Former Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs clarified that the
does not affect Peru's sovereignty, nor does it have any legal link to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
In a statement, the former officials pointed out that it is a contradiction to claim that this agreement affects our sovereignty, since its very title refers to the sea that lies beyond 200 nautical miles.
"The signed Treaty, as indicated in its title, refers to the sea located beyond 200 miles, that is, the high seas, over which no country exercises sovereignty. Therefore, it is a contradiction to claim that Peru's sovereignty is affected by a treaty referring to a maritime area where Peruvian sovereignty does not exist," the document says in its first point.
Similarly, they clarify that the agreement has no legal connection to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and is, therefore, independent from it.
"Article 5 of the Treaty states this expressly. That is why several countries that are not parties to the Convention on the Law of the Sea have been able to sign it, including Peru," they emphasize.
Former Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs indicate that the main purpose of this treaty is to ensure the protection of biodiversity on the high seas and, therefore, to safeguard resources.
In that sense, they state that the agreement will also allow access to technical and financial cooperation, support marine research and scientific development to, among other benefits, prevent overfishing and pollution.
The former Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs agreed in pointing out that defending Peru's interests makes a fact-based analysis essential, in order to form a balanced and consistent opinion regarding the agreement signed by the Government.
The statement is signed by former Ministers Allan Wagner, Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde, Gonzalo Gutierrez, Ricardo Luna, Nestor Popolizio, as well as former Deputy Ministers Alfonso Rivero, Hugo Palma, Alejandro Gordillo, Eduardo Ponce, Jorge Voto Bernales, Jose Antonio Arrospide, Fernando Rojas, Claudio de la Puente, Hugo de Zela, and Jaime Pomareda.
(END) RMCH/CVC/JMP/MVB