1. Mediation under this Convention shall remain available to the parties at any time, regardless of whether other dispute settlement proceedings have been already instituted.

2. Mediation may continue while other dispute settlement proceedings proceed, if the parties so agree. 3.The parties may agree that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the running of the limitation period under any applicable law of limitations or an equivalent rule shall be suspended in relation to the dispute that is the subject of the mediation from the date of the commencement of the mediation until the date of the termination of the mediation. 4.Mediation conducted under this Convention is without prejudice to the rights of the parties to resolve their dispute under any other dispute settlement mechanism that is available to them.