THE HAGUE,(Reuters) – The U.N.’s highest court ordered Nicaragua yesterday to keep its security forces away from a disputed border region, ruling partially in favour of emergency measures requested by Costa Rica.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was asked to rule on a lawsuit lodged by Costa Rica last November which accused Nicaragua of sending troops to accompany dredging workers it said were illegally on Costa Rican territory.
In ruling that both Nicaragua and Costa Rica refrain from sending police or security forces to the area, the world court did not order the end of Nicaragua’s dredging activities and rejected Costa Rica’s argument the work was damaging the environment.
The court allowed Costa Rica to send civilian personnel into the area to ensure protection of the environment, however.
Costa Rican Foreign Minister Rene Castro, who was in the Hague for the ruling, welcomed the decision as an “important step”. He said the court had ordered Nicaragua to stop an “aggressive invasion” and had stipulated that the only personnel allowed in the area will be Costa Rican.
