Solving Maritime Disputes

Eurasia Review have published a valid and topical analysis of how the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) assisted Bangladesh and Myanmar in peacefully resolving a dispute over part of the Bay of Bengal where valuable hydrocarbon reserves exist.

Solving Maritime Disputes: The Bangladesh-Myanmar Way – Analysis

Written by: RSIS, Eurasia Review

March 23, 2012

The maritime boundary dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar has been resolved peacefully by international arbitration. However this is not necessarily a precedent for other disputes in the region.

By Sam Bateman

ON 14 MARCH, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) delivered its judgment in the Dispute Concerning Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal. The Tribunal decided on an adjusted equidistant line as the boundary between the two countries. This was rather more in favour of Bangladesh than a median or equidistant line between the boundaries proposed by each of the two countries would have been. Nevertheless, it still gave over half as much more of the “relevant area” to Myanmar than to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh
As is often the case with international settlement of maritime boundary disputes, there was no outright “winner” or “loser” with the ITLOS judgment. The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Dr Dipu Moni, has claimed it as a victory for her country; but conversely, Myanmar might also claim a “win” as it received a much larger share of the relevant area while St. Martin’s island was not given full weight in the delimitation, as had been argued by Bangladesh.

Background Of Dispute
Bangladesh and Myanmar have long had a boundary dispute in part of the Bay of Bengal where valuable hydrocarbon reserves exist. During 2008-2009, there were several clashes in the area between the navies of the two countries, but the situation quietened down when the neighbours agreed to………[access full analysis]

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One Reply to “Solving Maritime Disputes”

  1. Mahtab Chowdhury

    Dear Sir,
    Thanks for your views. The Prime Minister of our Bangladesh and the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh declared that in the Judgement it was a great achievement and victory of Bangladesh. Even All the Government Institutions congratulated the Prime Minister in the daily news paper by publishing her mega size photograph.The nation is divided into two part. One part is enjoying and giving warm reception to the Honourable Prime Minister and the other part (Oposition) is declaring that Bangladesh lost and the Myanmar got the victory. Please let us know the actual position and really who got victory.
    Your cooperation in this regard will highly be appreciated.

    With Best Regards
    Mahtab Chowdhury

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