Notification and consultation procedures under the mekong agreement: Insights from the Xayaburi Controversy

Asian Journal of International Law

Volumn 5, Issue 1, 2014, Pages 143-175

  Rieu Clarke, Alistair ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 84920107820     PISSN: 20442513     EISSN: 20442521     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S2044251314000022     Document Type: Review

References (118)

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2. "China Dam Plans Raise Mekong Fears" Financial Times (31 March 2010), online: Financial Times/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c96bfb14-3ce3-11df-bbcf-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2 SEK6cg u XS.
3. Philip HIRSCH et al., "National Interests and Transboundary Water Governance in the Mekong" (May 2006), online:/http://sydney.edu.au/mekong/documents/mekwatgov-mainreport.pdfS at 313.
4. Mekong Secretariat, "Mekong Mainstream Run-of-River Hydropower" (December 1994), online:/http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/attached-files/mekong-secretariat-mainstream-dams-report-1994.pdfS.
5. International Rivers, "How the Next 12 Months of Xayaburi Dam Construction will Affect the Mekong River" (August 2012), online:/http://www.internationalrivers.org/blogs/267/how-the-next-12-months-of-xayaburi-dam-construction-will-affect-the-mekong-riverS.
6. Bennett BEARDEN, "Following the Proper Channels: Tributaries in the Mekong Legal Regime" (2012) 14 Water Policy 991.
7. Mekong River Commission, "Assessment of Basin-Wide Development Scenarios-Main Report" (April 2001), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/basin-reports/BDP-Assessmentof-Basin-wide-Dev-Scenarios-2011.pdfS.
8. Alistair RIEU-CLARKE and Geoffrey GOOCH, "Governing the Tributaries of the Mekong: The Contribution of International Law and Institutions to Enhancing Equitable Cooperation over the Sesan" (2010) 22 Pacific McGeorge Global Business and Development Law Journal 193.
9. Guy ZIV et al., "Trading-off Fish Biodiversity, Food Security, and Hydropower in the Mekong River Basin" (2012) 109 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 5609.
10. Juha SARKKULA et al., "Hydropower in the Mekong Region: What Are the Likely Impacts upon Fisheries?", in Francois MOLLE et al., eds., Contested Waterscapes in the Mekong Region: Hydropower, Livelihoods and Governance (Sterling, VA: Earthscan, 2009), 227.
11. Ziv, supra note 10 at 1.
12. See for instance, Ellen BACKER, "The Mekong River Commission: Does it Work, and How Does the Mekong Basin's Geography Influence Its Effectiveness?" (April 2007), online: FNI/http://www.fni.no/doc&pdf/ebb-mekong-2007.pdfS;
13. Joakim Ö JENDAL et al., "Environmental Governance in the Mekong" (2002), online:/http://www.sei-international.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Policy-institutions/environmental-governance-mekong.pdfS;
14. Hirsch, supra note 3;
15. Bennett BEARDEN, "The Legal Regime of the Mekong River; A Look Back and Some Proposals for the Way Ahead" (2010) 12 Water Policy 798;
16. MOLLE et al., supra note 12;
17. Bennett BEARDEN et al., "Mekong Basin" in Flavia LOURES and Alistair RIEU-CLARKE, eds., The UN Watercourses Convention in Force-Strengthening International Law for Transboundary Water Management (Oxford: Routledge, 2013) 180-8;
18. Katri MEHTONEN et al., "The Mekong: IWRM and Institutions" in Olli VARIS et al., eds., Management of Transboundary Rivers and Lakes (Berlin: Springer, 2008) 207-26.
19. Mekong River Commission, "Statement by H.E. Mr. Sin Niny-19th Meeting of the MRC Council" (17 January 2013), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/speeches/statementby-h-e-mr-sin-niny-19th-meeting-of-the-mrc-councilS.
20. Mekong River Commission, "Statement by Mr. Chaiporn Siripornpibul-19th Meeting of the MRC Council" (17 January 2013), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/speeches/statement-by-mr-chaiporn-siripornpibul-19th-meeting-of-the-mrc-councilS.
21. Mekong River Commission, "Joint Development Partner Statement-19th Meeting of the MRC Council" (17 January 2013), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/speeches/joint-development-partner-statement-19th-mrc-council-meeting-17-january-2013S.
22. Section I(B2C) for an analysis of the key points of differences between the lower Mekong states pertaining to the Xayaburi Hydropower Project.
23. Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong Basin, 5 April 1995, 2069 U.N.T.S. 3 (entered into force 5 April 1995).
24. Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, 21 May 1997, 36 I.L.M. 700 (not yet in force).
