Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 December 2013
From both a geographical and geopolitical perspective, Southeast Asia is a particularly interesting case-study for maritime delimitation. Despite the existence of significant obstacles to maritime boundary-making, including a complex coastal geography and a multitude of territorial and jurisdictional disputes, Southeast Asia has been described as the “scene of very active and innovative ocean boundary diplomacy”. The objective of this paper is to examine Southeast Asian approaches to maritime boundaries. First, it seeks to identify whether there are common trends and practices in Southeast Asian practice which have contributed to the high number of maritime boundaries concluded by Southeast Asian states. Second, the paper will explore the extent to which Southeast Asian practice has contributed to the normative development of international law on maritime delimitation. Third, the paper will discuss whether there are any lessons to be learned from Southeast Asian practice that can be used to settle unresolved maritime boundary issues in the region.
Research Fellow, Centre for International Law (CIL) at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
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197. The 1979/1990 Malaysia-Thailand Provisional Arrangement (No. 30 in Table 1); the 1989 Australia-Indonesia Provisional Arrangement (No. 32 in Table 1); the 1992 Malaysia-Vietnam Provisional Arrangement (No. 33 in Table 1); and the 2002 Australia-East Timor Provisional Arrangement (No. 35 in Table 1).
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202. The north boundary of Area A reflects Australia's position with regard to where it believes a permanent boundary should be established, and the south boundary of Area A indicates Indonesia's view of the seabed boundary, based on an approximate median line between Australia and Indonesia: ibid., at 81.
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208. Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of Malaysia in Respect of the Common Guidelines Concerning Treatment of Fishermen by Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies of the Republic of Indonesia and Malaysia, 27 January 2012.
209. I Made Andi ARSANA, “Indonesia-Malaysia Deal Is Good News for Fishermen” Jakarta Post, 30 April 2012. Online: 〈http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/04/30/indonesia-malaysia-deal-good-news-fishermen.html〉.
210. Ibid.
211. For example, states can come to a special agreement to refer their disputes to an arbitral tribunal or to the ICJ (art. 36(1), ICJ Statute).
212. UNCLOS, supra note 6, art. 286.
213. Ibid., art. 298(1).
214. Ibid.
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217. Ibid., at 103.
218. See statement by Thailand dated 15 May 2011 on the Ratification of UNCLOS, online: 〈http://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/convention_declarations.htm#Thailand%20Upon%20ratificatio〉.
219. Grisbadarna (Norway v. Sweden), (1910) A.J.I.L. 226; North Sea Continental Shelf Cases (1969), supra note 89; Anglo-French Continental Shelf Arbitration (France v. United Kingdom) (1977), 18 I.L.M. (1979) at 397–494; Aegean Sea Continental Shelf Case, [1978] I.C.J. Rep. 3; Tunisia/Libya Continental Shelf Case (1982), supra note 52; Gulf of Maine Case (1984), supra note 4; Libya/Malta Continental Shelf Cases (1985), supra note 89; Land, Island and Maritime Frontier Dispute (El Salvador/Honduras: Nicaragua Intervening), [1992] I.C.J. Rep. 351; St Pierre and Miquelon Case (1992), supra note 89; Case Concerning Maritime Delimitation in the Area Between Greenland and Jan Mayen (Denmark v. Norway), [1993] I.C.J. Rep. 38; Guinea-Bissau/Senegal Case (1985), supra note 89; Eritrea/Yemen Arbitral Award (1999), supra note 177; Qatar/Bahrain Case (2001), supra note 68; Cameroon/Nigeria Case (2002), supra note 90; Barbados v. Trinidad and Tobago (2006) 45 I.L.M. 798; Guyana/Suriname (2007), supra note 168; Territorial and Maritime Dispute between Nicaragua and Honduras in the Caribbean Sea (Nicaragua v. Honduras), Judgment, I.C.J. Rep. 2007 at 659; Bangladesh/Myanmar (2012), supra note 45; Territorial and Maritime Dispute (Nicaragua v. Colombia), Judgment, 19 November 2012. There are also several pending maritime delimitation cases: Maritime Dispute (Peru v. Chile) (Peru initiated proceedings in the ICJ against Chile in 2008 but Judgment has not been issued); Croatia/Slovenia (On 4 November 2009, Croatia and Slovenia agreed to submit their territorial and maritime dispute to arbitration); Bangladesh/India (Bangladesh initiated arbitral proceedings under Annex VII of UNCLOS).
220. “Bangladesh and Myanmar Give ITLOS its First Maritime Boundary Case” IBRU News (21 December 2009), online: Durham University 〈http://www.dur.ac.uk/ibru/news/ibru_news/?itemno=9202〉. It has been described as “remarkable” that Bangladesh chose ITLOS instead of the Annex VII Arbitral Tribunal or the ICJ, both of which have experience in maritime delimitation disputes. It is said that the consensus between Myanmar and Bangladesh is due to the “tribunal's emphasis on and ability to provide expedience”, which is partly attributable to the reduction of disputes over arbitrators, which can delay proceedings: see Jared BISSINGER, “The Maritime Boundary Dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar: Motivations, Potential Solutions, and Implications” (July 2010) 10 Asia Policy 103−42 at 130.
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223. Ibid., at 129.
224. Ibid., at 107.
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231. Although this was arguably because Indonesia wanted Malaysia's support for its newly proposed concept of archipelagic waters. It has also now caused issues in the negotiation of EEZ boundaries with Malaysia.
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