Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law Logo Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law

You are here: Publications Archive World Court Digest

World Court Digest



I. Substantive International Law - First Part
1. THE FOUNDATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
1.3. Estoppel and Acquiescence

¤ Land, Island and Maritime Frontier Dispute
(El Salvador/Honduras: Nicaragua intervening),
Judgment of 11 September 1992,
I.C.J. Reports 1992, p. 351

[p. 577] 364. The Chamber considers that this protest of Honduras, coming after a long history of acts of sovereignty by El Salvador in Meanguera, was made too late to affect the presumption of acquiescence on the part of Honduras. The conduct of Honduras vis-à-vis earlier effectivités reveals an admission, recognition, acquiescence or other form of tacit consent to the situation. Furthermore, Honduras has laid before the Chamber a bulky and impressive list of material relied on to show Honduran effectivités relating to the whole of the area in litigation, but fails in that material to advance any proof of its presence on the island of Meanguera.