999, § B(1)
(“The Respondents support this conclusion by making reference to
Swiss law as the JOC and the ESC provide for UNCITRAL
Arbitration in Geneva between the parties which are neither Swiss
nor Swiss resident. As a result, and under both contracts, the
arbitration proceedings are governed by Chapter 12 of the Swiss
Private International Law Statutes. Under Swiss law, [Respondent
contends] the Arbitral Tribunal is lacking jurisdiction because KBC
failed to comply with the contractual prerequisites to arbitration.”);
id. § C(1) (“‘The Respondents also state that, under the arbitration
agreements and Swiss law, the arbitrators have no power to
consolidate . . .”); id. § C(3) (citing the “famous Westland Case” of
the Swiss Federal Tribunal in support of its decision that a
consolidated afbitration was appropriate); id. § D(1) (Respondents
contend “such solution is not acceptable under the applicable Swiss
law”). For this reason, it is not necessary to interpret the underlying
contracts or to address KBC’s argument that Pertamina’s Expert
Report of Albert Jan van den Berg improperly assumes the role of
the Court by interpreting the contracts.
83a
Appendix D
presented by the parties in connection with the summary
judgment motion and the pending motion and has found no
indication that Pertamina ever argued for the application of
Indonesian arbitral law.'* Under Pertamina’s own theory, the
New York Convention vests jurisdiction to set aside an
arbitral award only in the “country in which, or under the
law of which, that award was made.” There can be no doubt
that the physical and legal situs of the Arbitral Award was
Geneva, Switzerland. Since Pertamina never argued in the
arbitration that the parties’ contracts selected Indonesian
arbitral law, and the arbitral panel adopted Swiss arbitral law,
Pertamina is bound to its prior positions.'* See supra n.13
and cites therein.
Pertamina’s new posture is further undermined by its
previous representations to this Court that the arbitration was
conducted pursuant to Swiss arbitral law.'® Pertamina’s
14. In fact, as the Court pointed out in its December 2001
Memorandum and Order affirming the Arbitral Award, Pertamina’s
counsel expressly represented to the tribunal at the close of evidence
that Pertamina had no objections (beyond those already lodged) to
the arbitration proceeding. Hearing Transcript, Vol. V, at 814.
15. An arbitration decision can have collateral estoppel or res
judicata effect between the same parties in a subsequent proceeding.
Universal American Barge Corp. v. J-Chem, Inc., 946 F.2d 1131,
1137 (Sth Cir. 1991); RESTATEMENT (SEconD) JupGMEnTs § 84 (1980).
16. Although the Court denied Pertamina’s motion to stay the
enforcement proceeding pending a decision from the Swiss court,
the Court did slow the proceedings in this case in deference to
(Cont’d)
84a
Appendix D
comments in its motion for a stay of the instant case pending
resolution of Pertamina’s Swiss appeal, filed May 19, 2001,
are telling. Pertamina argued not only that the Swiss Supreme
Court had jurisdiction to hear its appeal (without eliminating
the possibility that an Indonesian court might share such
jurisdiction), but also urged specifically, repeatedly and
unequivocally that Swiss arbitration law applied in the
arbitration. Pertamina opened its Motion by stating:
“The arbitration award ... was conducted subject to the
arbitration laws of Switzerland, and the Swiss court is
empowered to vacate an award rendered in Switzerland. .. .
KBC is asking this Court to act prematurely to confirm an
award that might be overturned in the country whose law
governed the arbitration.”'’ Pertamina added that “it is
fundamental that the courts of the originating nation are in
the best position to pass on issues under their own law....
(Cont’d)
Pertamina’s request. The Court finds that this is an appropriate case
for application of judicial estoppel. There are no inflexible
prerequisites nor is there a definitive formula for determining the
applicability of judicial estoppel. New Hampshire v. Maine, 532 U.S.
