STATES PARTIES TO LAW OF SEA CONVENTION ELECT NEW MEMBER TO INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL

Meeting of States Parties

to Law of Sea Convention

Special Meeting (AM)

STATES PARTIES TO LAW OF SEA CONVENTION ELECT NEW MEMBER TO INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL

In a special meeting this morning, the States Parties to the Convention on the Law of the Sea elected Anthony Amos Lucky (Trinidad and Tobago) to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

Elected by secret ballot, Mr. Lucky will fill the vacancy left after the 29 March death of Judge Lennox Fitzroy Ballah (Trinidad and Tobago) and will serve for the remainder of Judge Ballah’s nine-year term, which ends on 30 September 2011.

Often referred to as “the constitution for the oceans”, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was adopted on 10 December 1982 and entered into force 12 years later, on 16 November 1994.  The instrument is comprised of 320 articles and nine annexes, governing all aspects of ocean space and maritime issues, ranging from navigational rights, territorial limits and marine scientific research to management of resources, protection of the marine environment and settlement of disputes.

The International Tribunal was established as one of the dispute-settlement mechanisms under the Convention.  It has exclusive jurisdiction in disputes concerning deep seabed mineral resources, provides advisory opinions when requested to do so, and may be called upon to prescribe provisional measures pending a decision in a matter before another court or tribunal.  The Tribunal holds its meetings and hears cases at its seat in Hamburg, Germany.  It is composed of 21 judges elected for nine-year terms.

Before this morning’s election, the States parties approved, without a vote, the report of the Credentials Committee.  Asenaca Uluiviti (Fiji), Chairperson of the Credentials Committee, presented the report entitled “Credentials of representatives to the Special Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea” (document SPLOS/107).  That report highlighted the Committee’s adoption of a draft resolution which accepted the credentials of the representatives to the Special Meeting.

At the beginning of today’s meeting, the President of the thirteenth meeting of States parties, Stanislaw Pawlak (Poland), asked for a moment of silence in memory of Judge Ballah.  He also asked the delegation of Trinidad and Tobago to convey condolences to the family of Judge Ballah and the peoples of Trinidad and Tobago.

Following the vote, Philip Sealy (Trinidad and Tobago) expressed his gratitude for the support given to Mr. Lucky.  Noting that his Government had long been associated with the idea of equitable rules governing the oceans, he said he believed that maritime disputes between States should only be settled by peaceful means.  In addition, attaching great importance to the work of the Tribunal, he asserted that Mr. Lucky’s many years of judicial experience would be an asset to the group.

Result of Voting

Total number of ballot papers:            96

Number of invalid papers:                  0

Number of valid papers:                   96

Number of members present and voting:     92

Number of abstentions:                     4

Required majority:                        72

Number of votes received:                 92

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