Colombia rejects Court of Justice ruling on Caribbean islands disputed with Nicaragua

Wednesday, November 21st 2012 - 06:01 UTC

Full article 6 comments

Colombia rejected the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) decision on the dispute with Nicaragua which recognized Colombian sovereignty over the disputed San Andrés islands but extended Nicaragua’s maritime space surrounding the islands. Read full article

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briton
perhaps you should talk to CFK,
she rejects everything.
Nov 21st, 2012 - 12:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Idlehands
It is odd that the ICJ can confirm an island group belongs to one nation but declare the surrounding waters belong to another nation.
Nov 21st, 2012 - 02:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ljb
It does seem strange.
Nov 21st, 2012 - 03:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Conqueror
It is important that the actual judgement is examined. http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/124/17164.pdf Whilst I consider part of the Court's judgement to be illogical and unworkable, the Court has NOT declared “the surrounding waters belong to another nation.” What it has done is to rule that the major part of the area claimed by Colombia DOES belong to Colombia. In respect of two Islands, Quitasueno and Serrana, it has also declared that they belong to Colombia. The “problem” is that they have used the “enclave” solution. Quitasueno and Serrana both have a 12-mile territorial sea around them that also belongs to Colombia. So there are spaces between the territorial seas of these two islands and the main area of Colombian sovereignty. It is my thought that the Court has created more problems than it has solved. Having said that, Quitasueno is tiny. Barely 1 square metre above water at high water. Serrana is larger, but not by much. On balance, Colombia seems to have got about 95% of what it wanted. Perhaps Colombia should try for a bilateral agreement with Nicaragua.
Nov 21st, 2012 - 04:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Pugol-H
Looking at the new map and reading the ruling, the court has tried to be fair to both sides.

Colombia keeps the islands and seabed to the east, Nicaragua gets a horseshoe in effect, around the islands to the North and South up to the 200 mile limit.

Difficult to see what Colombia can do as the ruling is binding.

Another one to add to the growing list of ongoing S American territorial disputes.

Quite a fashion CFK has started down there.
Nov 21st, 2012 - 07:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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British_Kirchnerist
Perhaps this could be a good model for the Falklands; the Islands can stay British for the Islanders, but the surrounding waters and their oil can be Argentine, as they would automatically be anayway without the strategicly placed presence of a smaller than average British village...
Nov 24th, 2012 - 12:16 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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