Maritime Boundary Avoidance and Resolution

Abstract

On 25-26 June 2007 in the Moscow State Institute of International Relations – MGIMO University was held a workshop devoted to legal aspects of maritime boundary avoidance and resolution. The participation of National Boundary Commission of Nigeria gave international character to the workshop.The workshop assembled well-known academics in the sphere of international maritime law. Among them: Prof. A.L. Kolodkin, LL.D., Judge, International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, President, Russian Association of International Law; Prof. A.N. Vylegjanin, Head, Department of International Law of MGIMO University, Member of the Scientific Expert Council of Maritime Board of the Government of the Russian Federation; Prof. P.V. Savaskov, LL.D., Department of International Law of MGIMO University; Prof. B.A. Smislov, Head, Department of International Law of the St. Petersburg State Technical Marine University; Dr. S.V. Vinogradov, CEPMLP, University of Dundee (United Kingdom).The discussion touched on several legal issues: International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea and maritime delimitation; international law requirements for drawing of baselines; delimitation of internal waters and territorial sea; basic principles of maritime dispute resolution; overview of the Russian legislation on maritime boundaries; issues of relevance of artificial islands, installations and structures to the process of maritime delimitation; influence of islands on maritime delimitation; legal electronic data on maritime delimitation; practical issues on settlement of maritime delimitation disputes; the Caspian Sea dispute and the issue of Spitzbergen.