Bilateral relationships between Malaysia and Indonesia have always been cordial, augmented largely by their shared ethno-cultural, value and religious affinity. Cooperation and collaboration initiatives and arrangement between the two countries are well-established in various fields, ranging from security, economic and trade, health to education. However, these friendly bilateral relationships have been occasionally marred by diplomatic frictions and protests arising from their disputes over overlapping claims to maritime territory and boundary. Among the most notable, intractable on-going maritime territorial and boundary disputes between the two countries occur in the Malacca Straits. In resolving these particularly dispute, diplomatic negotiation has been the most common and if not, the only dispute resolution mechanism adopted by the two countries. What make the scope of this study departs from the existing literature is the focus placed on examining the process of diplomatic negotiations between Malaysia and Indonesia for amicable resolution of the disputes. Diplomatic negotiation is arguably the preferred method to delimit contested maritime boundaries as it has its own advantages compare to other alternative peaceful methods. This qualitative study uses content analysis approach to investigate and appraise the background and process of diplomatic negotiation between Malaysia and Indonesia to reach final settlement of their territorial area and boundary disputes in the Malacca Straits. In analyzing the case, the theoretical tools used are negotiation theory, and bilateral theory. The selected respondents for this study are comprised of experts and practitioners attached to government agencies such as Maritime Malaysia Enforcement Agency and Institute Diplomacy and Foreign Relation. Then, content analysis is applied to the coding process. The research finding reveal that the status of diplomatic negotiation between the government of Malaysia and Indonesia are still ongoing, with the immediate final resolution of the disputes remains to be seen. The contribution of this study lies in providing the strong facts and the real status about territorial dispute at Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia and also the process of diplomatic negotiation between Malaysia and Indonesia in settlement the territorial dispute at Strait of Malacca.

2012년 11월 19일, ICJ는 니카라과와 콜롬비아 간 도서영유권 및 해양경계획정 분쟁에 대한 판결을 내렸다. 판결에서 콜롬비아는 문제의 섬들에 대한 영유권을 인정받았고, 니카라과는 기대보다 많은 해역을 확보하게 되었다. 실질적으로 넓은 해역에서 배타적 어업권과 해양자원 채굴권을 확보한 니카라과의 승리라고 볼 수 있다. 이 판결에서 ICJ는 1928년 양국이 체결한 조약을 섬의 영유권에 대한 권원으로 볼 수 있는지 대해 검토하였고, ‘실효적 지배’에 의해 섬의 영유권을 판단하였다. 해양경계획정의 방법은 ‘3단계 방법’을 통하였는데, ICJ는 2단계에서 관련해안의 현격한 차이 등을 고려하여 잠정적 중간선을 이동하였으며, ‘차단효과’ 등을 고려하여 경계선을 최종확정하였다. 이 판결이 우리에게 주는 시사점으로 독도 영유권의 권원으로서 SCAPIN 677과 1033의 해석, 실효적 지배에 대한 증거 확보, 해양경계획정에서의 독도 활용 방법, 해안선의 길이 및 차단효과에 대한 연구 등이 있다. 우리나라는 먼저 독도의 영유권을 공고히 한 후, 향후 주변국과의 경계획정에서 독도를 전략적으로 이용하고, 중국과 일본에 의한 차단효과 등 관련 상황을 연구하여 철저히 대비해야 할 것이다.