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"The first starting point is for
Timor Leste and Australia to negotiate the maritime boundary. If that
was unsuccessful, they could then use the international
tribunal for the law of the sea or the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) to adjudicate any dispute about the maritime boundary. However,
to pre-empt Timor Leste taking the matter to international
arbitration, Australia in March 2002 withdrew from that part of the
jurisdiction of the ICJ which deals with maritime boundary. This means
Timor Leste will have to negotiate directly with Australia.
So clearly Timor Leste as a newly independent state would be locked
into a David and Goliath battle with Australia to resolve fair and
equitable maritime boundaries." Timor Sea Justice Coalition,
Australia
International Law
Timor Sea Justice Coalition -
a fair go for East Timor
(2004 Australia)
Home: http://www.TimorSeaJustice.org
Source: http://www.timorseajustice.org/law.htm
Under international law Timor Leste is entitled to claim its own
maritime boundary - Timor Leste currently does not have a maritime
boundary of its own.
The first starting point is for Timor Leste and Australia to negotiate
the maritime boundary.
If that was unsuccessful, they could then use the international
tribunal for the law of the sea or the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) to adjudicate any dispute about the maritime boundary.
However, to pre-empt Timor Leste taking the matter to international
arbitration, Australia in March 2002 withdrew from that part of the
jurisdiction of the ICJ which deals with maritime boundary.
This means Timor Leste will have to negotiate directly with Australia.
So clearly Timor Leste as a newly independent state would be locked
into a David and Goliath battle with Australia to resolve fair and
equitable maritime boundaries.
In spite of this disadvantage, Timor Leste is prepared to negotiate in
good faith with Australia. Timor Leste wants at least six rounds of
talks per year and a fixed timetable of not more than five years to
conclude the negotiations.
Australia on the other hand is stalling the negotiations and is
refusing to negotiate in good faith with Timor Leste. Australia is
prepared to have only two rounds of talks per year and is refusing to
set a fixed timetable to conclude the negotiations.
About The Timor Sea Justice Campaign
http://www.timorseajustice.org/about.htm
Last updated 25 Aug 2004
The Timor Sea Justice
Campaign
is an independent campaign originating in Melbourne in January 2004.
The campaign has now extended to Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane and Alice
Springs. The campaign seeks to change Australian government policy in
relation to the Timor Sea and is made up of concerned individuals of
various ages and professions/occupations working on a voluntary basis.
The Timor Sea Justice
campaign
believes that as a sovereign nation, East Timor has the right to settle
its boundaries with neighbouring countries and to benefit from its
natural resources, particularly at the time that this new nation needs
the revenue from resources in the Timor Sea to develop and provide its
citizens with basic services such as schools and hospitals. The Timor
Sea Justice Campaign aims to lobby the Australian government to be a
friendly and cooperative neighbour to East Timor, building on the
goodwill between the two nations, and to respect the economic, social
and cultural rights of the East Timorese and East Timor's full
sovereign rights under international law.
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