LAW ESTABLISHING THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000300240014-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 13, 2012
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: August 7, 1952
• Content Type: CABLE

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/13: CIA-RDP08C01297R000300240014-0
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PRIORITY (Seciiiity Classification)
FOREIGN SERVIC.,E DESPATCH
Trujillo
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON.
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August 74 1952
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SUBJECT: Law Establishing the
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On July 4, 1952, President Trujillo sent a message to the Dominican
enate concerning the delimintttion of the territorial waters of the Do?
minican Republic according to an article in "'local press (El Caribe,
July 9, 1952) which is forwarded herewith in ix copies as Enclosure 10
The proposed legislation was enacted into Law No. 3342 on July 13, 1952.
It was published in the Gaceta Oficial No. 7447 dated July 19, 1952.
Additional copies of the Gaceta Oficial will not be available for
some time but the text of the law is contained in an article from La
on dated July 15, 1952 which is transmitted in six copies as talcs?
sure 2.
Territorial Waters
of the Dominican Republic
IThe law establishes the territorial waters of the Republic as a
zone of three nautical miles from a line half way between low tide and
ni ti va * s outlined in the law. These exceptions
are concerned mostly with the straits and waters embraced by certain
capes and islands belonging to the Republic and historical bays such as
Santana, Ocoa and Nieba over which the state claims full sovereignty
without regard to distance from shore. With respect to the Lay of Man?
zanillo% which borders both the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the Pre?
sident asserted in his message to the Senate that, in the absance of a
treaty with Haiti on the subject, the rule of international law and
equity would continue to be observed as it has up to this time.
Article 4 of the law establishes a supplementary contiguous zone
to a distance of 12 nautical miles. Within this contiguous zone, the
Dominican Republic declares that it exercises jurisdiction and the ne?
cessary control to prevent infractions of the sanitary, fiseal and cus?
toms laws of the Republic and for the protection and conservation of
fish and other marine species.
Article 5 reserves the right to exploit such natural ratources-and
wealth as may be found on the floor of the ocean or subsoil resource
in the contiguous zone and to erect any buildings or other installations
necessary to such exploitation.
usage Article 8 anticipates any possible change in international law
e and-
by declaring that the territorial jurisdiction indicated repres
WWWOodburyiAAS
INFORMATION. COPY
Retain in divisional files or destroy in accordance with security regulations. .
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/13: CIA-RDP08C01297R000300240014-0
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ithe minimum aspirations of the Republic and does not represen -
alterable position with respect to any "progressive" tendencie
ternational law which might materialize in this regard.
In discussing this matter with Dominican naval officers g the Na-
val Attarh6 gained the impression that they did not regard the pro-
mulgation of a law concerning .territorial waters at this time to be
of any great importance or to possess any particular significance.
It appears to be merely the codifying and giving legal effect to what
has always been their practice with regard to jurisdiction over neigh-
boring waters in order to conform to the practice of other nations and
international law. As far as the Embassy is aware a this law represents
no real change from conditions existing previous to its passage.
For the Ambassadorg
Allen H; Lester
Assistant Attach?
Enclosures:
1. President Trujillots message to
waters El Caribea July 9, 1952
2, Law No0 3342 as published in Is
UNCLASSIFIED-
the Seante re territorial
Naciop, July 15a 1952
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/13: CIA-RDP08C01297R000300240014-0