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Nicaragua-Honduras sea border set Nicaragua-Honduras sea border set
(about 3 hours later)
The International Court of Justice has drawn a new maritime border between Honduras and Nicaragua to end a long-standing dispute between them.The International Court of Justice has drawn a new maritime border between Honduras and Nicaragua to end a long-standing dispute between them.
The Central American neighbours have argued for years over their maritime boundary in the Caribbean Sea.The Central American neighbours have argued for years over their maritime boundary in the Caribbean Sea.
The area in dispute includes rich fishing areas and is believed to have potential for oil and gas exploration. The ICJ's binding ruling demarcated a new maritime boundary midway between the two countries' rival claims.
The two presidents were to meet at their countries' land border to affirm acceptance of the ICJ's decision. It means both countries will have equal access to the fish-rich waters and to oil and gas exploration in the area.
The binding ruling by the UN's highest court ends an eight-year dispute over where the maritime boundary lies. The decision by the UN's highest court, which both countries have agreed to abide by, ends an eight-year dispute over the line of the maritime boundary.
Tensions over the issue have at times flared with both countries seizing one another's fishing vessels. Tensions over the issue had at times flared with both countries seizing one another's fishing vessels.
While Honduras said its territory began at the 15th parallel, Nicaragua argued that the maritime border followed the line of its coast to the north-east as far as the 17th parallel.
The ICJ ruling divides the disputed territory roughly equally between the rival claims, while granting Honduras sovereignty over four small Caribbean islands.
King of SpainKing of Spain
The argument surfaced in 1999 shortly after Honduras ratified a treaty with Colombia, which has itself been in dispute with Nicaragua over the sovereignty of several small islands in the Caribbean. The argument had surfaced in 1999 shortly after Honduras ratified a treaty with Colombia, which has itself been in dispute with Nicaragua over the sovereignty of several small islands in the Caribbean.
The two nations are keen to put past differences behind themThe two nations are keen to put past differences behind them
The Nicaraguans argued that this treaty infringed their territorial waters.The Nicaraguans argued that this treaty infringed their territorial waters.
The Honduran government argued that the maritime boundary had been set by the king of Spain in 1906, with Honduran territory beginning at the 15th parallel.
Nicaragua argued that the maritime border followed the line of its coast to the north-east as far as the 17th parallel.
They asked the ICJ to set a valid maritime border between Nicaragua and Honduras.They asked the ICJ to set a valid maritime border between Nicaragua and Honduras.
The Honduran government argued that the maritime boundary had been set by the King of Spain in 1906. As well as resolving the issue of the borderline, the ICJ's ruling granted Honduras sovereignty over four small Caribbean islands.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his Honduran counterpart, Manuel Zelaya, were to meet in the border town of Las Manos to show their mutual acceptance of the ruling. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his Honduran counterpart, Manuel Zelaya, were to meet in the border town of Las Manos to show their mutual acceptance of the ICJ ruling.
"I anxiously await the international verdict, which Honduras will fully abide by," Mr Zelaya said in a statement ahead of their meeting.