25. Draft Articles on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses, Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its 46th session, UN Doc A/49/10 (1994), at 892135).
26. Statute for the Committee for Co-ordination of Investigations of the Lower Mekong Basin, 17 September 1957 (amended 31 October 1957, 2 August 1962, March 1972), online:/http://iea.uoregon.edu/pages/view-treaty.php?t51957-StatuteLowerMekongBasinCommittee.AA19571031. EN.txt&par5view-treaty-htmlS.
27. Franklin HUDDLE, The Mekong Project: Opportunities and Problems of Regionalism (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office 1972) at 425;
28. Greg BROWDER, "An Analysis of the Negotiations for the 1995 Mekong Agreement" (2000) 5 International Negotiations 237.
29. Huddle, supra note 24 at 52.
30. Joint Declaration of Principles for Utilization of the Waters of the Lower Mekong Basin, 31 January 1975, online:/http://ocid.nacse.org/tfdd/tfdddocs/374ENG.pdfS.
31. Declaration Concerning the Interim Committee for Coordination of Investigations of the Lower Mekong Basin, 5 January 1978, online:/http://ocid.nacse.org/tfdd/tfdddocs/396ENG.pdfS.
32. Bearden, supra note 6;
33. Rieu-Clarke and Gooch, supra note 9.
34. Supra note 19, art. 35.
35. see art. IX of The IndusWater Treaty, 19 September 1960, 1962 U.N.T.S. 126 (entered into force 12 January 1961).
36. Mekong River Commission, "Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement" (November 2003), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/policies/Procedures-Notification-Prior-Consultation-Agreement.pdfS.
37. Mekong River Commission, "Guidelines on Implementation of the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement" (31 August 2005), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/policies/Guidelines-on-implementation-of-the-PNPCA.pdfS.
38. Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 22 May 1969, 1115 U.N.T.S. 331 (entered into force 27 January 1980) [VCLT].
39. The ILC Commentary to the Vienna Convention suggests that the phrase "governed by international law"
40. Encompasses an intention to create obligations under international law on the part of the states concluding the agreement; United Nations Office of Legal Affairs
41. Draft Articles on the Law of Treaties with Commentaries" (1966) online:/http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/1-1-1966.pdfS at 189.
42. Mekong Secretariat, supra note 4.
43. International Centre for Environmental Management, supra note 1 at 8.
44. Ch. Karnchang Public Company Limited, "Feasibility Study Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power Project Lao, PDR-Final Report" (2008), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/xayaboury-dam-feasibility-study.pdfS at 1.
45. Mekong River Commission Secretariat, "Prior Consultation Project Review Report" (24 March 2011), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/Reports/PC-Proj-Review-Report-Xaiyaburi-24-3-11.pdfS at 10.
46. Mekong River Commission Secretariat, "Prior Consultation Project Review Report-Stakeholder Consultations Related to the Proposed Xayaburi Dam Project" (24 March 2011), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/2011-03-24-Report-on-Stakeholder-Consultation-on-Xayaburi.pdfS at 2.
47. During January and February 2011 in Cambodia (10 and 28 February), Thailand (22 January, 10 and 12 February), and Vietnam (14 January and 22 February).
48. The Lao government did not feel the need to conduct consultations with Laotian stakeholders as it had previously organized public consultations at the district and provincial level during the SIA process in 2007208
49. Ch. Karnchang Public Company Limited, "Social Impact Assessment-Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power Project" (August 2010), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Xayaburi-SIA-August-2010.pdfS;
50. Ch. Karnchang Public Company Limited, "Environmental Impact Assessment-Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power Project" (August 2010), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Xayaburi-EIA-August-2010.pdfS.
51. MRC Secretariat, supra note 51 at 4.
52. Cambodia National Mekong Committee, "Reply to Prior Consultation" (13 April 2011), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Cambodia-Reply-Form.pdfS;
53. Thailand Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, "Reply to Prior Consultation" (April 2011), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Thailand-Reply-Form.pdfS;
54. Vietnam National Mekong Committee, "Reply to Prior Consultation" (April 2011), online:/http://www. mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Viet-Nam-Reply-Form.pdfS.
55. Mekong River Commission, "Lower Mekong Countries take Prior Consultation on Xayaburi Project to Ministerial Level" (19 April 2011), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/news/lower-mekong-countries-take-prior-consultation-on-xayaburi-project-to-ministerial-levelS.
56. Pö yry Energy AG, "Government of Lao PDR Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power Plant Run-of-River Plant" (August 2011), online:/http://www.poyry.com/sites/default/files/imce/eng-xayaburi-hpp-09112012-final.pdfS.
