The Hague: A UN court on Wednesday ruled Nicaragua had violated Costa Rica's sovereignty in a long-standing row over disputed territory on the San Juan river which has soured ties between the two neighbours.
The court "finds that Costa Rica has sovereignty over the disputed territory as defined by the court" the judges from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled, in a statement read to the hearing.
Basing its ruling in part on an 1858 treaty between the two countries, the court added Managua had also violated San Jose's right to navigation in the waters which form the border between the two countries.
The 16-judge panel found that by "excavating" three channels in the river and "establishing a military presence on Costa Rican territory Nicaragua has violated the territory and sovereignty" of its neighbour.
Nicaragua had also "breached" earlier obligations laid down by the court.
Tensions have flared for years between the two Central American nations over the disputed land, called Isla Portillos by San Jose and Harbour Head by Managua, which lies at the mouth of the San Juan river as it flows into the Caribbean.
The fight first reached the ICJ in 2010 when Costa Rica complained Nicaragua's army had occupied a three square kilometre (just over one square mile) block near the mouth of the river.
Nicaragua maintained however that the territory historically belonged to them, and in a separate 2011 counter-claim argued Costa Rica was causing environmental damage by building a road next to waterway.
The case has ping-ponged back in forth in the International Court of Justice -- the UN's highest court founded in 1945 to rule on border and territorial disputes between nations.
Costa Rica had maintained in a hearing earlier this year that Nicaragua had "invaded" the tiny stretch of territory on its northeast coast.
And while the 16 judges did not go so far, the ICJ did award Costa Rica compensation for the material damages caused.
The court gave the two countries 12 months to negotiate a fair settlement, warning otherwise it would be prepared at the request of one of the parties to step in and set the amount of compensation due.
In the second 2011 case brought by Nicaragua, the court ruled that San Jose had failed to carry out an environmental impact assessment when it built the road which veers close to the river.
However, the judges refused to award any damages to Nicaragua.
A third dispute between the countries is also before the ICJ, as Costa Rica has asked it to rule on their maritime borders.
The court has no power to enforce its rulings, but two countries must agree before a case can be brought before the tribunal.
AFP
