Mr Lee is   referring to Australia's redeclaration of its recognition of the court. On March 22, 2002, Australia deposited a new declaration with the ICJ, which stated that its recognition of the Court did not apply to "any dispute concerning or relating to the delimitation of maritime zones, including the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf, or arising out of, concerning, or relating to the exploitation of any disputed area of or adjacent to any such maritime zone pending its delimitation." This was widely understood at the time to be the result of Australia's dispute with East Timor over the maritime border. The declaration was signed by Mr Downer, who co-sponsored todays media release. The issue is especially important to both countries as the Timor Sea holds significant oil reserves. "They are constantly harping on about the necessity of resolving the Timor Sea issue by bilateral consultation between the Australian and East Timorese government rather than subjecting the dispute to the umpire, i.e. the international court of justice maritime division ," he said. A spokesman for the Minister for Foreign Affairs rejected the suggestion that the minister had been hyprcritical, and said that it had always been government policy to resolve such disputes via bilateral negotiation.%DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% "Maritime boundaries should be resolved by negotiation. This is how we have done it with all other countries we have negotiated with. Maritime boundaries are an issue of sovereignty ," he said.
A spokesman for the Minister for Foreign Affairs rejected the suggestion that the minister had been hyprcritical, and said that it had always been government policy to resolve such disputes via bilateral negotiation. "Maritime boundaries should be resolved by negotiation. This is how we have done it with all other countries we have negotiated with. Maritime boundaries are an issue of sovereignty," he said. Mr Lee was referring to Australia's redeclaration of its recognition of the court. On March 22, 2002, Australia deposited a new declaration with the ICJ, which stated that its recognition of the Court did not apply to "any dispute concerning or relating to the delimitation of maritime zones, including the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf, or arising out of, concerning, or relating to the exploitation of any disputed area of or adjacent to any such maritime zone pending its delimitation." This was widely understood at the time to be the result of Australia's dispute with East Timor over the maritime border. The declaration was signed by Mr Downer, who co-sponsored todays media release. The issue is especially important to both countries as the Timor Sea holds significant oil reserves. "They are constantly harping on about the necessity of resolving the Timor Sea issue by bilateral consultation between the Australian and East Timorese government rather than subjecting the dispute to the umpire, i.e. the international court of justice maritime division %DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% ," he said.
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Mr Lee is
A spokesman for the Minister for Foreign Affairs rejected the suggestion that the minister had been hyprcritical, and said that it had always been government policy to resolve such disputes via bilateral negotiation.
A
"Maritime boundaries should be resolved by negotiation. This is how we have done it with all other countries we have negotiated with. Maritime boundaries are an issue of sovereignty," he said.
A
Mr Lee was
D
," he said.
D
A spokesman for the Minister for Foreign Affairs rejected the suggestion that the minister had been hyprcritical, and said that it had always been government policy to resolve such disputes via bilateral negotiation.
D
"Maritime boundaries should be resolved by negotiation. This is how we have done it with all other countries we have negotiated with. Maritime boundaries are an issue of sovereignty