News Story: Pakistan receives Indian note in case of spy

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has received written pleadings from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), submitted by India in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national sentenced to death on charges of spying, the Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement Friday that the note is under consideration by a team of lawyers and experts, led by the Attorney General of Pakistan.

"The position of the Government of Pakistan, especially highlighting the acts of espionage, terrorism and sabotage committed by Commander Jadhav in Pakistan, which resulted in the loss of many precious and innocent lives of Pakistanis, would soon be submitted at the International Court of Justice," the statement said.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: India releases 7 Pakistani prisoners

NEW DELHI, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- India has released seven Pakistani prisoners and reiterated its demand for full consular access to its nationals in Pakistan's custody, including convicted spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.

"Seven Pakistani prisoners, who have completed their sentence and whose nationality has been confirmed by Pakistani authorities, were repatriated to Pakistan," the Indian External Affairs Ministry has said in a statement.

"The government of India attaches highest importance to addressing all humanitarian matters, including early and full consular access to Indian nationals in Pakistan's custody, including Jadhav and (Hamid Nehal) Ansari and secure their early release and repatriation," it added.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Report: Rumble in the Jungle? Cambodia Threatens War Over Laos Border Dispute & Laos to Withdraw Troops From Disputed Border Area With Cambodia - PM

Rumble in the Jungle? Cambodia Threatens War Over Laos Border Dispute

A border dispute has the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and Cambodia edging closing to actual hostilities, with the leader of Cambodia giving his neighbor a deadline for removing troops from what he says is Cambodian territory.

Hun Sen, prime minister of Cambodia, has demanded that Laos withdraw all troops from Cambodian land, threatening war to "protect our territory" if Laos does not pull back posthaste. 

Hun spoke during the nomination ceremony of the president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia. "If necessary, I will [fly] to talk about this with my Lao counterpart [Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith], but Laos have to withdraw from Cambodia's territory. Cambodia doesn't want war, but Cambodia has to protect our territory." 

About 30 Laotian soldiers entered Cambodia, according to Hun, to prevent Cambodia from building a road in Stung Treng, a northeastern province of Cambodia that borders Laos. Laotian soldiers claimed that the road would run through disputed territory.

News Story: In blow to Britain, UN votes to seek legal opinion on Chagos (Diego Garcia) fate

Diego Garcia (Image: Wiki Commons)

By Carole LANDRY

In a diplomatic blow to Britain, the United Nations voted Thursday to ask the International Court of Justice to rule on the fate of the British-ruled Chagos islands, which host an important military base.

The Indian Ocean archipelago has been at the center of a decades-long dispute over Britain's decision to separate it from Mauritius in 1965 and set up a joint military base with the US on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution presented by Mauritius and backed by African countries asking the ICJ to offer an opinion on the island chain's fate.

The measure was approved by a vote of 94-15 with 65 abstentions, notably from many European countries including Germany and France.

The vote was seen as a test of Britain's ability to rally support at the United Nations from fellow Europeans after it voted to leave the European Union.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

News Report: Indian Army Says it Hit Pakistan Posts in Kashmir; Pakistan Denies it

Anjana Pasricha

NEW DELHI — The Indian army said Tuesday it has hit army posts in Pakistani Kashmir that were providing cover for militants planning to cross into the Indian side of the disputed Himalayan territory. Pakistan denies that any such action took place.

Major General Ashok Narula did not specify when the military operation was carried out, but he said it happened “recently, very recently.” Narula called it part of counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir.

“The recent action by our troops in Nowshera sector has caused some damage to Pak army force, which are supporting infiltration,” he told reporters in New Delhi.

The army released video footage that apparently shows heavy artillery hitting bunkers on a mountain.

Soon after the Indian announcement, Pakistani military spokesman Asif Ghafoor tweeted that the “Indian claims of destroying Pakistani post along LOC [line of control] are false.”

News Report: UN Court Orders Pakistan Not to Execute Indian Officer

On Thursday, the International Court of Justice ordered Pakistan to stay the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav, who Pakistan claims to be an Indian spy, until the case is heard in full by the court in The Hague, the Netherlands. It also asked Pakistan to give India full consular access to Jadhav.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The order came as a major relief to millions of Indians who were glued to the television and other media for the verdict. Pakistan claims that Jadhav is an Indian spy. He was arrested in Balochistan last year when he had an Indian passport in the name of Mubarak Hussein Patel.

"Pakistan shall take all measures at its disposal to ensure that Jadhav is not executed pending the final decision in these proceedings and shall inform the court of all the measures taken in implementation of the present order. The court also decides that, until it has given its final decision, it shall remain seized of the matters which form the subject-matter of this order," court President Ronny Abraham said, after rejecting Pakistan’s argument that the court did not have jurisdiction over the matter.

“The ICJ order has come as a great relief to the family of Kulbhushan Jadhav and people of India. I assure the nation that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi we will leave no stone unturned to save Kulbhushan Jadhav,” Sushma Swaraj, India’s Minister for External Affairs, said.

News Story: Japanese whaling boat caught operating illegally in Australian waters

First dead Antarctic minke whale to be documented since the ICJ ruling against Japanese whale poachers, on the deck of the factory whaling ship, Nisshin Maru (Image: Sea Shepherd) >>

SYDNEY, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese whaling ship has allegedly been caught operating illegally in Australian waters.

The Nisshin Maru, a Japanese vessel, was caught in Australian waters between Tasmania and Antarctica with a dead whale on board by a Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) helicopter.

The group released images taken by the helicopter of the vessel with a dead protected minke whale on board and two harpoon ships nearby.

