The Judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ or the World Court, as it is also known) of The Hague, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, in the case “Maritime Delimitation in the Black Sea” (Romania v. Ukraine) was publicly delivered on 3 February 2009. In 2014 there are 5 years since this moment, to which Romfilatelia dedicates the postage stamps issue Black Sea, History Rewritten.
The utmost importance of the Judgment resides in the fact that it has established the first and so far the only extension of sovereign jurisdiction and sovereign rights of Romania after the Great Union of 1918.
Thus, through this Judgment, Romania was allotted 79.34% of the 12,200 km2 disputed area with Ukraine, which represents 9,700 km2 of continental shelf and exclusive economic zones, with important hydrocarbon resources, which could ensure a high degree of energy independence for Romania. Compared to the case-law of the Court on maritime delimitations, this result is exceptionally favorable to Romania.
This was Judgment no. 100 of the ICJ and it was adopted with unanimity by the members of the Court, without separate or dissenting opinions, which is without precedent in the activity of ICJ since 1946.
Moreover, the Judgment, rendered by ICJ after proceedings which lasted 4 years, 4 months and 18 days, has put an end to a 42 years bilateral dispute (firstly with USSR, then with Ukraine, its successor State), the 10 rounds of negotiations (1967-1987) with USSR, and respectively 34 rounds (1998-2004) with Ukraine bringing no agreed settlement. In fact, this trial was the first contentious case of Romania before ICJ.
It is a constant element of the Romanian foreign policy that observing of the principles and rules of International Law, as well as using its instruments, institutions and mechanisms lie at the very core of Romania’s external political action - which is likely to maximize the efforts to achieve its national interest. This case of Maritime Delimitation in the Black Sea, won by Romania, can stand for the best example to show how the Romanian diplomacy knew to use the “smart” instruments of International Law in order to accomplish an objective related to Romania’s national interest.