742, 751 (2001); see also United States v. McCaskey, 9 F.3d 368,
378 (Sth Cir. 1993) (“the policies underlying the doctrine [of judicial
estoppel] include preventing internal inconsistency, precluding
litigants from ‘playing fast and loose’ with the courts, and prohibiting
parties from deliberately changing positions according to the
exigencies of the moment.”). This Court was led to believe that the
Swiss court had exclusive jurisdiction to annul the Arbitral Award
and it relied on that representation in proceeding to final judgment
in this enforcement proceeding only after the Swiss appeal was
dismissed and that dismissal became final.
17. See Respondent Pertamina’s Motion for Stay Pending
Resolution of Swiss Appeal and Memorandum in Support [Doc. #13],
at 1.
85a
Appendix D
Here, Pertamina’s appeal encompasses questions of Swiss
law.” Id. at 6; see also Respondent Pertamina’s Memorandum
in Opposition to KBC’s Motion to Summary Judgment
[Doc. # 29], at 34-35 (“By adopting an arbitral procedure
that resulted in such a disparate outcome, the tribunal thus
exceeded its authority and failed to accord the parties equal
treatment in direct contravention of the procedural law
governing this arbitration. See RLA 1, Swiss Private
International Law Statute (“PIL”), Article 182(3) (‘the arbitral
tribunal shall ensure equal treatment of the parties and the
right of the parties to be heard in an adversarial procedure’);
UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, LA-6, Article 15 (requiring
that parties ‘are treated with equality and that at any Stage of
the proceedings each party is given a full Opportunity of
presenting its case’). Neither the UNCITRAL Arbitration
Rules nor the Swiss Private International Law Statute provide
for non-consensual consolidation of arbitration disputes.”’).'8
Because Swiss arbitral law applied in the arbitration,
Pertamina’s argument that only the court in Indonesia has
jurisdiction to annul the Arbitral Award under the New York
Convention, and thus Pertamina’s defense to KBC’s
preliminary injunction, fails entirely.
18. As a practical matter, Pertamina’s current suggestion that
both Switzerland and Indonesia have jurisdiction to set aside the
award seems particularly at odds with the “well established principal
of current international commercial arbitration that the court of the
country of origin is exclusively competent to decide on the setting
aside of the award.” ALBERT JANVAN Den Berc, THE NEw YORK
ARBITRATION CONVENTION OF 1958, at 10 (Kluwer Law and Taxation
Publishers 1981) (emphasis added).
86a
Appendix D
Ill. CONCLUSION AND ORDER
Because the injunction entered against KBC in Indonesia
and the annulment proceeding pending there threaten both
this Court’s jurisdiction to enforce its Judgment and KBC’s
rights, the Court concludes that a preliminary injunction is
warranted. It is therefore,
ORDERED that KBC’s Motion for Preliminary
-Injunction [Doc. # 88] is GRANTED. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina shall not at any time while
this Preliminary Injunction is in force seek to enforce the
- Indonesian Injunction entered in its favor against KBC on
April 1, 2002 in District Court in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is
further
ORDERED that Pertamina shall not at any time while
this Preliminary Injunction is in force collect (or take steps
to collect) any fine or penalty from KBC as a result of the
Indonesian Injunction entered in its favor against KBC on
April 1, 2002 in District Court in Central Jakarta, Indonesia.
It is further
ORDERED that while this Preliminary Injunction is in
force, Pertamina shall indemnify KBC for all monetary
punishments or penalties imposed under the Indonesian
Injunction as a result of any action taken by KBC to enforce
the Arbitral Award or to execute on the Judgment. It is further
ORDERED that if any order is issued by any court
against KBC ordering KBC to pay penalties arising from the
87a
Appendix D
Indonesian Injunction, Pertamina shall pay KBC such monies
prior to KBC having any obligation to pay Pertamina or the
ordering court such amounts. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina shall take no action while
this Preliminary Injunction is in force to prosecute the action
it filed against KBC in the District Court in Central Jakarta,
Indonesia. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina shall inform the District
Court in Central Jakarta, Indonesia that it cannot and will
not take any action to pursue the action pending there. It is
further
ORDERED that the Temporary Restraining Order and
Order of Contempt issued by this Court April 9, 2002, as
extend by Order issued April 17, 2002, is superseded by this
Preliminary Injunction, and all restraints not expressly set
forth in this Preliminary Injunction are dissolved.
