Nations find it politically expedient to settle issues through PCA

Brooks W Daly,Deputy Secretary-General and Principal Legal Counsel of the Permanent Court of Arbitration hearing the Kishanganga water dispute between India and Pakistan,has said governments often find it politically expedient to approach an international body to resolve inter-state disputes than opt for a bipartite settlement.

Speaking to The Indian Express on the sidelines of a special lecture he delivered at the Indian Society of International Law on Tuesday on The work of the Permanent Court of Arbitration PCA,Daly said the court was seeking more representation around the world and also did not rule out considering having a permanent representative in India.

Located in the famed Peace Palace at The Hague in the Netherlands,the PCA,set up in 1899,is one of the oldest international dispute resolution bodies with 112 member countries. India has three Members of the Court former chief justices of India M H Kania,Y K Sabharwal and senior advocate B Sen.

The PCA,besides hearing the water dispute since 2011,is also engaged in resolving India-Bangladesh maritime delimitation case. A PCA Bench in September had barred India from undertaking permanent works above riverbed level at Gurez site of the Kishanganga hydel project dam.