Et Ve Balik Kurumu v. B. N. S. International Sales Corp.

25 Misc. 2d 299, 204 N.Y.S.2d 971, 1960 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2818
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJune 17, 1960
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 25 Misc. 2d 299 (Et Ve Balik Kurumu v. B. N. S. International Sales Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Et Ve Balik Kurumu v. B. N. S. International Sales Corp., 25 Misc. 2d 299, 204 N.Y.S.2d 971, 1960 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2818 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1960).

Opinion

Matthew M. Levy, J.

In its complaint, the plaintiff alleges that it is a “ State Enterprise of the Republic of Turkey and as such is an integral part of the Government of the Republic of Turkey ’ \ Its duties, among other things, 11 are to develop in the Republic of Turkey the meat and fish industry and to supply the public and army with meat and fish for their consumption ’ ’. The defendant B. N. S. International Sales Corporation and the defendant Fidelity & Casualty Company of New York are domestic corporations. The plaintiff pleads a contract between it and the defendant B. N. S., a copy of which is annexed to the complaint, and which in essence provides for the purchase by the plaintiff from defendant B. N. S. of a quantity of mutton and further provides for payment to the defendant B. N. S. of dollar credits owing to the Republic of Turkey by various oil companies doing business in that country. Because of difficulty in arranging the exchange of currency for this transaction, the original contract was, by mutual agreement, subsequently modified to reduce the quantity of mutton to be supplied, to extend the period of time for shipment and to reduce the total purchase price. The plaintiff [300]*300further alleges that the defendant B. N. S. obtained from the defendant Fidelity & Casualty Company of New York, a performance bond in accordance with the contract as amended. The plaintiff also alleges the payment to the account of defendant B. N. S. by Esso Standard (Turkey) Inc., upon authorization of the plaintiff and the defendant B. N. S., of $120,000, and the alleged failure of the defendant B. N. S. to make shipment of mutton in accordance with the modified contract. In consequence, the plaintiff sues to recover the said sum of $120,000. A second cause of action is alleged against B. N. S. on the grounds of unjust enrichment for $120,000. The third cause of action is on the performance bond.

In their answer the defendants B. N. S. and Fidelity “ admit that plaintiff is a State enterprise of the Republic of Turkey and as such an integral part of the Government of the Republic of Turkey.” The defendants also admit the execution of the written agreement annexed to the complaint, but deny the claimed modification thereof. The defendant B. N. S. asserts a counterclaim against the plaintiff, charging in substance that the plaintiff breached the contract by failing to supply certain required documents. As a result thereof, the defendant B. N. S. contends that it sustained damage in the amount of $500,000. Judgment is demanded by the defendants dismissing the complaint, and the defendant B. N. S. demands judgment on its counterclaim for $380,000 — computed by deducting the payment of $120,000 from the $500,000 damages allegedly sustained.

The plaintiff served a reply to the counterclaim, denying the material allegations thereof and setting forth two affirmative defenses. The first affirmative defense is partial in character and the plaintiff therein realleges that it is a “ State Enterprise of the Republic of Turkey and an integral part ’ ’ of that government and, as such, “ is a sovereign power entitled to all the rights and immunities of sovereignty”. By reason thereof, the plaintiff pleads that any counterclaim asserted against the plaintiff is limited to a setoff against any amount which the plaintiff might ultimately prove as against the counterclaiming defendant. The second affirmative defense is pleaded as a complete defense, in which the plaintiff alleges that it is immune from suit in the courts of this State without its consent, that it may not, without the plaintiff’s permission, be the subject of any counterclaim asserted by the defendant B. N. S. in its answer, and that the plaintiff has not permitted or consented to the assertion of a counterclaim against it, nor has it waived its sovereign immunity in that respect. The defendant B. N. S. now moves for an order, pursuant to rule [301]*301111 of the Rules of Civil Practice, to strike the defenses — whether partial or complete — interposed by the plaintiff to the counterclaim upon the ground that such defenses are insufficient in law upon the face thereof.

In consonance with the principle of comity among nations, foreign sovereigns have been given immunity from suit in our courts (1 Hyde, International Law [2d Rev. ed., 1945], § 244) ; and it has long been established that a sovereign cannot be sued here without his consent (Schooner Exchange v. McFaddon, 7 Cranch [11 U. S.] 116; The Roseric, 254 F. 154). Primarily, however, the claim by a foreign sovereign of immunity from suit is a political rather than a judicial matter. The determination of the Federal executive as to whether or not immunity exists in respect of any given foreign power or agency thereof is conclusive upon the courts. The issue, if raised, may be decided in the judicial sphere only where the matter has not been settled as a political question. (Stone Eng. Co. v. Petroleos Mexicanos, 352 Pa. 12; Miller v. Ferrocarrill del Pacifico de Nicaragua, 137 Me. 251; Neto York & Cuba Mail S. S. Co. v. Republic of Korea, 132 F. Supp. 684.) It is to be noted at the outset that, as far as appears from the pleadings in the instant case, no executive action as to the forensic status of the present plaintiff has been taken by the Department of State of the United States. In such circumstances I feel free to determine the matter in the exercise of judicial responsibility.

The plaintiff here is not the Republic of Turkey. The plaintiff is not a sovereign state. It titles itself, as indicated, as a “ State Enterprise of the Republic of Turkey ”, The plaintiff asserts that it is, as such, a sovereign power entitled to all the rights and immunities of sovereignty. As a general rule, an agency wholly or partly owned or controlled by a foreign government is not entitled to the immunity of the government. (Hannes v. Kingdom of Roumania Monopolies Inst., 260 App. Div. 189, motion for leave to appeal or for rearg. denied 260 App. Div. 1006; Amtorg Trading Corp. v. United States, 71 F. 2d 524; Coale v. Societe Co-op. Suisse des Charbons, 21 F. 2d 180; Ulen & Co. v. Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, 261 App. Div. 1, motion for leave to appeal denied 261 App. Div. 838.) But where the corporation functions as. a public agency or instrumentality or where evidence of corporate separateness from the government was not strong, immunity has been granted. (Bradford v. Director General of Railroads of Mexico, 278 S. W. 251 [Tex.]; Dunlap v. Banco Central del Ecuador, 41 N. Y. S. 2d 650; Stone Eng. Co. v. Petroleos Mexicanos, 352 Pa. 12, supra.) Therefore, although a determination of the [302]*302exact status of the plaintiff would seemingly be in order, an inquiry in that regard is not here necessary, for the defendant, in its answer, has admitted that the plaintiff is a State enterprise and as such is an integral part of the government of the Republic of Turkey. And, for the purpose of this decision, it will be assumed that the assertion of immunity by this plaintiff’s attorneys is being made by a duly authorized agent of the Turkish government, for this court would presumptively have jurisdiction unless the government of the Republic of Turkey itself objects (see Kunglig Jarnvagsstyrelsen v. Dexter & Carpenter, Inc., 32 F. 2d 195, cert, denied 280 U. S. 579).

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Bluebook (online)
25 Misc. 2d 299, 204 N.Y.S.2d 971, 1960 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2818, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/et-ve-balik-kurumu-v-b-n-s-international-sales-corp-nysupct-1960.