Theoretical and practical aspects of the delimitation of the maritime zones of Lithuania

Straipsnyje nagrinėjama viena iš aktualiausių tarptautinės jūrų teisės temų - jūros erdvių delimitavimo klausimai. Lietuvos teritorinės jūros, kontinentinio šelfo ir išskirtinės ekonominės zonos delimitavimo aspektai atskleidžiami delimitavimo teorijos ir praktikos kontekste. Delimitavimo klausimai nagrinėjami atliekant išsamią šiuolaikinės, taip pat prieškarinės jūros erdvių delimitavimo teorijos ir praktikos analizę, detaliai aptariant delimitavimą reglamentuojančias Jungtinių Tautų jūrų teisės konvencijos nuostatas, visapusiškai atskleidžiant esminių delimitavimo principų ir reikalavimų - teisingumo, „neužgožimo" ir kt. - esmę, pateikiant nuoseklų derybų su Rusijos Federacija, Latvijos Respublika ir konsultacijų su Švedijos Karalyste dėl teritorinių vandenų, išskirtinės ekonominės zonos ir kontinentinio šelfo delimitavimo Baltijos jūroje aptarimą bei parodant priimtų sprendimų ryšį su tarptautine delimitavimo teorija ir praktika.The article deals with one of the most important topics in International Sea Law, i.e. the issues of delimitation of maritime zones, of a particular significance for Lithuania, which had to resolve them completely anew after it regained its independence in 1990. The aspects of the delimitation of the territorial sea, the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone of Lithuania arc revealed in the light of the delimitation theory and practice by invoking descriptive, historical, analytical, comparative and other methods of scientific research and on the ground of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, other international treaties, case law of the International Court of Justice and press publications. The first part of the Article analyses the main criteria of the delimitation of maritime zones emphasizing that the primary delimitation principles are the parties' agreement and an equitable decision. The principle of equity encompasses many requirements: to take account of all relevant circumstances, geological, geographical characteristics, historical situation, to follow proportionality, to avoid "cut-off' effect, to use materialized indicators of equity etc. Lithuania's negotiations with the Russian Federation and the Republic of Latvia, discussed in the second part of the Article, are mostly specific for involving the situation where the parties to the negotiations were still not the members of the Law of the Sea Convention, however, their explicit will, true intention and desire to join it and to be guided thereby allowed to apply the most advanced sea law provisions and to reach an equitable solution in respect of all parties. Lithuania has become the first state from a post-soviet block that has legitimized the boundaries of the territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the Baltic Sea with the Russian Federation and has reached an agreement with the second neighbouring state, Latvia. Although Lithuania still does not have an agreement on the limits of the maritime zones with an opposite state, the Kingdom of Sweden, the opinion expressed in the Article suggests that actual recognition of the maritime boundaries, both states' being parties to the Convention, geographical position not requiring to delimitate territorial waters, negotiation practice and experience should form a firm basis for successful negotiations, although the initial consultations were impeded by the Sweden's refusal to ignore the former agreements with the Soviet Union regarding the delimitation of the maritime and fishery zones. The delimitation agreement between Latvia and Lithuania and the three-party intersection agreement of Lithuania, Sweden and Russia, which both have not yet been ratified, still preclude Lithuania from the final legitimisation of the arrangement regarding the delimitation of the maritime zones with Sweden and the establishment of the intersection point of the exclusive economic zones of Lithuania, Latvia and Sweden