Dispute Concerning the Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal

Abstract

Sea — Maritime boundary delimitation — Single maritime boundary — Territorial sea — United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 (“UNCLOS”) — Article 15 — Equidistance/special circumstances — Effect of islands in delimitation of territorial sea — EEZ — Continental shelf — Continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles — UNCLOS Articles 74 and 83 — Three-stage approach — Equidistance/relevant circumstances — Proportionality — Relevant coasts — Geographical context — Bay of Bengal — Coastal configuration — Concavity of coast — Cut-off effect — Angle-bisector method — Whether geographical configuration of Bay of Bengal warranting use of angle-bisector method — Effect of islands on delimitation of EEZ and continental shelf — UNCLOS Article 76 — Whether ITLOS having to await delineation of outer limits of continental shelf by Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf before delimiting continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles — “Grey area” issue — Whether UNCLOS allowing “grey areas”

International tribunals — International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea — United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 (“UNCLOS”) — Jurisdiction — Special agreement — Unilateral application — Maritime boundary delimitation — Whether ITLOS having jurisdiction to delimit continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles

Treaties — Binding international agreements — Whether 1974 Agreed Minutes binding international agreement on delimitation of territorial sea — Full powers — Registration of treaties — Whether legal nature and content of instrument determining whether binding treaty — Whether de facto or tacit agreement existing on territorial sea boundary — Whether Myanmar estopped from claiming 1974 Agreed Minutes constituting a binding agreement