57. Mekong River Commission, "Observations and Comments on the Pö yry Report on the Xayaburi Hydropower Project" (November 2011), online:/http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/attachedfiles/mrcs-comments-on-poyry-report-nov-2011.pdfS.
58. Mekong River Commission, "Further Study on Impact of Mekong Mainstream Development to be Conducted, Say Lower Mekong Countries" (8 December 2011), online: MRC/http://www. mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/news/further-study-on-impact-of-mekong-mainstream-developmentto-be-conducted-say-lower-mekong-countriesS.
59. Zakariya TIN, "Cambodia Warns Laos Over Mekong Dam" Radio Free Asia (19 April 2012), online: RFA/http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/dam-04192012143244.html
60. The Mekong River-Lies, Dams and Statistics" The Economist (26 July 2012), online:/http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/07/mekong-riverS.
61. International Rivers, "Xayaburi Dam: Timeline of Events" (February 2013), online:/http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/attached-files/xayaburi-dam-timeline-of-events-feb.-2013-0.pdfS.
62. Supra note 51 at 1.
63. MRC, supra note 17.
64. Mekong Agreement, supra note 19, Chapter II.
65. Supra note 42 (emphasis added).
66. The Indus Waters Kishenganga Arbitration (Pakistan v. India), Partial Award of 18 February 2013, Permanent Court of Arbitration, online:/http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp ?pag-id513 92S at para. 428.
67. Second Report on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses, Stephen C. MCCAFFREY, Special Rapporteur, UN Doc.A/CN.4/399 (1986) at para. 198.
68. Summary Record of the 20th Meeting on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses, Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly, UN Doc.A/C.56/51/SR.60 (1996), para. 23.
69. Guidance on Notification According to the Espoo Convention, UN Economic Commission for Europe, UN Doc. ECE/MP.EIA/12 (2009) at 8.
70. Laos, for example, the 1999 Environmental Protection Law requires that "development projects and operations that have or will have the potential to affect the environment shall submit an environmental assessment report";
71. see "Environmental Protection Law" (3 April 1999), online:/faolex.fao.org/docs/texts/lao18236.docS.
72. Vietnam's 2005 Environmental Protection also sets out a requirement for EIA; see "Law on Environmental Protection" (12 December 2005), online:/http://http://www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Vietnam/VN-Law-on-Environmental-Protection.pdfS.
73. This law also obliges developers to produce the EIA alongside a feasibility report, and that such an assessment must include consultation with stakeholders.
74. Cambodia adopted EIA requirements in 1996;
75. Law on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Management" (24 December 1996), online:/http://www.theredddesk.org/sites/default/files/environmental-protection-and-nrm-law-1996. pdfS.
76. Further detail is provided for in a "Sub-decree on the EIA process" (11 August 1999), online:/siteresources.worldbank.org/.../Cambodia-EIA-Sub-Decree-1999.docS, and the Guidelines for Conducting an EIA Report.
77. The latter instruments include a process by which stakeholders are engaged in the various stages of production of an EIA, including the feasibility study and EIA report.
78. Thailand has the longest tradition of EIA legislation, dating back to 1975.
79. The 1992 National Environmental Quality Act requires public consultation during the EIA process;
80. National Environmental Quality Act" (29 March 1992), online:/http://www.pcd.go.th/info-serv/en-reg-envi.htmlS.
81. Through the 1992 Act and supplementary laws and policies, the Thai process for EIA envisages a number of stages including: screening
82. Case Concerning Pulp Mills on the River Uruguay (Argentina v. Uruguay), [2010] I.C.J. Rep. 14.
83. Mekong River Commission, "Integrated Water Resources Management-based Basin Development Strategy 201122015", (January 2011), online:/http://ns1.mrcmekong.org/17thCouncil/IWRMbased-Basin-Dev-Strategy-approved-by-MRC-Council-260111.pdfS. 100. Supra note 1. 101.
84. Mekong River Commission, "Preliminary Design Guidance for Proposed Mainstream Dams in the Lower Mekong Basin" (August 2009), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/Consultations/SEA-Hydropower/Preliminary-DG-of-LMB-Mainstream-dams-FinalVersion-Sept09.pdfS. 102.
