Declaration of Judge Oda

Document Number
075-19920911-JUD-01-01-EN
Parent Document Number
075-19920911-JUD-01-00-EN
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Bilingual Document File

DECLARATION OF JUDGE ODA

1wish to put on record that 1do not share the views of the Chamber
concerning the effect of Nicaragua's intervention as expressed in para-
graphs 421-424of the Judgment.
What does it mean when the Chamber states :

"The bindingforce ofthe present Judgmentfor the Parties, ascon-
templated by Article 59 of the Statute of the Court, does not . . .
extend also to Nicaragua as intervener" (para. 421);
"[A]State permitted to intervene under Article 62 of the Statute,
but which does not acquire the status of party to the case, is not
bound bythe Judgment giveninthe proceedings inwhich ithas inter-
vened" (para. 423);

''[Ihe right to be heard, which the intervener does acquire, does
not carry with it the obligation of being bound by the decision"
(ibid.);
"[Tjhis Judgment is not res judicata for Nicaragua" (para. 424)?

Does this mean that Nicaragua is not boundto comply with the decisions
of the Courtto the effect that
"[Tjhe waters [ofthe Gulf of Fonseca] .. .were ...held in sover-
eignty by the Republic of El Salvador, the Republic of Honduras,
and the Republic of Nicaragua, jointly, and continue to be so
held .. ."(para. 432(1));
''[Ihe waters at the central portion of the closingline of the Gulf,
that is toSay,between a point on that line 3 miles (1 marine league)
from Punta Amapala and a point on that line 3 miles (1 marine
league) from Punta Cosigüina, are subject to the joint entitlement of
al1three States of the Gulf. .." (ibid.);

''[Vhe legal situation of the waters outside the Gulf is that, the
Gulf of Fonseca being an historic bay with three coastal States, the
closing line of the Gulf constitutes the baseline of the territorial sea;
the territorial sea, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone of
El Salvador and those of Nicaragua offthe coasts of those two States
are also to be measured outwards from a section of the closing line
extending 3 miles (1marine league) along that linefrom Punta Ama-
pala (in El Salvador) and 3miles (1marine league)from Punta Cosi-
güina (in Nicaragua) respectively; but entitlement to territorial sea,
continental shelfand exclusiveeconomiczoneseaward ofthecentral620 DISPUTE (ELSALVADOR/HONDUR (AES) L. DA)

portion of the closing line appertains to the three States of the Gulf,
El Salvador, Hondurasand Nicaragua; andthatany delimitation of
the relevant maritime areas isto be effected byagreement onthe basis
of international law" (para. 432(3))?

In my view, Nicaragua, as a non-party inte~ener, will certainly be
bound by this Judgment in sofaras it relates to the legal situation of the
maritime spaces of the Gulf.1 have already expressed my views on the
efftct ofJudgments oftheCourtupon intervening Statesinmyseparate or
dissenting opinions appended respectively to the Continental Shelf
(Tunisia/LibyanArabJamahiriya),Applicationfor PermissiontoIntervene,
Judgment (I.C.J. Reports1981, p. 22) and the ContinentalShelf(Libyan
rab ~arnahiri~a/~alta),~~~licÜtiofor permissiontoIntervene,Judgment
(I.C.J.Reports1984,p.90),the sense of which1do not need to repeat here.
Bythe foregoing, however, 1do not intend to lend my accord to the find-
ingsreached bythe Chamber on the legalsituationof the maritimespaces,
in respect of whic1 append a dissenting opinion to theJudgment.

(Signed) Shigeru ODA.

Bilingual Content

DECLARATION OF JUDGE ODA

1wish to put on record that 1do not share the views of the Chamber
concerning the effect of Nicaragua's intervention as expressed in para-
graphs 421-424of the Judgment.
What does it mean when the Chamber states :

"The bindingforce ofthe present Judgmentfor the Parties, ascon-
templated by Article 59 of the Statute of the Court, does not . . .
extend also to Nicaragua as intervener" (para. 421);
"[A]State permitted to intervene under Article 62 of the Statute,
but which does not acquire the status of party to the case, is not
bound bythe Judgment giveninthe proceedings inwhich ithas inter-
vened" (para. 423);

''[Ihe right to be heard, which the intervener does acquire, does
not carry with it the obligation of being bound by the decision"
(ibid.);
"[Tjhis Judgment is not res judicata for Nicaragua" (para. 424)?

Does this mean that Nicaragua is not boundto comply with the decisions
of the Courtto the effect that
"[Tjhe waters [ofthe Gulf of Fonseca] .. .were ...held in sover-
eignty by the Republic of El Salvador, the Republic of Honduras,
and the Republic of Nicaragua, jointly, and continue to be so
held .. ."(para. 432(1));
''[Ihe waters at the central portion of the closingline of the Gulf,
that is toSay,between a point on that line 3 miles (1 marine league)
from Punta Amapala and a point on that line 3 miles (1 marine
league) from Punta Cosigüina, are subject to the joint entitlement of
al1three States of the Gulf. .." (ibid.);

''[Vhe legal situation of the waters outside the Gulf is that, the
Gulf of Fonseca being an historic bay with three coastal States, the
closing line of the Gulf constitutes the baseline of the territorial sea;
the territorial sea, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone of
El Salvador and those of Nicaragua offthe coasts of those two States
are also to be measured outwards from a section of the closing line
extending 3 miles (1marine league) along that linefrom Punta Ama-
pala (in El Salvador) and 3miles (1marine league)from Punta Cosi-
güina (in Nicaragua) respectively; but entitlement to territorial sea,
continental shelfand exclusiveeconomiczoneseaward ofthecentral IIÉCLARATION DE M. ODA

