Yushui Village in Lijiang, Yunnan, with snow mountain backdrop and cascading waterfalls.
5/24/2008
We got our bets back...some
We put Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge on the betting table and won it back, but not all. Now ain't that clever? What if we lose all? The judges voted 12 to 4 in favour of us. There were 4 who ruled against us. If only 4 more thinks that way. I still think it was a silly thing to do. if we have lost...everything. We lost Middle Rocks and South Ledge.
Now that the sovereignty of the island is settled, other issues are still left undecided. Ownership of the territorial waters around Pedra Branca is still vague but more likely to be in Malaysia's favour. They owned Pedra Branca originally, which means that they own the whole area. Only Pedra Branca was signed away to the British and we inherited it. The only thing now is to claim territorial water from Pedra Branca. How far from its shore or, in the case of Malaysia, from the shores of Middle Rocks.
The southern waters of Pedra Branca are going to be cut short by Middle Rocks. Hopefully we can claim 200 km from the north and the eastern waters. Even 50 km will be great. Then built on it if we can.
Bye bye Middle Rocks and South Ledge. We won! Really?
A new Chapter on Pedra Branca
ReplyDeleteSingapore should declare that it is claiming rights to the 200km economic zone around Pedra Branca. The next thing is to mark out oil exploration sectors, and start oil exploration. The third wing!
Singapore will join OPEC and become an oil exporting country next year. Or at least we will be self sufficient in oil.
This case strengthen my theory on private ownership of the planet.
ReplyDeleteSovereign nations will alway fight over who owns what territory. If these areas were privately owned, any dispute over ownership would be solved very quickly. The chances of a dispute arising in the first place would be extremely small.
Do you and your neighbour ever fight over "territory"? Yes, it does happen -- but rarely. and the cases don't drag on and on.
That is the benefit of private ownership: OBJECTIVITY backed up by PROOF.