Maritime Boundary Agreement On the 13 September 1988 in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, the Aus- tralian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Senator Gareth Evans, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Solomon Islands, Sir Peter Kenilorea, signed a bilateral treaty which defines for the first time the sea-bed boundary between the two countries. It was the result of 10 years' consideration by both sides. The agreed boundary lies between the Australian Coral Sea Islands and the Indispensable Reefs belonging to the Solomon Islands. As the map (Figure 2) shows, the bound- ary also joins up with Australia's other sea-bed boundaries with Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia. It was agreed that the boundary should follow the median line between the two countries. This line divides the sea-bed, and also provides the agreed boundary between 200 nautical mile Australian Fishing Zone and the Exclu- sive Economic Zone of the Solomon Islands. The Agreement, which requires ratifi- 1 cation before it enters into force, is reproduced below. Anthony Bergin University College Australian Defence Force Academy, Campbell, ACT Australia.
Appendix Text of the Agreement Between the Government of Solomon Islands and the Government of Australia Establishing Certain Sea and Sea-bed Boundaries The Government of Solomon Islands and the Government of Australia; DESIRING to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two countries; RECOGNIZING the need to effect a precise and equitable delimitation of the respective maritime areas in which the two States exercise sovereign rights; BASING themselves on the rules and principles of relevant international law and taking into account the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; HAVE AGREED as follows: Article 1 1. Seaward of Australian reefs in the Coral Sea on the one hand and Solomon Islands reefs on the other hand, the line of delimitation between the Australian Fishing Zone and the Solomon Islands Exclusive Economic Zone and between areas of continental shelf over which each state respectively exercises sovereign rights in accordance with international law lies along the geodesics connecting the following points, defined by their co-ordinates, in the order stated.
152 153