Dear Colleagues,
Apparently sovereignty over Kerang Selatin (South Ledge) was not
decided by the Court.
The following description of the feature comes from 'Malacca Strait
and West Coast of Sumatra Pilot' (1971), Hydrographer of the
[British] Navy. p.204
'South Ledge consists of three rocks, the northern of which dries 8
feet (2m4), and lies about 2 miles south-south-westward of Horsburgh
Lighthouse: the others do not dry. They are steep-to and are nearly
always marked by heavy tide-rips or by breakers.'
Measurements from Kerang Selatin to the nearest points on the
territory of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore on the British
Admiralty chart 2403 (2004) produce the following results.
Indonesia. Tanjong[Point] Sading on the north coast of Pulau Bintan.
5.7 nautical miles
Malaysia. Middle Rocks. 1.7 nautical miles.
Singapore. Pedra Branca. 2.1 nautical miles.
Article 13 of UNCLOS states:
1. A low-tide elevation is a naturally formed area of land which is
surrounded by and above water at low-tide but submerged at high-tide.
Where a low-tide elevation is situated wholly or partly at a distance
not exceeding the breadth of the territorial sea from the mainland or
an island, the low-water line on that elevation may be used as the
baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea,
2. Where a low-tide elevation is situated at a distance exceeding the
breadth of the territorial sea from the mainland or an island it has
no territorial sea of its own.
It appears that Malaysia has the best claim to Kerang Selatin. That
is the Malaysian name on the British Chart.
Sincerely,
Victor
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