Dhaka readies report for UN body /Maritime dispute

Friday, 07 January 2011
Author / Source : Anis Alamgir

Dhaka, Jan 5: Bangladesh is set to submit a draft delimitation report to the UN body over its claim in the Bay of Bengal territories also shared by India and Myanmar.
“We have completed a draft submission under Article 76 of United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 on our claims on the outer continental shelf area in the Bay of Bengal beyond 200 Nautical Miles,” said an official on Wednesday.
He said the submission will be lodged with the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf for recommendations before July 26 this year, the deadline set for Bangladesh by the UN body.
However, India and Myanmar had already submitted their delimitation reports before the UN.
To review the draft submission of Bangladesh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has invited Dr. Harald Brekke, a Norwegian national and a member of the Commission. After the review by Dr. Brekke, the submission will be finalised and will be placed for the government’s approval.
Dr. Halard Brekke called on Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni today at the ministry. Foreign ministry sources said Brekke had earlier advised Bangladesh to conduct seismic survey in the Bay. Bangladesh also appointed British jurist Vaughn Lowe QC as its arbitrator to plead the country's case in the world body.
On October 8, 2009, Bangladesh served legal notices on India and Myanmar to settle the maritime boundary disputes before a UN tribunal.
Simultaneously, Bangladesh is trying to resolve the maritime disputes through negotiations with India and Myanmar. Officials claim some progress over the issue with Myanmar, but they are not much hopeful that Bangladesh can solve the issue with India bilaterally.
Bangladesh needs to delimit the maritime boundary to explore oil, gas and other natural resources in the Bay.