SIGNED this 26" day of April, 2002.
s/ Nancy F. Atlas
NANCY F. ATLAS
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
88a
APPENDIX E — ORDER OF THE UNITED STATES
COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT,
DATED AND FILED MAY 17, 2002
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 02-20550
KARAHA BODAS COMPANY LLC
Plaintiff - Appellee
V.
PERUSAHAAN PERTAMBANGAN MINYAK
DAN GAS BUMI NEGARA,; ET AL
Defendants
PERUSAHAAN PERTAMBANGAN MINYAK
DAN GAS BUMI NEGARA
Defendant - Appellant
Appeal from the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Texas, Houston
Before DeMOSS, PARKER, and DENNIS, Circuit Judges.
BY THE COURT:
IT IS ORDERED that appellant’s motion for partial stay
pending appeal is Denied.
89a
APPENDIX F — ORDER OF THE UNITED STATES
DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT
OF TEXAS, HOUSTON DIVISION,
DATED JUNE 28, 2002 AND
ENTERED JULY 3, 2002
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
HOUSTON DIVISION
CIVIL ACTION NO. H 01-0634
IN THE MATTER OF AN
ARBITRATION BETWEEN
KARAHA BODAS COMPANY, L.L.C.,
Petitioner,
V.
PERUSAHAAN PERTAMBANGAN
MINYAK DAN GAS BUMI NEGARA,
Respondent.
ORDER
Pending before the Court is Petitioner Karaha Bodas
Company, L.L.C.’s June 27, 2002 letter requesting expedited
consideration of its Amended Second Motion for Contempt
(“KBC’s Amended Motion) [Doc. # 161]. Pursuant to the
briefing schedule currently in effect, Respondent Perusahaan
Pertambangan Minyak Dan Gas Bumi Negara’s (“‘Pertamina’s’’)
90a
Appendix F
response to KBC’s Amended Motion is due July 1, 2002,
KBC’s reply is due July 8, 2002, and any sur-reply is due by
July 11, 2002. Accordingly, it is
ORDERED that until and unless this Court’s April 26,
2002 Preliminary Injunction [Doc. # 137] is overturned or
modified by a higher court, Pertamina and KBC shall fully
and strictly comply with that Preliminary Injunction, which,
among other things, prohibits Pertamina from taking any
steps to pursue a nullification action in Indonesia. Failure to
comply with the Preliminary Injunction will result in
sanctions to the violating party, which may include contempt.
It is further
ORDERED that the Court 1s taking KBC’s Amended
Motion under advisement and intends to rule promptly upon
completion of briefing on July 11, 2002.
SIGNED at Houston, Texas, this 28th day of June, 2002.
s/ Nancy F. Atlas
NANCY F. ATLAS
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
9la
APPENDIX G — MEMORANDUM AND ORDER OF
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS,
HOUSTON DIVISION,
DATED JULY 19, 2002 AND
ENTERED JULY 22, 2002
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
HOUSTON DIVISION
CIVIL ACTION NO. H 01-0634
IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION BETWEEN
KARAHA BODAS COMPANY, L.L.C.,
Petitioner,
V.
PERUSAHAAN PERTAMBANGAN MINYAK
DAN GAS BUMI NEGARA,
Respondent.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
This matter is before the Court on Perusahaan
Pertambangan Minyak Dan Gas Bumi Negara’s (Pertamina’s)
Cross-Motion for Stay of Enforcement (“Motion to Stay
Enforcement”) [Doc. # 101] and Pertamina’s Motion and
Memorandum of Law in Support of it’s Motion For a Partia!
