Nicaragua to sue Colombia over San Andres?
The Nicaraguan government is to begin legal action at the International Court of Justice in The Hague against Colombia, in attempt to claim more maritime territory on the continental shelf around the islands of San Andres in the Caribbean.
The move will rub salt into the wounds of the Colombian government, who felt aggrieved at the judgment reached last November which saw the ICJ rule that 70,000 square kilometres of the maritime territory was to become Nicaraguan.
Nicaragua’s ambassador in The Hague, Carlos Arguello, said that the ruling did not specify whether Nicaragua is not entitled make further claims for sovereignty of the continental shelf around the islands, and that as such they are considering making additional demands.
Arguello added that it was “outrageous” that Colombia has not yet formally recognised the decision by the ICJ when it has “always boasted” that it respects international law.
Senator Alexandra Moreno Piraquive of Colombia reacted with anger to the move, stating that Nicaragua should respect Colombia’s decision to review the ruling handed down by the ICJ. He added that as Colombia withdrew from the Pact of Bogota, which binds them to the decisions of the ICJ, it has the right to hold the decision of the court in contempt.
Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin claimed last month that Colombia was “working with lawyers on this point to look at how we can prevent this coming back to the ICJ”.
Colombia Politics view
The Colombian government has been criticised at home for appearing to be on the back foot following the ruling in November. It appears so far to have failed to come up with a response to a crisis which, for many, is of its own making.
Nicaragua looks to have outsmarted and outplayed the Colombian foreign ministry. Is this a stain on the competence of the Colombian diplomatic corps?
