Nicaragua: ‘El Salvador Continues Hostile Activities in Our Maritime Spaces’
Nicaragua’s Government of Reconciliation and National Unity has released a second statement on the dispatch, on behalf of the government of El Salvador, of Salvadoran Artillery Military Vessels to Nicaragua’s maritime spaces in the Pacific Ocean. The Salvadoran Military Vessels have made incursions less than 30 miles off Nicaragua’s coasts, in maritime spaces of undisputed Nicaraguan sovereignty.
Nicaragua’s first press release, dated February 6th, was met by this response from the Salvadoran Foreign Ministry, in which the Minister claims the maritime spaces in question, belong to El Salvador.
The full text of the press release follows.
Press Release
The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity informs the People of Nicaragua and the International Community of its position regarding the statements made by the Naval Forces of the Republic of El Salvador, claiming sovereignty in the exclusive economic zone of Nicaragua.
As previously reported, since Saturday, 5th February, Salvadoran military vessels have entered less than 30 miles from our coasts and remain in that location claiming sovereignty over those maritime spaces without any geographical, historical or legal basis.
In this sense, Nicaragua wishes to emphasize that it considers that it does not have any border dispute with El Salvador, as it does not share boundaries in the Pacific with said nation. Nicaragua clarifies that it only has limits with the Republic of Honduras.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the government of El Salvador has carried out and continues to carry out hostile activities in the exclusive economic zone of Nicaragua and in view of this situation, the Government of Nicaragua reminds the Government of El Salvador of its obligation to resolve by peaceful means, any dispute in the international sphere.
In such a way that, if the government of El Salvador really considers that there is a border dispute, we call on it to cease resorting to the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of Nicaragua and submit the alleged dispute before the International Court of Justice. For these purposes, Nicaragua reaffirms that it accepts the mandatory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice to resolve the current dispute.
As the international community is aware, Nicaragua has a longstanding tradition of resolving any dispute by peaceful means and remains faithful to its commitment to peace.
Managua, 7th February, 2022
Government of Reconciliation
and National Unity
Republic of Nicaragua
The press release can be downloaded below.
