Natural prolongation principle
The natural prolongation principle or principle of natural prolongation is a legal concept introduced in maritime claims submitted to the United Nations.
The phrase denotes a concept of political geography and international law that a nation's maritime boundary should reflect the 'natural prolongation' of where its land territory reaches the coast.
Oceanographic descriptions of the land mass under coastal waters became conflated and confused with criteria that are deemed relevant in border delimitation.Highet, Keith. (1989). "Whatever became of natural prolongation," in {{Google books|X2DssQNCz-sC|Rights to Oceanic Resources: Deciding and Drawing Maritime Boundaries, (Dorinda G. Dallmeyer et al., editors), pp. 87–100.|page=87}} The concept was developed in the process of settling disputes if the borders of adjacent nations were located on a contiguous continental shelf.
An unresolved issue is whether a natural prolongation defined scientifically, without reference to equitable principles, is to be construed as a "natural prolongation" for the purpose of maritime border delimitation or maritime boundary disputes.Capaldo, Giuliana Ziccardi. (1995). {{Google books|esfISSxc13cC|Répertoire de la jurisprudence de la cour internationale de justice (1947–1992). p. 409.|page=409}}.
History
The phrase natural prolongation was established as a concept in the North Sea Continental CasesNorth Sea Continental Shelf Cases (Federal Republic of Germany v Denmark; Federal Republic of Germany v Netherlands) [1969] ICJ Reports 4 at 42. in 1969.Highet, {{Google books|X2DssQNCz-sC|pp. 89–90.|page=89}}
The relevance and importance of natural prolongation as a factor in delimitation disputes and agreements has declined during the period in which international acceptance of UNCLOS III has expanded.Kaye, Stuart B. (1995). Australia's maritime boundaries, pp. 12, 172.
The Malta/Libya CaseCase Concerning the Continental Shelf (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya v Malta) (Judgment) [1985] ICJ Reports 13 at 29 in 1985 is marked as the eventual demise of the natural prolongation principle being used in delimiting between adjoining national maritime boundaries.Highet, {{Google books|X2DssQNCz-sC|pp. 91–95.|page=91}}
The Bay of Bengal cases in the early 2010s (Bangladesh v Myanmar) and (Bangladesh v India) likewise dealt a blow to natural prolongation as the guiding principle for delimitation of the continental shelf more than 200 nautical miles beyond baselines.
See also
References
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Sources
- Capaldo, Giuliana Ziccardi. (1995). Répertoire de la jurisprudence de la cour internationale de justice (1947-1992). Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. {{ISBN|9780792329930}}; {{ISBN|9780792335146}}; {{ISBN|9780792335153}}; [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/30701545 OCLC 30701545]
- Dorinda G. Dallmeyer and Louis De Vorsey. (1989). Rights to Oceanic Resources: Deciding and Drawing Maritime Boundaries. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. {{ISBN|9780792300199}}; [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/18981568 OCLC 18981568]
- Francalanci, Giampiero; Tullio Scovazzi; and Daniela Romanò. (1994). Lines in the Sea. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. {{ISBN|978-0-7923-2846-9}}; [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/30400059 OCLC 30400059]
- Kaye, Stuart B. (1995). Australia's maritime boundaries. Wollongong, New South Wales: Centre for Maritime Policy (University of Wollongong). {{ISBN|9780864183927}}; [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/38390208 OCLC 38390208]
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