Stay Pending Appeal of the Order Granting Preliminary
Injunction (“Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction’) [Doc.
# 148]. Also before the Court are Petitioner Karaha Bodas
92a
Appendix G
Company, L.L.C.’s (“KBC’S”) Motion for Leave to Register
Judgment in Illinois (“Motion to Register”) [Doc. # 80] and
Motion for In Camera Review of the Affidavit of Christopher
F. Dugan (“Motion for In Camera Review”) [Doc. # 81].
The motions have been fully briefed and are ripe for
determination.’ Having reviewed the parties’ submissions,
all matters of record, and applicable legal authorities,
the Court concludes that Pertamina’s Motion to Stay
Enforcement and Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction
should be denied, and KBC’s Motion to Register and Motion
for In Camera Review should be granted.
I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
On December 4, 2001, a final judgment confirming
an international arbitration award (“Arbitral Award”)
was entered against Pertamina in favor of KBC for
$261,166,654.92 plus interest (“Judgment”). Pertamina has
appealed the Judgment, but has not filed a supersedeas bond -
staying execution.
1. See KBC’s Opposition to Motion to Stay Enforcement of the
Judgment [Doc. # 133]; Pertamina’s Reply in Support of its Motion
for Stay of Enforcement [Doc. # 142]; KBC’s Sur-Reply to
Pertamina’s Reply Motion to Stay Enforcement of the Judgment
[Doc. # 146]; KBC’s Memorandum in Opposition to Pertamina’s
Motion to Stay the Preliminary Injunction (“KBC’s Opposition”)
[Doc. # 159]; Pertamina’s Reply in Support of its Motion for Partial
Stay Pending Appeal of the Order Granting Preliminary Injunction
[Doc. # 167]; Pertamina’s Opposition to KBC’s Motion to Register
Judgment in Illinois and Motion for In Camera Review [Doc. # 83];
Pertamina’s Supplemental Memorandum in Support of its Opposition
[Doc. # 85]; and KBC’s Combined Reply to Pertamina’s Opposition
[Doc. # 96].
93a
Appendix G
In an Order entered January 25, 2002, this Court found
that a reasonable period of time had passed since entry of
the Judgment and authorized KBC to commence proceedings
to execute on the Judgment. KBC sought and was granted
leave to register the Judgment in New York, Delaware, and
California.
In March, 2002, Pertamina commenced an action
in Jakarta, Indonesia, to annul the Arbitral Award, and
obtained an injunction against KBC’s enforcement of the
Judgment. This Court granted KBC a Preliminary Injunction
on April 26, 2002 prohibiting Pertamina from pursuing the
Indonesian action or enforcing the Indonesian injunction
against KBC, and requiring Pertamina to withdraw the
Indonesian action [Doc. # 137]. Pertamina has appealed the
Preliminary Injunction.
Pertamina now seeks a stay of enforcement of this
Court’s January 2002 Judgmenit until the Indonesian Court
has decided whether to annul the Arbitration Award
Pertamina further seeks a stay of the Preliminary Injunction
so that it may pursue the Indonesian action without fear of
sanctions. Also pending before the Court is KBC’s Second
Motion for Contempt? based on Pertamina’s repeated refusal
2. Prior to issuing the Preliminary Injunction, the Court issued
a Temporary Restraining Order, after notice and hearing, requiring
Pertamina to withdraw the Indonesian injunction. Pertamina did not
do so. KBC then filed it’s first Motion for Contempt, which the Court
granted by Order dated April 9, 2002 [Doc. # 129].
94a
Appendix G
to comply with the Preliminary Injunction, which will be
the subject of a separate order.’
