On October 12, 2003 Total S.A. (hereinafter “Total” or the “Claimant”) filed with the Secretary-General of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes a “Request for Arbitration” against the Argentine Republic (hereinafter “Argentina” or the “Respondent”) pursuant to the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of other States (hereinafter the “ICSID Convention”) and the Treaty between France and Argentina concerning the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investment (hereinafter the “BIT”) of July 3, 1991.