Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan

Abstract

197 International Court of Justice — Intervention — Procedure — Application by the Philippines for permission to intervene — Whether filed out of time — Whether containing formal defect — Whether absence of jurisdictional link barring intervention — Whether Philippines establishing interest of a legal nature — Whether limited to dispositif under Article 62 of Statute of Court — Nature of interest necessary — Whether needing to have same subject-matter as case — Whether claim of sovereignty in North Borneo could be affected by Court’s reasoning or interpretation of treaties in case concerning Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan — 1878 grant claimed as primary source of title — Other instruments — Whether Philippines discharging burden under Article 62 of Statute of Court — Whether object of intervention inappropriate — Article 81 of Rules of Court

Territory — Sovereignty — Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan — Whether islands belonging to Indonesia or Malaysia — Indonesia claiming title based on 1891 Convention — Interpretation of Article IV of 1891 Convention — Articles 31 and 32 of Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969 — Whether supplementary means confirming interpretation of text — Cartographic evidence — Whether Indonesia or Malaysia obtaining title to Ligitan and Sipadan by succession — Whether Indonesia having title as successor to the Netherlands and Sultan of Bulungan — Whether Malaysia having title on basis of series of transfers of title from Sultan of Sulu — Whether Indonesia or Malaysia having title to Ligitan and Sipadan on basis of effectivités — Judgment on Merits

Treaties — Interpretation — 1891 Convention — Article IV of 1891 Convention — Applicable rules — Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969 — Articles 31 and 32 of Vienna Convention — Customary international law — Context of 1891 Convention — Object and purpose of 1891 Convention — Whether supplementary means confirming interpretation of text of 1891 Convention — Travaux préparatoires — Circumstances of conclusion — Subsequent practice of parties — Cartographic evidence

State succession — Independence of colonial territories — Indonesia and Malaysia — Successor States of Netherlands and Great Britain — Whether obtaining title to Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan by succession — Contracts between the Netherlands and Sultanate of Bulungan — Whether Ligitan and Sipadan belonging to possessions of Sultan of Bulungan — Whether Malaysia having treaty-based title to Ligitan and Sipadan — Whether belonging to Sultan of Sulu — Whether uninterrupted series of transfers of title from Sultan of Sulu to Spain, United States, Great Britain on behalf of State of North Borneo, United Kingdom and Malaysia

Territory — Sovereignty — Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan — Effectivités — Whether Indonesia or Malaysia having title on basis of effectivités — Circumstances to be taken into account — Very small islands uninhabited or not permanently inhabited — Character of activities relied on by Indonesia — Whether constituting acts à titre de souverain — Character of activities relied on by Malaysia in own name and as successor State of Great Britain — Measures to regulate turtle egg collection and establish bird reserve — Legal relevance of lighthouse construction — Title on basis of effectivités