<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published December 20, 2008
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>MFA launches book on Pedra Branca dispute
By NOOR AISHA
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</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Diplomatic Academy yesterday launched Pedra Branca - The Road to the World Court, a book detailing the territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore over Pedra Branca island situated near the Straits of Malacca.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>[FONT=Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]<!-- REPLACE EVERYTHING IN CAPITALS WITH YOUR OWN VALUES --><TABLE class=quoteBox cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=144 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom>
</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#fffff1><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=124 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>'It was not an easy case by any standard.'
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The book, co-authored by Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar and Ambassador Tommy Koh, shows how the two countries managed the three-decade-long dispute until a final resolution by the International Court of Justice was reached in May 2008.
'It was not an easy case by any standard,' said Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong, who was guest-of-honour at the launch.
'The way both countries managed this dispute and agreed to third party adjudication serves as a good example to the rest of the region on the merits of third party dispute settlement. It has become one of the key tenets of Singapore's foreign policy in managing disputes with other countries,' said DPM Jayakumar.
The two authors - both personally involved in the case - also recount the numerous twists and complexities of the case.
Behind-the-scenes snippets of political and diplomatic moves are also divulged.
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>'We have not attempted a legal dissertation,' added DPM Jayakumar. 'The book is meant more for the non-lawyers who would like to know more about the case and the various issues involved.' The case began in 1979 with the publication of a map by Malaysia, and Singapore's protest note followed shortly after in 1980.
'We have written the book in clear and simple language, without too much legalese, so that it will be accessible to a large readership,' said Professor Tommy Koh.
The book is published by NUS Press Singapore, and royalties will be donated to the proposed centre for International Law at the Faculty of Law of National University of Singapore.
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</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>MFA launches book on Pedra Branca dispute
By NOOR AISHA
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</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Diplomatic Academy yesterday launched Pedra Branca - The Road to the World Court, a book detailing the territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore over Pedra Branca island situated near the Straits of Malacca.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff>[FONT=Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]<!-- REPLACE EVERYTHING IN CAPITALS WITH YOUR OWN VALUES --><TABLE class=quoteBox cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=144 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom>
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- Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong
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'It was not an easy case by any standard,' said Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong, who was guest-of-honour at the launch.
'The way both countries managed this dispute and agreed to third party adjudication serves as a good example to the rest of the region on the merits of third party dispute settlement. It has become one of the key tenets of Singapore's foreign policy in managing disputes with other countries,' said DPM Jayakumar.
The two authors - both personally involved in the case - also recount the numerous twists and complexities of the case.
Behind-the-scenes snippets of political and diplomatic moves are also divulged.
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'We have written the book in clear and simple language, without too much legalese, so that it will be accessible to a large readership,' said Professor Tommy Koh.
The book is published by NUS Press Singapore, and royalties will be donated to the proposed centre for International Law at the Faculty of Law of National University of Singapore.
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