85. Supra note 51, Annex II. The project documentation listed in Annex II included: Xayaburi Layout Report 2010;
86. Executive Summary-EIA, SIA, EMP, RAP; Environmental Impact Assessment; Feasibility Study-Main Report;
87. Feasibility Study Annexes A12A5 (1: EIA, SIA, 2: Topographic Info, 3: Geological drilling activities, log core, testing results, 4: Meteorological, hydrology and sediment data, 5: Results of energy production);
88. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of Proposed Mainstream Hydropower Projects commissioned by MRC and completed on 15 October 2010;
89. MRC's Preliminary Design Guidance (PDG) for Proposed Mainstream Dams in the LMB endorsed by the MRC JC in 2009
90. Which has been developed in consultation with a TechnicalWorking Group of the Member Countries and co-ordinated by the Initiative on Sustainable Hydropower;
91. MRC, 2006. Integrated Basin Flow Management Report No 8: Flow Regime Assessment, (restricted) and associated background reports MGCWG (2008) Conservation strategy for the Mekong giant catfish Pangasiaondon gigas;
92. Mekong Giant Catfish Working Group Report 5. MRC (2010); Impacts on Fisheries. Technical Note 11. Basin Development Plan Programme, Phase 2; Assessment of basin-wide development scenarios. Mekong River Commission June 2010;
93. MRC (2010). State of the Basin Report 2010. Mekong River Commission, Vientiane, Lao PDR. 103. Supra note 51. 104.
94. Mekong River Commission Secretariat, "Prior Consultation Project Review Report-Stakeholder Consultations Related to the Proposed Xayaburi Dam Project" (24 March 2011), online: MRC/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/2011-03-24-Report-on-Stakeholder-Consultation-on-Xayaburi.pdfS at 2.
95. Vietnam National Mekong Committee, "Reply to Prior Consultation" (April 2011), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Viet-Nam-Reply-Form.pdfS, at 2.
96. Supra note 58.
97. Vietnam National Mekong Committee, "Reply to Prior Consultation" (April 2011), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Viet-Nam-Reply-Form.pdfS.
98. The Law of Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses-Draft Articles and Commentaries Thereto Adopted by the Drafting Committee on Second Reading: Articles 1-33, UN Doc. A/CN.4/L.493 (1994) at para. 156.) 120.
99. For example, art. 12 and Annex 4 of the 2000 Regulations on Environmental Impact Assessment in the Lao PDR; art. 16, 20, and Chapter III of the Vietnamese Law on Environmental Protection 2005 (Revised).
100. Supra note 51 at 2.
101. Cambodia National Mekong Committee, "Reply to Prior Consultation" (13 April 2011), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Cambodia-Reply-Form.pdfS at 223.
102. Vietnam National Mekong Committee, "Reply to Prior Consultation" (April 2011), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Viet-Nam-Reply-Form.pdfS at 3.
103. Thailand Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, "Reply to Prior Consultation" (April 2011), online:/http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Consultations/2010-Xayaburi/Thailand-Reply-Form.pdfS at 2.
104. Supra note 42 at 5 (emphasis added).
105. Third Report on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses, Stephen M. SCHWEBEL, Special Rapporteur, UN Doc. A/CN.4/348 (1981), para. 156.
106. Mekong River Commission, "Observations and Comments on the Pyö ry Report on the Xayaburi Hydropower Project" (25 November 2011), online: MRC/http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/attached-files/mrcs-comments-on-poyry-report-nov-2011.pdfS. 145
107. Siemenpuu et al. v. Pyö ry (11 June 2012), online:/http://oecdwatch.org/cases/Case-259? Searchterm5XayaburiS.
108. Xayaburi Dam Starts on Sly" Bangkok Post (17 April 2011), online:/http://www.vietnamica.net/xayaburi-dam-starts-on-slyS.
109. Early Work on Dam 'Normal Practice"' Bangkok Post (8 May 2011), online: Bangkok Post/http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/235879/early-work-on-dam-normal-practiceS.
110. Laos Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Contentious Mekong Dam" Reuters (7 November 2012), online: Reuters/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/07/us-laos-dam-idUSBRE8A618I 20121107S.
111. Laos Approves Mekong Dam Despite Objections" Bangkok Post (6 November 2012), online: Bangkok Post/http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/319802/laos-approvesmekong-dam-despite-objectionsS.
112. International Rivers, "How the Next 12 Months of Xayaburi Dam Construction Will Affect the Mekong River", online:/http://www.internationalrivers.org/blogs/267/how-the-next-12-months-ofxayaburi-dam-construction-will-affect-the-mekong-riverS.
113. Case Concerning the Gabɥkovo-Naygmaros Project (Hungary v. Slovakia) [1997] I.C.J. Rep. 7, at para. 61.
114. The Indus Waters Kishenganga Arbitration (Pakistan v. India), Order on Interim Measures of 23 September 2011, Permanent Court of Arbitration, online:/http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp ?pag-id51392S at para. 142.
115. Supra note 83 at para. 143 (emphasis added). 171. Ibid. 172.
116. Supra note 119 at 114. 174.
117. Supra note 20. 175. Ibid. 176. Ibid. 177. Ibid., art. 33(10). 178.
118. Supra note 20.