Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NIAMEY110
2009-02-27 14:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Niamey
Cable title:  

NIGER-BURKINA FASO CONCUR ON TERMS OF REFERRAL OF BORDER

Tags:  PREL PBTS ECIN PGOV SOCI ICJ UV NG BN 
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VZCZCXRO4972
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0110 0581411
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271411Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4874
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 3481
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000110 

DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA
PARIS FOR AF WATCHER
PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PBTS ECIN PGOV SOCI ICJ UV NG BN
SUBJECT: NIGER-BURKINA FASO CONCUR ON TERMS OF REFERRAL OF BORDER
ISSUE TO THE ICJ

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000110

DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA
PARIS FOR AF WATCHER
PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PBTS ECIN PGOV SOCI ICJ UV NG BN
SUBJECT: NIGER-BURKINA FASO CONCUR ON TERMS OF REFERRAL OF BORDER
ISSUE TO THE ICJ


1. On February 23-24, Government of Niger (GON) and Government of
Burkina Faso foreign ministers, experts, local authorities, and
community leaders met in Niamey to finalize the "Projet de Compromis
Commun de Saisine de la Haute Cour de Justice" (Joint Consensus
Project for Referral to the International Court of Justice - ICJ)
regarding peaceful settlement of the border issue between the two
countries. Niger's ministers of interior and national defense also
attended the meeting.


2. The two nations share a 628-kilometer border, with just 22 posts
demarcating the border; the two seek the ICJ's assistance in
determining the proper placement of an additional 21 posts. The
parties agreed to accept the ruling of the ICJ, and to cooperate in
further demarcating the border thereafter.

3. Comment: On July 12, 2005, the ICJ rendered its verdict
concerning the border case between Niger and Benin, known as the
Lete Island case. The Court ruled that 16 islands, including Lete
and the bridge between Gaya and Malanville, belonged to Niger, while
nine other islands should be part of Benin. Both parties welcomed
the decision, and agreed to abide by it. They further expressed
satisfaction over the peaceful resolution of the conflict.

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