6 Ricardo Roberto (Political Adviser at the Embassy in Guatemala), Ambassador Thomas Strook and Ambassador James Michael (both of whom participated in the investigation to shed light on Mr. Nicholas Blake's disappearance), and Felipe Alva (who assisted Mr. Nicholas Blake's family in locating his remains.) 26. On March 18, 1997, the President summoned the parties to a public hearing to be held on April 17, 1997 in order to hear the statements of the witnesses proposed by the Commission and the parties' final oral pleadings on the merits of the case. 27. On April 16, 1997, the State submitted a brief in which it stated that "it accept[ed] international responsibility on the question of human rights stemming from the delay in the application of justice until the year nineteen hundred and ninety-five (1995)..." (originally in capitals) and that this acknowledgment was independent of the outcome of the proceeding in the domestic courts, and reported that: 1. On May 31, 1995, the District Attorney's Office in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, received the statement of Mr. Justo Víctor (sic) Martínez Morales. Also, on June 22, 1995, Mr. Felipe Benicio Alva Carrillo testified, both in connection with case 542-85, Oficial Tercero, concerning the death of United States citizens Nicholas Blake and Griffith Williams Davis in March 1985. 2. On March 12, 1997, at 7:30 a.m. the main person accused of being the physical author of the deed, Vicente Cifuentes-López, was apprehended on the main highway of Caserío "Lo de Chavez" in the village of "Oqbila," in the municipality of Huehuetenango, department of Huehuetenango. He is still being detained at the Huehuetenango departmental prison. Mr. Cifuentes-López is one of the persons accused of the unlawful criminal act in the instant case. 3. Due to the circumstances described, the Government of Guatemala submit[ted] its acceptance of responsibility on the question of human rights stemming from the unwarranted delay in the application of justice in this case. 4. It respectfully request[ed] the Honorable Court to suspend the oral proceedings and grant it a term of six months to reach an agreement on reparations with the victims' next of kin and/or the Commission. ... 28. that: On April 17, 1997, the Commission submitted a brief in which it declared [I]t appreciate[d] the acceptance that was made by the Illustrious Government of Guatemala, but consider[ed] it to be exceedingly restrictive because as it refer[red] solely to the undue delay of justice. Given that in its brief the Commission [had] raised other issues that generate[d] international responsibility, and which [should] therefore be the subject of reparations and compensation, the Commission request[ed] the Honorable Court to pursue the oral proceeding and duly render a judgment in conformity with the request contained in the application. 29. On the same day, the Court issued an order in which it considered: [t]hat the State's declaration refer[red] exclusively to the facts concerning the "unwarranted delay in the application of justice in the Blake Case," which, in the view of this Tribunal, represents a partial recognition of the facts contained in the application submitted by the Commission and which fall within the purview of the Court. The Court also decided: