Dhaka goes for UN arbitration over maritime boundary

[Al-Zakir]

"The time has come to one and for all settle this disputed boundary...


Thursday October 08 2009 18:22:46 PM BDT


The government has decided to submit the maritime boundary dispute to compulsory arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to settle dispute over maritime boundary with India and Myanmar.(The Daily Star )

"We have decided to go for arbitration as the issue was not resolved through bilateral discussion with the two neighbours in the last 35 years," Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said at a press briefing at the ministry today.

Foreign Secretary Mohammad Mizarul Kayas today handed over copies of the notification and statement of claim to the high commissioner of India and ambassador of Myanmar at the Secretariat.

"The claims of our neighbours have unfairly cut off a significant portion of our maritime area in the Bay of Bengal and prevented us from exploring oil and natural resources.

"The time has come to one and for all settle this disputed boundary so that both Bangladesh and its neighbour can finally resolve the obstacle that stand in the way of the exploration of our natural resources."

Dipu Moni said the government would continue negotiation with them too.

http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=288171

[Jana]

Hey zakir is that going to help?

and what about border disputes with regional bully bharat?

[Al-Zakir]

Originally Posted by Jana

Hey zakir is that going to help?

and what about border disputes with regional bully bharat?

Most likely not but at least "something is better than nothing"!

Only one way for us tacke the issue is to form a stong millitary tied with Pakistan and China. Perhaps allow them to have some military bases. People of BD are very aware of the danger that facing us from big foot thus govenment must choose between alied and enemy. Present govenment may be stooge of the big foot but people of bd will not let them sell our Sovereignty without a fight. Gaddar

Big foot doesn't understand the message of co-existence.

[Al-Zakir]

Maritime boundary arbitration


Myanmar frustrated at BD decision to go to UN


Friday October 23 2009 23:51:33 PM BDT


Myanmar is disappointed as Bangladesh decided to take the maritime boundary delimitation issue to arbitration at the United Nations instead of finding a negotiated settlement, but ruled out any military move over the dispute.(UNB, Dhaka)

As India and Myanmar have started developing their offshore resources, the Bangladesh government opted for arbitration, Myanmar Ambassador in Dhaka Phae Thann OO told UNB in an exclusive interview at a time when reports are rife about tensions on the Bangladesh-Myanmar frontier.

"So, when Bangladesh has decided to take the issue of delimitation of our maritime boundary to arbitration at the UN, we were a little (bit) disappointed. Why? The talks are progressing. Why do you have to go to the UN? That is our point. So leave alone this talk of military buildup," he said. "But, what I mean to say, we have an open, ongoing bilateral process on the issue of delimitation-and it is progressing. We should continue it. Only when the process has been exhausted without providing a solution, should we go for arbitration. That is again my personal opinion," said the diplomat.

He noted with happiness that the two sides are still going to have the next round of technical-level meeting, in Dhaka, in November. "Neither country has abandoned the process," he said. At the next talks, they plan to raise the point of their disappointments over Bangladesh's decision to go for arbitration while the bilateral talks are on, and "progressing".

"We don't think it is necessary to go for arbitration. But whether Bangladesh goes ahead with it or not will be up to them. They are within their rights to do so, and we respect that," Phae Thann OO said. Amid the blowing wind of pessimism surrounding the rivalries over the share of the disputed part of the Bay of Bengal, the envoy of the military-ruled neighboring country struck a high note of optimism about an amicable solution. "…one day, we'll have a mutually agreed settlement," he said.

About press reports that Myanmar mobilized troops along the border as a showdown in the wake of Bangladesh's efforts to explore gas in the bay, he said, "We deny this; this is not true in the context it has been reported."

http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=290554