Josh Frydenberg, Australia's Environment Minister, said the Australian government was "deeply disappointed" that Japan had resumed whaling.

In a statement issued on Monday Frydenberg said that Australia was "opposed to all forms of commercial and so-called 'scientific' whaling."

"It is not necessary to kill whales in order to study them," he said.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Japan's Abe visits Australia with TPP, military, economy issues on agenda

by Will Koulouris

SYDNEY, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in town on Saturday for talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the latter's Kirribilli House residence in Sydney.

Trade, security and tourism were on the agenda in the closed door dialogue; but the two leaders were part of a larger delegation earlier in the day, which included New South Wales Premier Mike Baird and federal Trade Minister Steven Ciobo, along with business leaders, to discuss economic opportunities between the two nations.

While addressing members of the delegation, Ciobo expressed hoped for the ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) by all 12 countries, and stressed Australia's commitment to ensuring free trade is realized.

With all the focus on the economy and security, there were some who argued that Turnbull should have added to the agenda the current illegal whaling Japanese fishermen are conducting in Australian waters in the Southern Ocean.

Speaking to Xinhua, Australian Greens Senator Nick McKim said he rejects suggestions that Turnbull should avoid the delicate subject in order to protect the bilateral relationship, and wants Turnbull's strong border stance extended to protecting Australia's waters from illegal whalers.

"Mr Turnbull has again shown he does not have the courage to speak up for the magnificent marine creatures being illegally slaughtered by Japan. If Australia's relationship with Japan is as strong as Mr Turnbull claims, it provides the perfect opportunity for disagreements to be raised and addressed," McKim said.

"As for Mr Abe, he should ensure that the $1m Australian Federal Court fine is paid and show some respect to the ICJ decision," he said.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: China ready to enhance exchanges with International Court of Justice

Image: Flickr User - Brian Turner

BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Legal official Meng Jianzhu said Monday that China was willing to improve exchanges with the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Meng, when speaking with visiting ICJ president Ronny Abraham, lauded the United Nations' ICJ for helping to resolve international disputes since it was established 70 years ago.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Former ICJ judges call for peaceful negotiation to solve South China Sea disputes

THE HAGUE, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Peaceful negotiation is the best solution to the disputes between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea, given the historical background and the complexity of the issue, said two former judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday.

The decision of an arbitral tribunal to allow a mandatory arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines will not help easing tensions in the region, according to Abdul G. Koroma, who served two terms as a judge at the ICJ.

"There is an obligation in international law, to resolve all disputes between states peacefully and you may achieve such an objective on the basis of negotiation, arbitration or judicial settlement. However, on such a complicated matter regarding so many littoral states along the South China Sea, and given the nature of the disputes, I think negotiation is the best method to solve such disputes," said Koroma.

Pemmaraju Sreenivasa Rao, former Chairman of the United Nations (UN) International Law Commission and former judge ad hoc at the ICJ, shared the same opinion.

"Negotiation is the only best method for this kind of disputes, particularly with so many difficult features coming from a long background and history," said Rao.

"I would rather have the parties sit together to discuss their common future to share, common resources to share, and common solutions to poverty and maritime environment," Rao added.

The two judges both took part in the third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea from 1973 to 1982, which led to the adoption of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Marine security ideas for E. Asia

The urgent need for an international co-operation mechanism on marine security and safety in East Asia was highlighted at an international workshop in the northern province of QuảngNinh that concluded June 10.

The two-day workshop attracted some 150 officials, international scholars and experts from Asia and Europe to exchange views and experiences in promoting international maritime security, especially in times of an increasingly tense dispute in the East Sea.

In the fourth working session yesterday, participants looked at the regional security structure and several sea cooperation mechanisms around the world with a view to finding a suitable model for the region.

Experts also recommended that countries in the region boost dialogues on improving capability, building an information-sharing system and a joint action programme.

They suggested a collective security mechanism for Asia based on the European model. Several legal experts from the European Union argued that making use of international courts is an effective way of resolving marine disputes.

Read the full story at VietnamNet

News Story: East (South China) Sea , a shared concern of G7 leaders

The Group 7 (G7) industrialized nations recently issued a joint statement on maritime security, denouncing China’s reclamation of islands in the East Sea.

It demonstrates the international community’s growing concerns about the East Sea, where tensions are mounting because of Beijing’s flouting of international law.

The statement released at the G7 Summit on May 27 in Japan emphasized that countries need to abide by the law to settle territorial disputes.

G7, which includes the US, the UK, France, Japan, Germany, Italy and Canada, reaffirmed that disputes should be resolved peacefully and on a basis of free maritime and air navigation.

G7 leaders called on all countries to refrain from unilateral acts that may heighten tensions and to avoid the use of force or coercion to back up territorial claims.

Read the full story at Vietnam Net

News Story: Pakistan 'breaches obligations' on nuclear arms, UN court told

Pakistan is violating its "obligations" to the international community by failing to reduce its nuclear arsenal, the Marshall Islands told the UN's highest court on Tuesday.

The small Pacific Island nation is this week launching three unusual cases against India, Pakistan and Britain before the International Court of Justice.

Majuro wants to put a new spotlight on the global nuclear threat, its lawyers said on Monday, by using its own experience with massive US-led nuclear tests in the 1940s and 1950s.

"Pakistan is in breach of its obligations owed to the international community as a whole," when it comes to reducing its nuclear stockpile, said Nicholas Grief, one of the island nation's lawyers.

Islamabad and its nuclear-armed neighbour India "continue to engage in a quantitative build-up and a qualitative improvement" of their atomic stockpiles, added Tony deBrum, a Marshallese government minister.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily