Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions between Qatar and Bahrain (Merits)

Abstract

1Territory — Sovereignty — Whether Qatar or Bahrain having sovereignty over Zubarah — Relevance of conventions — 1868 Agreement — Unratified Anglo-Ottoman Convention, 1913, Article 11 — Anglo-Ottoman Treaty, 1914, Article III — Whether Bahrain in position to engage in direct acts of authority — Whether Sheikh of Qatar having authority to tax Naim tribe in 1937 — Whether Great Britain regarding Zubarah as belonging to BahrainTerritory — Sovereignty — Whether Qatar or Bahrain having sovereignty over Hawar Islands — Nature of 1939 British decision — Legal effect — Whether constituting arbitral award — Whether Court having jurisdiction to decide dispute on 1939 British decision — Whether British Government having jurisdiction to decide Hawar Islands question — Validity of 1939 British decision — Whether binding on PartiesTerritory — Sovereignty — Whether Qatar or Bahrain having sovereignty over Janan Island including Hadd Janan — Effects of 1939 British decision — Whether Janan Island part of Hawar Islands — 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1946 lists submitted by Bahrain to British Government — 1947 letters from British Government to Rulers of Qatar and Bahrain — RelevanceSea — Maritime delimitation — Parties requesting Court to draw single maritime boundary in accordance with international law — Applicable law — Customary international law — Delimitation of territorial seas of Parties — Article 15 of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 — Drawing of provisional equidistance line — Relevant baselines — Relevant coasts — Sovereignty over islands — Relevance of low-tide elevations — Applicable rules for determination of baselines — Equidistance/special circumstances rule — Whether any special circumstances making adjustment of provisional equidistance line necessary — Delimitation of continental shelves and exclusive economic zones of Parties — Applicable law — Drawing of provisional equidistance line — Equitable principles/relevant circumstances rule — Whether any circumstances making adjustment of provisional equidistance line necessary — Course of single maritime boundary