The "expansionist mood of Nicaragua"

The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – A Nicaragua representative, Carlos Arguello, came before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and formalized the new lawsuit against Colombia to declare the “exact path” of the maritime boundary between the two countries.

“This lawsuit is intended finish defining the maritime areas of Nicaragua bordering Colombia in the Caribbean,” the Nicaraguan executive said in a statement.

In the new demand, Nicaragua requests the ICJ to adjudge and declare the “exact path” of the maritime boundary between Nicaragua and Colombia on the continental shelf areas belonging to parties beyond the limits determined by the judgment on November 19, 2012.

In that ruling, the ICJ defined the limits in the Caribbean between the two countries and gave Colombia sovereignty specific rights in the archipelago of San Andrés, whose major islands had already been granted to Colombia in 2007.

Nicaragua also gave a strip of sea area estimated at 75,000 square kilometers.

Managua filed the new lawsuit against Colombia as an integral part of a process of establishing the maritime borders of Nicaragua in the Caribbean, whose “first phase” ended with the ruling of the ICJ in November, according to official information.

Nicaragua’s decision comes a week after the president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, filed a “comprehensive strategy” to defend the sovereignty and rights of the country of the “expansionist mood of Nicaragua” in response to the failure of the ICJ, the president considered “unenforceable” until there is an agreement that respects the rights of Colombians.

Last week, the Colombian president appeared before the Constitutional Court in its country a lawsuit against the Pact of Bogota for that court to rule on the argument that the ICJ ruling does not conform to the Colombian Constitution.

The Bogotá Pact was signed in April 1948 in the Colombian capital, right in the conference that gave rise to the Organization of American States (OAS) and several instruments to protect human rights and peaceful settlement of disputes between States.

Subsequently, Law 37 of 1962, the Colombian government approved the treaty that is in question now.

Santos also announced that in conjunction with Costa Rica, Panama and Jamaica, they drafting a letter of protest to stop the “expansionist mood” of Nicaragua in the Caribbean. This letter is to be delivered later this month to the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon.

In the statement, the Sandinista government warned that of the possibility of a bilateral negotiation with Bogota limits, which had been pending a final judgment in the ICJ, stating that ruling, “has been hampered by the reaction of Colombia”.

“This, coupled with the denunciation of the Pact of Bogotá by Colombia, which is the instrument that served as the jurisdictional basis for the Court in the above case, were constrained to Nicaragua to take action and proceed to file a lawsuit against Colombia before this denunciation becomes effective, “he said.

Nicaragua filed with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf of the United Nations a request to extend the boundary on the continental shelf 350 nautical miles to the southwestern Caribbean in accordance with the Law of the Sea Convention.

Nicaragua’s “expansionist mood” is also seen in its recent initiatives such as Ortega’s announcement to modernize its navy with China’s help. As well, the Nicaragua Canal project, again with China’s financial support and recent discoveries of massive oil and natural gas reserves in the Caribbean, are all contributing factors in Nicaragua’s ongoing territorial expansion efforts.

The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica