On March 25, 2003, Enron Corporation and Ponderosa Assets, L.P. (“Claimants”) submitted before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (“ICSID” or “Centre”) a request for arbitration against the Argentine Republic (“Argentine Republic” or “Argentina”) for alleged violations of the provisions of the 1991 Treaty between the United States of America and the Argentine Republic Concerning the Reciprocal Encouragement and Protection of Investments (“Treaty”). The request concerns the adoption by the Government of Argentina of certain measures that allegedly affect the Claimants' investment in a gas transportation company.