16. The petition was presented within six months of the final ruling of the appeal on conviction and sentence pursuant to Article 46(1)(b) of the Convention. Mr. Prince?s application for leave to appeal his conviction was dismissed by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London on March 11, 1998. The petition was dated May 8, 1998 and filed before the Commission, by fax, that same day. c. Duplication of procedures and res judicata 17. The petition satisfies the requirements of Article 46(1)(c) in that it is not pending settlement in another international proceeding, nor does it duplicate a petition already examined and settled by the Commission or by another international governmental organization of which the State concerned is a member. d. Grounds for the petition 18. The Commission considers that the presentation by the petition refers to facts, which if proved, that tend to establish a violation of the rights guaranteed by the Convention. Since the lack of grounds or the inappropriateness of the petition is not evident, the Commission considers the requisites of article 47 (b) and (c) of the Convention to be satisfied. V. CONCLUSION 19. The Commission considers that it has the competence to consider this case and that the petition is admissible, having satisfied the requirements of Articles 46 and 47 of the American Convention. On the basis of the arguments on the facts and on the law set forth above, and without prejudicing the merits of the matter in question, THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, DECIDES: 1. To declare the present case admissible. 2. To notify the State and the petitioner of this decision. 3. To continue with the analysis of the merits of the question. 4. To place itself at the disposition of the parties with a view to reaching a friendly settlement of the matter based on the respect for human rights, as recognized in the American Convention, and to invite the parties to express their views on this possibility. 5, To maintain in effect the precautionary measures issued by the Commission on May 8, 1998, until the Commission issues a decision on the merits of the petition. 6. To make public this report and to publish it in its Annual Report to the OAS General Assembly. Done and signed at the headquarters of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, in the city of Washington, D.C., on the eleven day of the month of March in the year 1999. (Signed): Robert K. Goldman, Chairman; Hélio Bicudo, First Vice Chairman; Claudio Grossman, Second Vice Chairman; Commissioners Alvaro Tirado Mejía, Carlos Ayala Corao, and Jean Joseph Exumé. 4