II. ANALYSIS
Motion to Stay Enforcement.— In the Preliminary
Injunction Order, the Court noted that Pertamina had filed a
motion to stay enforcement of the Judgment to permit
Pertamina to pursue annulment in Indonesia. At that time,
the Motion to Stay Enforcement was newly ripe for
determination and the Court refrained from issuing a final
ruling before having an opportunity to consider fully the
parties’ briefs. Having now considered all the pertinent
materials and applicable authorities, the Court concludes that
the Motion to Stay Enforcement is moot. The Preliminary
Injunction requires Pertamina to withdraw and take no further
action to prosecute the Indonesian action. There is no basis
to stay enforcement of the Judgment pending completion of
a suit this Court has found lacks legal foundation under
applicable treaties, and has expressly prohibited Pertamina
from pursuing. Therefore, Pertamina’s Motion to Stay
Enforcement is denied.
Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction.— Pertamina
seeks, pursuant to Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Appellate
Procedure, a stay of the Preliminary Injunction prohibiting
Pertamina’s prosecution of its action in Indonesia. The Court
considers four factors in determining whether to stay its
3. On July 12, 2002, this Court issued an Order for Discovery
in Aid of Civil Contempt [Doc. # 176] in connection with KBC’s
pending, and seemingly well-founded, Second Motion for Contempt.
Se
Mi Sie se
Oe ae ee ee ee eee Se ae eS ae
95a
Appendix G
Preliminary Injunction pending appeal: (1) whether
Pertamina has made a showing of likelihood of success on
the merits; (2) whether Pertamina has made a showing of
irreparable injury if the Stay is not granted; (3) whether the
Stay would substantially harm KBC; and (4) whether the Stay
would serve the public interest. See Coastal States Gas Corp.
v. Department of Energy, 609 F.2d 736, 737 (Sth Cir. 1979),
Pertamina contends that absent a Stay of the Preliminary
Injunction while its appeal is pending it will suffer irreparable
harm because it will be deprived of its defense under Article
V(1)(e) of the New York Convention in jurisdictions where
KBC seeks to enforce the Arbitral Award or Judgment.
Pertamina further contends that it is likely to succeed on the
merits of its appeal because the Preliminary Injunction
misinterprets and misapplies the New York Convention and
case law allowing injunctions against foreign suits. While
Pertamina has submitted voluminous materials, including
expert declarations different from the ones submitted in
response to KBC’s preliminary injunction requests, in support
of its position, Pertamina’s Motion to Stay Preliminary
Injunction raises the same arguments that the Court
considered and rejected in deciding to grant a Preliminary
Injunction in favor of KBC. Pertamina’s motion is in effect
a en eee
4. Even if Pertamina’s new expert declarations (see Opinion of
Professor W. Michael Reisman, Exhibit 1 to Motion to Stay
Preliminary Injunction and Supplemental Expert Report of Albert
Jan Van Den Berg, Exhibit 2 to Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction,
as well as Exhibits 3-7 to Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction)
were deemed timely filed, a significant issue for reasons explained
in the text hereafter, the Affidavits do not persuade the Court that
(Cont'd)
96a
Appendix G
an untimely motion for reconsideration. The Preliminary
Injunction is now on appeal to the Fifth Circuit. It is for the
appeals court to decide if the Preliminary Injunction is based
on a misinterpretation or misapplication of the law. The Court
reaffirms its ruling granting the Preliminary Injunction.
As to the second element necessary to justify a stay
pending appeal, the Court finds that harm to Pertamina from
the injunction is not significant. Pertamina is free to make
any arguments and assert all defenses it has to confirmation
or enforcement of the Arbitral Award in foreign jurisdictions.
Pertamina has apparently continued, in direct violation of
this Court’s order, to prosecute the Indonesian action. Thus,
Pertamina’s claim of harm from the Preliminary Injunction
is disingenuous, at best.* In any event, if the Fifth Circuit
(Cont'd)
Indonesia is the proper jurisdiction for a proceeding to annul the
Arbitral Award. Van Den Berg concedes that “an agreement on a law
applicable to the arbitration other than the arbitration law of the place
of arbitration is rather exceptional and hence should be clearly
expressed.” Supplemental Expert Report, 4 42. The contracts do not
clearly express an agreement of the type Van Den Berg describes.
