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| Latin America |
| Colombia Threatens Nicaragua on Oil |
| 2003-05-13 |
| The defense minister warned Monday that Colombia was prepared to use force if Nicaragua begins to explore for oil near an island chain claimed by both nations. Great, another couple of have-nothings are going to war. Later, Nicaragua said it has granted oil exploration concessions to four U.S. companies in the southwestern Caribbean but added that they do not involve territory under dispute. Nicaragua's announcement earlier that it planned to award bids for exploration near the San Andres archipelago prompted Colombia's warning. The two countries dispute ownership of parts of the archipelago, in the Caribbean. According to a 1928 treaty between the two countries, Colombia owns San Andres and its territorial waters. Nicaragua has declared the treaty invalid and has disputed the treaty before the World Court in the Hague, Netherlands. Oral arguments due in 2018. Managua said Monday that nothing in dispute had been offered in the request for bids. ``The concessions do not include any territory claimed by other countries,'' said Octavio Salinas, director of the Nicaraguan Energy Institute, announcing the award of exploration contracts to four U.S. companies. The Colombian navy has ships patrolling the waters around the archipelago, about 400 miles off the northern coast of Colombia. ``The navy has sufficient capacity to defend and guarantee the sovereignty of our waters Shades of Ethiopia and Eritrea. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 Dare we point out that "it's all about oil"? |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-05-13 22:35:55 |
| #1 San Andros Island is about a mile long by about a third as wide. There's not much there, economically, politically, or even human habitation-wise. It's in the middle of nowhere, and sits all alone in a small archipelago that includes several dozen MUCH smaller islands - frequenly no more than rocks sticking above the wavetops. It makes the Falklands look like a paradise - hardly what I'd call worth making trouble over, and certainly not enough to go to war over! Unfortunately, the Latino machismo is involved, so shooting shouldn't be far behind. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-05-13 18:36:57 |