[Traduction]

Je souhaite qu'il !;oitconsignéque je ne partage pas les vues de la
Chambre concernant l'effet de l'intervention du Nicaragua tel qu'il est
exposéauxparagraphes 421 à424de l'arrêt.
Comment faut-il t:ntendre les déclarations suivantes de la Chambre:

«La forceobligatoire du présentarrêtpour lesParties,tellequ'elle
est envisagée par l'article 59du Statut de la Cour, ne s'étend ..pas
aussi au Nicaragua en tant qu'intervenant »(par. 421);

«[U]n Etat qui est autorisé àintervenir au titre de l'article 62 du
Statut maisquin'acquiert pas la qualitéde partie àl'affaire considé-
réen'est pas liépar l'arrêt rendudans l'instance dans laquelle il est
intervenu »(par. 423);
«[L]e droit d'êtreentendu, que l'intervenant acquiert effective-
ment, n'emporte pas nécessairement l'obligation d'êtreliépar la
décision ))(ibid.,);

«[L]eprésentarrêtn'a pas l'autoritéde la chosejugée àl'égard du
Nicaragua » (par. 424)?
Signifient-elles que 1':Nicaragua n'estpas tenu de se conformer aux déci-

sions de la Cour aux termes desquelles :
«[Les]eaux du golfede Fonseca ..ont ..été..soumises à la souve-
rainetéde la Rél~ubliqued'El Salvador,de la Républiquedu Hondu-
ras et de la Républiquedu Nicaragua conjointement, et continuent
de l'être.)>(par. 432, 1);

«[L]es droits sur les eaux dans le tronçon central de la ligne de
fermeture du golfe, c'est-à-dire entre un point de cette ligne situé
3 milles (1lieuemarine) de Punta Amapala et un point de cetteligne
situéà 3 milles (1lieue marine) de Punta Cosigüina, appartiennent
conjointement aux trois Etats du golfe..» (ibid.);
« [L]asituation juridique deseaux situéesendehors du golfe estla
suivante: le golfe de Fonseca étantune baie historique dont trois

Etats sont riverains, la ligne de fermeture du golfe constitue la ligne
de base de la merterritoriale; la merterritoriale, leplateau continen-
tal etlazone économique exclusived'El Salvador etceux du Nicara-
gua au large des côtes de ces deux Etats doivent également être
mesurés,vers le large, àpartir d'un tronçon de la ligne de fermeture
s'étendantsur une distance de 3 milles (1 lieue marine), le long de
ladite ligne, partir de Punta Amapala (en El Salvador)et de 3milles
(1lieuemarine) à partirde Punta Cosigüina(au Nicaragua) respecti-620 DISPUTE (ELSALVADOR/HONDUR (AES) L. DA)

portion of the closing line appertains to the three States of the Gulf,
El Salvador, Hondurasand Nicaragua; andthatany delimitation of
the relevant maritime areas isto be effected byagreement onthe basis
of international law" (para. 432(3))?

In my view, Nicaragua, as a non-party inte~ener, will certainly be
bound by this Judgment in sofaras it relates to the legal situation of the
maritime spaces of the Gulf.1 have already expressed my views on the
efftct ofJudgments oftheCourtupon intervening Statesinmyseparate or
dissenting opinions appended respectively to the Continental Shelf
(Tunisia/LibyanArabJamahiriya),Applicationfor PermissiontoIntervene,
Judgment (I.C.J. Reports1981, p. 22) and the ContinentalShelf(Libyan
rab ~arnahiri~a/~alta),~~~licÜtiofor permissiontoIntervene,Judgment
(I.C.J.Reports1984,p.90),the sense of which1do not need to repeat here.
Bythe foregoing, however, 1do not intend to lend my accord to the find-
ingsreached bythe Chamber on the legalsituationof the maritimespaces,
in respect of whic1 append a dissenting opinion to theJudgment.

(Signed) Shigeru ODA. vement, mais le droità une mer territorialeà un plateau continental
età unezoneéconomique exclusiveau large du tronçon central de la
ligne de fermeture appartient auxtrois Etats du golfe, El Salvador, le
Honduras et le Nicaragua, et ...toute délimitation des zones mari-
timespertinentesdevraêtreeffectuéeparvoied'accord sur labase du
droit internationiil(par. 432,3)?
Amon avis,entant qu'intervenant non partie, le Nicaragua seracertai-

nement tenu par l'arrit dans la mesure où celui-ci porte sur la situation
juridique des espacesmaritimes du golfe.J'ai déjà exprimémes vues sur
l'effet des arrêtsde la Cour a l'égardd'Etats intervenants sous forme
d'opinions individuelle ou dissidente jointes respectivement à l'arrêt
rendu en l'affaire du Plateau continental (Tunisie/Jamahiriya arabe
libyenne),requête àJifid'interventio(C.Z.J.Recueil1981,p. 22)et àl'arrêt
rendu en l'affaire dii Plateau continental (Jamahiriya arabe libyenne/
Malte), requêta efin Id'interventionC.Z.J.Recueil1984, p. 90) et dont il
n'est pas nécessaire ,queje redonne ici la substance. Ce qui précède
n'implique cependani.pas que j'ai l'intention de m'associer aux conclu-
sions de la Chambre s~urla situationjuridique des espacesmaritimes, au
sujetdesquelles jejoiiisà l'arrêt une opinion dissidente.

(Signé)Shigeru ODA.

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Declaration of Judge Oda

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