In fact, Pertamina’s original choice to pursue an annulment
proceeding in Switzerland is persuasive evidence that the parties did
not intend such an agreement. Moreover, the expert opinions do not
overcome the judicial estoppel effect of Pertamina’s prior unequivocal
representations to the Arbitral Tribunal, the Swiss Supreme Court,
and this Court that Switzerland is the proper jurisdiction for a
proceeding to annul KBC’s Arbitral Award.
5. The effect of granting a stay pending appeal would be to
insulate Pertamina from contempt for violating the Preliminary
Injunction. The Court does not rule on the pending contempt motion.
97a
Appendix G
reverses the Preliminary Injunction, Pertamina will be free
to pursue its action in Indonesia at that time.
A stay of the Preliminary Injunction, on the other hand,
will substantially harm KBC. If a Stay were granted, Perta-
mina would have the Opportunity, contrary to applicable
international treaties, to seek an order purporting to annul
the Arbitration Award by the Indonesian Court before the
Fifth Circuit rules on the appeal. In that circumstance, KBC
may lose the benefit of any ruling on the merits in its favor.
It is noted, further, that if Indonesia eventually is held to be
the proper jurisdiction for an annulment proceeding, any
prejudice to Pertamina from the denial of a Stay is directly
attributable to its failure to promptly seek annulment of the
award in Indonesia (rather than Switzerland) and its failure
to promptly seek annulment prior to allowing this Court to
proceed to final judgment in the confirmation proceeding
initiated by KBC. Pertamina, not KBC, bears responsibility
for Pertamina’s own Strategic decisions.
There is no public interest at stake that justifies a stay
of the Preliminary Injunction. As noted in the Preliminary
6. Pertamina suggests that any dismissal of the Indonesian action
would likely have to be with prejudice absent the agreement of all
parties. Declaration of Professor Mr. Dr. S. Gautama, Exhibit 7 to
Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction. KBC has made it clear that it
will agree to dismissal without prejudice, eliminating the only real
hurdle facing Pertamina. KBC’s Opposition, at 7. There is no credible
explanation why PLN, which Pertamina joined as a defendant in the
annulment proceeding, would not also agree, as any dismissal would
also be without prejudice to any right it may have to pursue an
annulment action.
98a
Appendix G
Injunction, international comity is not implicated here because
Indonesia lacks a legitimate jurisdictional interest. Also, the
Preliminary Injunction is directed to the actions of Pertamina,
which submitted to the jurisdiction of this Court. The Court
has not issued any directive to the Indonesian Court.
The Court concludes that the factors for granting a stay
pending appeal weigh against granting a stay in this case.
Pertamina’s Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction is denied.’
Motions to Register Judgment in Illinois and For In
Camera Review.—
eee eee ee ON eee a ne on
Section 1963 of Title 28 of the United States Code
provides in relevant part:
A judgment in an action for the recovery of money
or property entered in any court of appeals, district
court, bankruptcy court, or in the Court of
International Trade may be registered by filing a |
certified copy of the judgment in any other district
or, with respect to the Court of International Trade,
in any judicial district, when the judgment has
become final by appeal or expiration of the time
for appeal or when ordered by the court that
entered the judgment for good cause shown.
7. While Pertamina’s Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction was
pending in this Court, Pertamina filed a similar Emergency Motion
for Partial Stay Pending Appeal in the Fifth Circuit. See KBC’s
Memorandum in Opposition to Pertamina’s Motion to Stay the a
Preliminary Injunction, Exhibit 2. The Fifth Circuit summarily denied ‘
Pertamina’s motion. /d., Exhibit 1.
a lita il ite het
ude
99a
Appendix G
(Emphasis added.) Good cause is shown by evidence that
the defendant lacks sufficient property in the judgment forum
to satisfy the judgment, and has substantial property in
another district. Columbia Pictures Television, Inc. v. Krypton
Broadcasting of Birmingham, Inc., 259 F.3d 1186, 1197-98
(9th Cir. 2001). KBC has shown, and Pertamina does not
contest, that Pertamina has insufficient assets in Texas to
satisfy the judgment. KBC has also presented evidence in
the form of the Affidavit of Christopher F. Dugan to show
that Pertamina has assets subject to execution in Illinois.
