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JUDICIAL UNCERTAINTIES CONCERNING TERRITORIAL SEA DELIMITATION UNDER ARTICLE 15 OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Lando, MF 

Abstract

Recent international jurisprudence has shown considerable uncertainty with regard to the delimitation of the territorial sea. While international tribunals endorse a two-stage approach to territorial sea delimitation, there is a lack of judicial consensus on the practical implementation of such an approach. This article argues that the rule-exception relationship between equidistance and special circumstances, as reflected in the drafting history of LOSC Article 15 and in jurisprudence prior to 2007, should inform the delimitation of the territorial sea. Cases since 2007 which have strayed from the earlier jurisprudence on LOSC Article 15, should be seen as a misconstruction of the law applicable to territorial sea delimitation.

Description

Keywords

International Court of Justice, International Law Commission, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, maritime boundaries, maritime delimitation, territorial sea, UNCLOS

Journal Title

International & Comparative Law Quarterly

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0020-5893
1471-6895

Volume Title

66

Publisher

Cambridge University Press