Maritime Boundary :India, Myanmar to settle disputes with Bangladesh
Bangladesh has problems with India and Myanmar on the issue of 'starting point' on how to mark the coastline to draw its marine boundary,
India and Myanmar have reached a strategic 'informal understanding' to cooperate with each other on settlement of their maritime boundary disputes with Bangladesh, diplomatic sources said. 'We are in an informal understanding with India to cooperate each other on maritime boundary issues,' a Myanmar diplomat told New Age.
Two Bangladesh government experts said they 'are aware' of such 'informal understanding' between India and Myanmar on resolving maritime boundary disputes.
The two countries, which have separately agreed earlier in principle for an amicable settlement through bilateral negotiations of the disputes, have stopped joining periodic expert-level talks on maritime boundary issues with Bangladesh, a government official said.
Bangladesh joined separate bilateral talks for the last time with India in January in New Delhi and with Myanmar in March at Nay Pyi Taw, the new Myanmar capital. 'We were waiting for separate return visits of Indian delegation in April and of Myanmar delegation in June. But none of the countries sent delegations for discussions, generally held quarterly, that are expected to be held here (Dhaka),' the official said.
Bangladesh has problems with India and Myanmar on the issue of 'starting point' on how to mark the coastline to draw its marine boundary, with apparently overlapping claims of the three neighbouring countries because of the funnel-like coastline of the mineral-rich Bay of Bengal.
India and Myanmar governments reached a consensus, during preparatory meetings on Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe's visit to New Delhi early this year, on forging strategic 'informal' alliance for settlement of maritime boundary issues.
During the visit, the energy-rich Myanmar side welcomed the substantial additional investment by Indian Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Gas Authority of India Limited for the development in some upstream and downstream projects of two Myanmar offshore blocks, including the natural gas pipeline under construction at Ramree in Myanmar. India and Myanmar have a common 1,640-km long unfenced border.
The government here, however, kept open options for an amicable settlement of the disputes with New Delhi and Yangon although it has sought UN involvement in the matter.
The prime ministers of Bangladesh and India, during the visit of the Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi in January, agreed on the need for an amicable demarcation of the maritime boundary between the two countries, according to the joint communiqué issued after that visit. 'We have kept open options for an amicable settlement through bilateral discussions of the maritime boundary disputes with India and Myanmar,' Dipu Moni said.
Experts, however, believe an amicable demarcation of the boundary between the two countries would require strong political commitment at the highest level and its translation into reality through bureaucracy. 'The ball is now in Delhi's (and Yangon's) court. It is not in our court now,' Professor Imtiaz Ahmed of Dhaka University told New Age.
A country is supposed to enjoy its rights to fishing and exploring and extracting other marine resources in its 12–24 nautical mile territorial sea from the coastline, 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and 350 nautical mile continental shelf from the baseline.
In 2009, Bangladesh registered its objections with the United Nations regarding the claims of India and Myanmar to its territorial waters in the Bay of Bengal.
The cases have been referred to the international tribunal as 'fall-back positions' as a safeguard if no satisfactory results would come out of bilateral negotiations.
Bangladesh, Dipu Moni said, is scheduled to submit a memorandum to the UN body claiming its legitimate authority over its territorial waters adjacent to Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal by July 1. Myanmar is scheduled to submit its memorandum by December 1.
Bangladesh, she said, is scheduled to submit a memorandum to the UN body claiming its legitimate authority over its territorial waters adjacent to India in the Bay of Bengal by May 31, 2011. India is scheduled to submit its memorandum by May 31, 2012.
Under the UN provision, no claims submitted by a country should be taken for final consideration before settling the objection raised by a neighbouring country, which might have overlapping claims
http://www.newagebd.com/2010/oct/25/front.html#2
Two Bangladesh government experts said they 'are aware' of such 'informal understanding' between India and Myanmar on resolving maritime boundary disputes.
The two countries, which have separately agreed earlier in principle for an amicable settlement through bilateral negotiations of the disputes, have stopped joining periodic expert-level talks on maritime boundary issues with Bangladesh, a government official said.
Bangladesh joined separate bilateral talks for the last time with India in January in New Delhi and with Myanmar in March at Nay Pyi Taw, the new Myanmar capital. 'We were waiting for separate return visits of Indian delegation in April and of Myanmar delegation in June. But none of the countries sent delegations for discussions, generally held quarterly, that are expected to be held here (Dhaka),' the official said.
Bangladesh has problems with India and Myanmar on the issue of 'starting point' on how to mark the coastline to draw its marine boundary, with apparently overlapping claims of the three neighbouring countries because of the funnel-like coastline of the mineral-rich Bay of Bengal.
India and Myanmar governments reached a consensus, during preparatory meetings on Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe's visit to New Delhi early this year, on forging strategic 'informal' alliance for settlement of maritime boundary issues.
During the visit, the energy-rich Myanmar side welcomed the substantial additional investment by Indian Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Gas Authority of India Limited for the development in some upstream and downstream projects of two Myanmar offshore blocks, including the natural gas pipeline under construction at Ramree in Myanmar. India and Myanmar have a common 1,640-km long unfenced border.
The government here, however, kept open options for an amicable settlement of the disputes with New Delhi and Yangon although it has sought UN involvement in the matter.
The prime ministers of Bangladesh and India, during the visit of the Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi in January, agreed on the need for an amicable demarcation of the maritime boundary between the two countries, according to the joint communiqué issued after that visit. 'We have kept open options for an amicable settlement through bilateral discussions of the maritime boundary disputes with India and Myanmar,' Dipu Moni said.
Experts, however, believe an amicable demarcation of the boundary between the two countries would require strong political commitment at the highest level and its translation into reality through bureaucracy. 'The ball is now in Delhi's (and Yangon's) court. It is not in our court now,' Professor Imtiaz Ahmed of Dhaka University told New Age.
A country is supposed to enjoy its rights to fishing and exploring and extracting other marine resources in its 12–24 nautical mile territorial sea from the coastline, 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and 350 nautical mile continental shelf from the baseline.
In 2009, Bangladesh registered its objections with the United Nations regarding the claims of India and Myanmar to its territorial waters in the Bay of Bengal.
The cases have been referred to the international tribunal as 'fall-back positions' as a safeguard if no satisfactory results would come out of bilateral negotiations.
Bangladesh, Dipu Moni said, is scheduled to submit a memorandum to the UN body claiming its legitimate authority over its territorial waters adjacent to Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal by July 1. Myanmar is scheduled to submit its memorandum by December 1.
Bangladesh, she said, is scheduled to submit a memorandum to the UN body claiming its legitimate authority over its territorial waters adjacent to India in the Bay of Bengal by May 31, 2011. India is scheduled to submit its memorandum by May 31, 2012.
Under the UN provision, no claims submitted by a country should be taken for final consideration before settling the objection raised by a neighbouring country, which might have overlapping claims
http://www.newagebd.com/2010/oct/25/front.html#2
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