Pertamina makes no representation that it has no assets in
Illinois.
Pertamina objects to KBC’s registration of the Judgment
in Illinois on the grounds that KBC’s has been oppressive
and overreaching in its enforcement efforts, and because the
in camera review of Dugan’s Affidavit prevents it from
asserting defenses to execution under the Foreign Sovereign
Immunities Act (“FSIA”).
KBC’s Motion to Register and Motion for In Camera
Review are based on the same argument and legal authority
as the motions previously granted by this Court in its Febru-
ary 15, 2002 Order [Doc. # 68] allowing KBC to register the
Judgment in New York, Delaware, and California. For the
same reasons expressed in that Order, the Court concludes
that in camera review of the current Affidavit of Christopher
F. Dugan is appropriate. Further, based on the entire record,
the Court finds that KBC should be allowed to register the
Judgment in Illinois.
100a
Appendix G
Finally, in opposition to KBC’s motion to register,
Pertamina has submitted copies of the voluminous briefing
and exhibits it presented to the United States District Court
for the Southern District of New York in response to KBC’s
restraint of significant funds held in New York banks. Since
completion of the briefing on the instant Motion to Register,
Judge Grisea of the Southern District of New York has issued
an opinion regarding the availability of certain Pertamina
assets for execution in New York. Karaha Bodas Company,
L.L.C. v. Pertamina, No. M-18-302 (S.D.N.Y. April 26,
2002). KBC’s instant motion seeks only to register the
Judgment; it is not a motion to execute on any specific
property. Pertamina is free to argue, in Illinois or in other
jurisdictions, that Judge Grisea’s rulings should have
collateral estoppel effect in connection with KBC’s execution
efforts. Further, KBC must comply with the FSIA and all
requirements for securing and enforcing a writ of execution
in the jurisdiction in which Pertamina’s assets are located.
The arguments before Judge Griesa pertaining to execution
on specific assets are not relevant to a decision by this Court
to permit KBC to register the Judgment in other jurisdictions.
This Court should not and will not address execution matters
in other states. Pertamina’s arguments about the proceeding
before Judge Griesa are misplaced and are rejected.
Ill. CONCLUSION AND ORDER
The Court concludes that neither a stay of enforcement
of the Judgment nor a stay of the Preliminary Injunction is
appropriate in this case. In addition, the Court concludes that
KBC has shown good cause for leave to register the Judgment
in Illinois. It is therefore
10la
Appendix G
ORDERED that Pertamina’s Motion to Stay
Enforcement [Doc. # 101] is DENIED. It is further
ORDERED that Pertamina’s Motion to Stay Preliminary
Injunction [Doc. # 148] is DENIED. It is further
ORDERED that KBC’s Motion for In Camera Review
[Doc. # 81] is GRANTED. It is further
ORDERED that KBC’s Motion to Register the Judgment
in Illinois [Doc. # 80] is GRANTED.
SIGNED at Houston, Texas, this 19th day of July, 2002.
s/ Nancy F. Atlas
NANCY F. ATLAS
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
102a
APPENDIX H — MEMORANDUM AND ORDER OF
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, HOUSTON
DIVISION, DATED FEBRUARY 7, 2003
AND ENTERED FEBRUARY 11, 2003
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS,
HOUSTON DIVISION
CIVIL ACTION NO. H 01-0634
IN THE MATTER OF AN
ARBITRATION BETWEEN
KARAHA BODAS COMPANY, L.L.C.,
Petitioner,
ve
PERUSAHAAN PERTAMBANGAN
MINYAK DAN GAS BUMI NEGARA,
Respondent.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER |
Pending before the Court in this matter involving an
international arbitral award are Petitioner Karaha Bodas
Company’s (“KBC’s”) Amended Second Motion for
Contempt [Doc. # 161],' KBC’s Motion to Extend the July
1. This motion was partially resolved by this Court’s July 12,
2002 Order For Discovery in Aid of Civil Contempt [Doc. # 176],
but the Court took under advisement resolution of KBC’s request for
contempt sanctions.
