Document spat with East Timor over

A spat between East Timor and Australia that reached the United Nations' top court, over the seizure of documents concerning a controversial oil and gas treaty between the two countries, is over.

Attorney-General George Brandis told a Senate committee on Wednesday that Australia had received a diplomatic note from East Timor's government confirming it is discontinuing proceedings in the International Court of Justice in The Hague because the documents in question have been returned.

Dili took Canberra to the court seeking the return of sensitive documents ASIO seized during a December 2013 raid on the Canberra office of lawyer Bernard Collaery, who was representing East Timor.