Cyprus-Forum.com

[CopperLine]

Despite years of conflict, despite losing oil-rich territory, a counter-intuitive settlement in another part of the world might give Turkey and Cyprus a moment to reflect :

Nigeria cedes Bakassi to Cameroon

Nigeria has handed over the potentially oil-rich Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, bringing an end to a long-standing dispute over the territory.

The handover ceremony was moved from the peninsula's main town to Calabar in Nigeria amid security concerns.

Over the past year about 50 people have been killed in clashes.

The majority of the local population considers itself Nigerian, but an international court ruled in favour of Cameroon in 2002.

The BBC's Abdullahi Kaura in Calabar says there are unconfirmed reports that militants have attacked a boat travelling to Abana, the main town on the Bakassi peninsula.

Nigerian security sources said between three and seven people were killed when militants ambushed the boat as it made its way from Cameroon.

Correspondents say security had been beefed up ahead of the ceremony.

On the Cameroonian side, there have been celebrations as people moved back into the peninsula.

In recent years, at least 100,000 people have moved from the peninsula to Nigeria, local leaders say.

The International Court of Justice ruling was based on an early 19th century colonial agreement between Britain and Germany.

Nigeria challenged the ruling, but finally agreed to relinquish the territory two years ago.

"The gains made in adhering to the rule of law may outweigh the painful losses of ancestral homes," said the head of the Nigerian delegation at the ceremony, Attorney General Mike Aondoakaa.

Part of the territory was handed over to Cameroon two years ago.

Revellers

A spokesman for Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua said the process was "painful... for everyone including the president", but added that Nigeria had made "a commitment to the international community and we have a responsibility to keep it".



Cameroon said the final handover would mark "the end of a crisis".

On the beaches of the northern part of the island there were parties and celebrations as Cameroonians prepared to go into the last section to be turned over to them.

"We are going straight to the place, and we're going to be happy," one reveller told the BBC's Randy Joe Sa'ah in Bakassi.

But in Nigeria there is still bitterness about the deal.

"The government has abandoned its duties," said Kayode Fasitere, the lawyer acting for some displaced from Bakassi who sought to have the handover delayed.

The transfer of Bakassi had been described by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon as "a model for negotiated settlements of border disputes".

A group of Bakassi leaders have been seeking compensation from the Nigerian government.

About 90% of the area's population, estimated at up to 300,000, is made up of Nigerian fishermen.

About 30,000 of the residents have moved out to an area in Cross Rivers State set aside for them, but it has no access to the sea, campaigners say.

Bakassi has a rich fishing culture and people say the handover has destroyed their way of life.

The Bakassi peninsula juts out into the Gulf of Guinea close to the Niger Delta.

Its offshore waters are thought to contain substantial oil fields - untapped because of the border dispute - which Nigeria and Cameroon will now work together to explore.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7559895.stm

[Nikitas]

Are you hinting that we should start applying inernational law and not cynicism to the situation?

Tell that to the British who were appalled at the number of GC applications to the ECHR . I believe the minister involved was Jack Straw.

[Sotos]

I remember Kifeas saying that we challenged the Turks to take the case to the International Court of Justice and they refused because they knew they had no chance to win it.

[CopperLine]

I posted this just for info really. I often get the feeling on CF that many think that (a) we've got nothing to learn from the wider world and that (b) the Cyprus question is uniquely sui generis, and hence (a).

This post on Bakassi is not meant as a parallel to Cyprus. It is meant more as an observation that seemingly intractable differences can indeed be resolved and even, in this remarkable case, although one party forgoes a massive present and future resource-rich province.

[CopperLine]

Sotos,
Kifeas may or may not have given that reason for ICJ action. Whether or not s/he did, this not how the ICJ works. In any event, it all depends what the "case" consists of and what points of international law are being invoked or tested.

[Sotos]

Sotos,
Kifeas may or may not have given that reason for ICJ action. Whether or not s/he did, this not how the ICJ works. In any event, it all depends what the "case" consists of and what points of international law are being invoked or tested.

The international law is 100% on the side of Cyprus that is why Turkey refused to go to court. There is nobody that doubts that the Republic of Cyprus has sovereignty over the whole Cyprus. If you doubt this then lets go to court and let the court decide if the sovereignty of northern Cyprus is with Republic of Cyprus, Turkey, or some pseudo state. You agree?

[CopperLine]

Sotos,
RoC has never submitted a case before the ICJ, neither against Turkey nor any other state. Ask yourself why.


That you wrote ....

If you doubt this then lets go to court ....

... clearly indicates that you do not know how the ICJ works nor what is its function.

[Piratis]

RoC has never submitted a case before the ICJ, neither against Turkey nor any other state. Ask yourself why.

Answer: Because Turkey does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICJ. Ask yourself why.

Each State which has recognized the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court has in principle the right to bring any one or more other State which has accepted the same obligation before the Court by filing an application instituting proceedings with the Court, and, conversely, it has undertaken to appear before the Court should proceedings be instituted against it by one or more such other States.

http://www.icj-cij.org/jurisdiction/ind ... &p2=1&p3=3

[CopperLine]

Piratis,
And what is your answer to the "Ask yourself why ?" question.

[Piratis]

Because Turkey knows that if she did recognize the ICJ then cases would be immediately brought against her which she has no chance to win.

Cyprus and Greece have repeatedly asked from Turkey to recognize the ICJ and take their disputes there but Turkey refused.