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INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, 2517 KJ The Hague. Tel.(31-70-302 23 23). Cables: Intercourt, The Hague.
Telefax (31-70-364 99 28). Telex 32323. Internet address: http:Il www.icj-cij.org
Communiqué
unofficial
forimmediaterelease
No. 99/52
8 December 1999
Nicaragua institutes proceedings against Honduras with regardto
"legal issues subsisting" between thtw9 States "conceming
maritime delimitation" in the Caribbean Sea
THE HAGUE, 8 December 1999. Today, Nicaragua instituted proceedings against Honduras with regard
• to "legal issues subsisting" between the two States "conceming maritime delimitation" in the Caribbean Sea.
In its Application, Nicaragua states inter alia that it has for decades "maintained the position that its
maritime Caribbean border with Honduras bas not been detennined", white Honduras' position is said to be that
"there in fact exists a delimitation line that runs straight easterly on the parallel of latitude from the point fixed
in [an Arbitral Award of 23 December 1906 made by the King of Spain concerning the land boundary between
Nicaragua and Honduras, which was found valid and binding by the International Court of Justice on
18 November 1960] on the mouth of the· Coco river". According to Nicaragua, "the position adopted by
Honduras ... bas brought repeated confrontations and mutual capture of vessels of bath nations in and around
the general border area". Nicaragua further states that "diplomatie negotiations have failed".
Nicaragua therefore requests the Court "to detennine the course of the single maritime boundary between
areasof territorial sea, continental shelf and exclusive economie zone appertaining respectively ta Nicaragua
and Honduras, in accordance with equitable principles and relevant circumstances recognized by general
international law as applicable to such a delimitation of a single maritime boundary".
}\ficaraguafurther indicates that it "reserves the right to claim compensation for interference with fishing
vessels ofNicaraguan nationality or vessels licensedNicara~ found to the north of the parallel of latitude
e 14°59'08" claimed by Honduras to be the course ofthe delimitation line". It also reserves "the right to claim
compensation for any natural resources that may have been extracted or may be extracted in the future to the
south of the tine of delimitation that will be fixed by the Judgment of the Court".
As a basis for the Court'sjurisdiction, Nicaragua invokes Article XXXI of the American Treaty on Pacifie
Settlement (officially known as the "Pact ofBogotâ"), signed on 30 April1948, to which bath Nicaragua and
Honduras are parties, as weil as the declarations under Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the Court, by
which bath States have accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court.
The full text ofNicaragua's Application will shorbeyavailable on the Court's website at the following
address:bttp ://www.icj..çij.org
Information Department:
Mr. Arthur Th. Witteveen, First Secretary of the Court(+ 31 70 302 23 36)
Mrs. Laurence Blairon, Infonnation Officer (+ 31 70 302 23 37)
Email address: [email protected]
Nicaragua institutes proceedings against Honduras with regard to "legal issues subsisting" between the two States "concerning maritime delimitation" in the Caribbean Sea