Bahamas and Cuba negotiating maritime boundaries

Bahamas and Cuba negotiating maritime boundaries

NASSAU, Bahamas - The Bahamas and the Republic of Cuba has completed a
"successful round" of preliminary negotiations aimed at delimit the
maritime boundaries between both countries, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs announced July 8.

On June 10, 2009, a delegation of technical experts from various
ministries, accompanied by a consultant on maritime delimitations met in
Havana, Cuba.

They exchanged views and scientific and legal information that will form
the framework for the determination of an equitable boundary between the
parties in accordance with the relevant principles of international law,
stated the Ministry.

Although the primary purpose of the negotiations to delimit a boundary,
other areas of mutual interest were identified for discussions, many of
which are mandated by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea (UNCLOS) in the context of maritime delimitations, the Ministry
said.

These include matters such as cooperation in search and rescue, the
combating of illegal trafficking in drugs and migrants, technical
cooperation in areas such as hydrography and maritime scientific
research, and in the management of trans-boundary resources - fisheries,
oil and gas deposits.

The recent meeting was the latest in a series of discussions on
delimitation between The Bahamas and Cuba that began in the 1990s. A
further round is scheduled to take place within months, the Ministry said.

"Both parties emphasised the long-standing links of friendship, respect
and cooperation that exists between them, and it is within that
framework that the parties hope to eventually conclude an agreement that
would be mutually beneficial and acceptable," the Ministry said.

The issue of maritime delimitation has taken on new importance for The
Bahamas following the proclamation of straight archipelagic baselines in
December 2008, the Ministry said.

These have been deposited with the United Nations, as required by
UNCLOS, and enacted into domestic law by the Archipelagic Waters and
Maritime Jurisdiction (Archipelagic Baselines) Order.

"This means that the baseline from which the different maritime zones of
The Bahamas are now to be measured is a line encircling all the islands
and cays of the Bahamian archipelago, as opposed to the low-water mark
around the individual islands," said the Ministry.

"Naturally, where those maritime zones overlap with those of
neighbouring states, UNCLOS requires the parties to agree their
boundaries by negotiations or otherwise according to international law."

Other neighbouring states with which The Bahamas will eventually pursue
boundary negotiations include the United States, the United Kingdom (on
behalf of the Turks & Caicos Islands) and Haiti.

South Florida Caribbean News (14 July 2009)
http://www.sflcn.com/story.php?id=6757