Nicaragua takes Colombia boundary dispute to UN court

Nicaragua started proceedings at the International Court of Justice against Colombia for allegedly violating its sovereign rights and maritime zones, the U.N. court said on Wednesday. The application filed by Nicaragua at the ICJ in the Hague raises a long-running border dispute between the two countries. Nicaragua said Colombia had failed to respect a ruling by the ICJ on November 19, 2012 which awarded sovereignty over a group of Caribbean islands to Bogota, while granting a large swathe of sea territory to Managua. In its application Nicaragua requested the ICJ "adjudge and declare that Colombia is in breach of its obligation not to use or threaten to use force... its obligation not to violate Nicaragua's maritime zones as well as Nicaragua's sovereign rights and jurisdiction in these zones". Following the November 2012 ruling Colombia refused to recognize the jurisdiction, saying the country's territorial and marine boundaries should be established through treaties, and not sentences handed down by the court in the Hague.