9. The Commission received a request from the petitioners on August 20, 1999 to hold a hearing during its 104th session. That hearing was held on October 1, 1999. 10. On October 18, 1999, the State requested an extension for submitting its response, and on November 9, 1999 the Commission granted this extension for 15 days. On November 24, 1999 the Commission received the observations requested from the government. Those observations were transmitted to the petitioners on December 9, 1999, giving them 30 days to submit their response, together with any new or supplementary information. The petitioners responded on January 10, 2000, repeating their request of August 18, 1999 for precautionary measures. 11. On February 18, 2000, before rendering its decision on the appropriateness of precautionary measures, the IACHR asked the State to report within 15 days on the impact that the planned civil works would have on the territory occupied by these communities. 12. On June 7, 2000, the petitioners wrote to the IACHR with updated information on the situation that gave rise to the petition, and requested the IACHR to make the necessary arrangements for beginning the friendly settlement procedure proposed by the State in its communication of July 7, 1999. 13. On September 25, 2000, the petitioners again requested the Commission to adopt precautionary measures. On September 25 the IACHR transmitted this request to the State, giving it 16 days to respond. On October 12, 2000 a hearing was held during the 108 th regular session of the IACHR. 14. On October 19, 2000, the Commission transmitted to the petitioners information sent by the State on October 16. On November 3, 2000 the State sent information which was transmitted to the petitioners on November 10, 2000, giving them 15 days to submit any observations. On November 30, 2000, the petitioners reported to the Commission on the first meeting held under the friendly settlement procedure with representatives of the State on November 1, at which the IACHR Rapporteur for Argentina was present. 15. The friendly settlement procedure between the petitioners and the State continued from November 1, 2000 until July 20, 2005, when the petitioners advised the Commission of their decision to terminate that procedure. During that period of nearly five years,