Singapore Government Press Release
Media Relations Division, Ministry of
Information, Communications and the Arts,
MITA Building, 140 Hill Street, 2nd
Storey, Singapore 179369
Tel: 6837-9666
CASE CONCERNING LAND RECLAMATION BY SINGAPORE
IN AND AROUND THE STRAITS OF JOHOR
(MALAYSIA v SINGAPORE)
JOINT PRESS STATEMENT
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1. The Governments of Malaysia and
Singapore met on 22-23 December 2004 and on 7-9 January 2005 to consult on how
to implement the recommendations made by the Group of Experts (GOE) contained in the
report entitled "Report of
the Group of Independent Experts (GOE) in the matter of the ITLOS Order of 8
October 2003" ("GOE Report"), which was submitted to the
two Governments on 5 November 2004. The
delegations were led by the respective Agent of each Government, and
consultations and
discussions were very friendly and productive. It will be recalled that
the GOE was set up by the two Governments pursuant to an Order by ITLOS to
conduct a one year study on the reclamation activities and to recommend, where
appropriate, measures to deal with any adverse effects.
2. The
GOE made a presentation to the Governments on 22 December 2004 on the GOE
Report, and this marked the formal completion of the GOE's
work. Both Agents reiterated their Governments’ appreciation for the capable
and professional manner in which the study was undertaken. The two Governments
were gratified that the GOE Report was a unanimous one. In turn, the experts
expressed their appreciation to the two Governments for their
cooperation and confidence in them.
3. Both
Governments accepted the recommendations of the GOE and agreed to use these
recommendations as the basis of a mutually acceptable and beneficial solution.
Very good progress was made during these two meetings, and the two delegations
concluded an ad referendum agreement.
Malaysia will be submitting the draft Settlement Agreement to its Government
for approval and signature.
4 The
two Governments
agreed that
the waters in the Straits of Johor constitute a
shared water body. They recognised that they have a common interest in
cooperating to ensure the safety of navigation in the Straits of Johor. The two Governments also recognised that they have a common interest in
cooperating to protect the environment, including the monitoring of water
quality to protect the marine and estuarine environment, and monitoring ecology
and morphology in the Straits of Johor and to address
any adverse impacts, if necessary.
5. In this regard, the two
Governments agreed that monitoring and exchange of information in these two
areas will be done through existing mechanisms, namely, the Maritime and Port
Authority of Singapore-Johor Port Authority (MPA-JPA)
Operational Meeting of which, for the Government of Malaysia, a representative
of the Marine Department, Peninsular Malaysia shall be designated to co-chair
the said Meeting, and the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment
(MSJCE).
6. The
meeting ended on 9 January 2005 with the Parties agreeing ad referendum on the text of a draft Settlement Agreement. The two
Governments then appeared before the Annex VII Tribunal in The Hague on 10 January 2005 to provide
a briefing on the progress of the consultations. The two delegations will submit the draft
Settlement Agreement to their respective Governments for approval before
signing on a date and venue to be agreed upon.
7. The
Singapore side has proposed for the Settlement Agreement to be submitted to the
Annex VII Tribunal for their adoption to constitute the basis for an award. The
Malaysian side has agreed in principle to an award by the Annex VII Tribunal
subject to the approval by the Government of Malaysia.
8. The
positive outcome of the Meeting between the
. .
. . .
Government of Malaysia
Government of Singapore