| ,
103a
Appendix H
22 Order [Doc. # 185], and KBC’s Motion for Sanctions
[Doc. # 187]. These motions relate to Respondent
Perushahaan Pertambangan Minyak Dan Gas Bumi Negara’s
(“Pertamina’s”) conduct in an action against KBC in
Indonesia allegedly in violation of this Court’s Preliminary
Injunction entered April 26, 2002 [Doc. # 137]. These
motions have been extensively briefed by both parties.
Pertamina’s appeal of the April 26, 2002 Preliminary
| Injunction and its appeal of this Court’s Final Judgment
; affirming the arbitral award in favor of KBC [Doc. # 46],
are currently pending before the Court of Appeals for the
Fifth Circuit. The Court deems it appropriate to withhold
ruling on KBC’s Amended Second Motion for Contempt and
Motion for Sanctions pending rulings by the Fifth Circuit on
the validity of this Court’s underlying rulings on which they
3 are based.
KBC’s Motion to Extend July 22 Order is based on
KBC’s characterization of this Court’s July 22, 2002 Order
[Doc. # 179] as a temporary restraining order (“TRO”), which
KBC feared would expire in ten days. KBC requested an
extension through August 6, 2002.’ The July 22, 2002 Order
was not a TRO, but was intended to protect the status quo
under the pre-existing preliminary injunction. That injunction
remains in effect. The July 22, 2002 Order was intended to
; remind the parties of their obligations under the preliminary
injunction. Thus, KBC’s Motion to Extend is moot. It is
therefore
Taha Galt nM ed tae
2. KBC filed its motion on Friday, August 2, 2002.
104a
Appendix H
ORDERED that KBC’s Amended Second Motion for
Contempt [Doc. # 161] and KBC’s Motion for Sanctions
[Doc. # 187] are STAYED AND ADMINISTRATIVELY
CLOSED pending resolution of Pertamina’s appeals, which
are the Fifth Circuit’s appeals No. 02-20042 and No. 02-
20550. The Court will reactivate these motions upon issuance
by the Fifth Circuit’s of the mandate on its decision in the
last remaining appeal. It is further
ORDERED that KBC’s Motion to Extend the July 22
Order [Doc. # 185] is DENIED AS MOOT.
SIGNED at Houston, Texas, this 7th day of February,
2003.
s/ Nancy F. Atlas
NANCY F. ATLAS
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
10Sa
APPENDIX I — DECISION OF THE HIGH COURT OF
THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE
REGION, COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE,
DATED MARCH 27, 2003
IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE
HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE
CONSTRUCTION AND ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS
NO 28 OF 2002
BETWEEN
KARAHA BODAS COMPANY LAA
Plaintiff
and
PERUSAHAAN PERTAMBANGAN MINYAK DAN GAS
BUMI NEGARA (otherwise known as PERTAMINA)
Defendant
Before Hon Burrell J in Chambers
Dates of Hearing 7-9, 17 January and 12 March 2003
Date of Handing Down of Decision 27 March 2003
DECISION
1 On 15 March 2002, this court grated the plaintiff
(“KBC”) leave, ex parte, to enforce an arbitration award made
106a
Appendix I
in Geneva on 18 December 2000 to the same manner as a
judgment and to enter judgment in the amount of the award
On the same date a judgment was entered pursuant to that
leave By this summons the defendant (““Pertamina’’) applies
under Order 73, rule 10 to set aside the order
2 Thecourt has had the benefit of extensive legal argument
over five days on a number of issues from Mr Jat Sew-tong,
SC
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