The Dominican Republic is preparing to start a legal battle to defend its maritime border with the United States, Great Britain, Haiti and the Netherlands. As reported in Diario Libre, the land area of the DR is 48,320 sq. km. The government claims it is an archipelagic state with rights to another 49,709 sq. km as an exclusive economic zone.
At present, the country is preparing to discuss and defend this claim before the United States, Great Britain, Haiti and the Netherlands. The category of archipelagic state was self-awarded in 2007 by Law 66-07. At the same time, the law created the National Authority of Maritime Affairs (Anamar) as the body responsible for ensuring the research, conservation and use of maritime resources.
The Dominican government has contracted the services of international litigation and arbitration lawyer Paul S. Reichler of the Washington, D.C. law firm Foley Hoag.
Pascual Prota, director of Anamar, says the country is optimistic an agreement on the limits can be reached with the parties without having to resort to an arbitration process. He said the Ministry of Foreign Relations has contacted the US, Haiti, the Netherlands and Great Britain requesting the talks and negotiations.
The archipelagic state claim includes the Banco de Montecristi, Banco del Pañuelo, Banco de la Plata, Banco Innominado, Banco de la Navidad, Banco del Caballo, Estrecho de la Plata, Estrecho de la Navidad, Estrecho de Beata, Estrecho de Alto Velo, Gran Cordillera Submarina de Beata.
Law 66-07 declared as Dominican maritime territory the bays of Manzanillo, the inland coastal area between the mouth of the Massacre River in Dajabon and Punta Manzanillo; Rincón, between Cabo Cabrón and Cabo Samaná; Samaná, between Cabo Samaná and Cabo San Rafael; Yuma, between Punta Espada and Punta Aljibe; Andres, between Punta Magdalena and Punta Caucedo; Ocoa, between Punta Salinas and Punta Martin Garcia; Neyba, between Punta Martin Garcia and Punta Averena, and Aguilas, between Cabo Falso and Cabo Rojo.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
Law 66-07
26 September 2019