Ukraine has instituted
arbitration proceedings against the Russian Federation under the 1982 United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (“UNCLOS”) to vindicate its rights as
the coastal state in maritime zones adjacent to Crimea in the Black Sea, Sea of
Azov, and Kerch Strait.
Since the Russian Federation’s
illegal acts of aggression in Crimea, Russia has usurped and interfered with
Ukraine’s maritime rights in these zones. Ukraine seeks to end the
Russian Federation’s violations of UNCLOS and vindicate Ukraine’s rights in the
Black Sea, Sea of Azov, and Kerch Strait, including Ukraine’s rights to the
natural resources offshore Crimea which belong to the Ukrainian people.
Despite Ukraine’s protests,
the Russian Federation has persisted in illegal actions in Ukraine’s maritime
zones. Accordingly, Ukraine is compelled to resort to arbitration under
the UNCLOS procedures. In joining UNCLOS, Ukraine and the Russian
Federation agreed to settle disputes through binding arbitration.
Ukraine has asked the arbitral
tribunal to enforce its maritime rights by ordering the Russian Federation to
cease its internationally wrongful actions in the relevant waters, to provide
Ukraine with appropriate guarantees that it will respect Ukraine’s rights under
UNCLOS, and to make full reparation to Ukraine for the injuries the Russian
Federation has caused.
On 14 September 2016, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine officially served the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation with a notification of arbitration
and statement of claim instituting ad hoc arbitral proceedings under Annex VII
of UNCLOS.
No comments:
Post a Comment