U.N. Court Hands Costa Rica Territorial Victories Over Nicaragua

The Hague / San Jose-Costa Rica claimed victory over Nicaragua on Friday, after the United Nations' highest court awarded Costa Rica.

Nicaragua was ordered by the San Juan river, which the judges said violated Costa Rican sovereignty.

The court of panel of 15 international judges also found that Costa Rica has sovereignty over the entire northern part of Portillos, including the coast, but excluding Harbor Head Lagoon.

Costa Rica 's President Luis Guillermo Solis called the "historic," while Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez said it was very close to what the country had asked for.

Nicaragua was ordered to pay for the San Juan river.

Costa Rica should be compensated by April 2 for the damage, the cost of environmental restoration, expenses and interest, the court said.

"Gonzalez said," The amount is not what we hoped for, but we accept fully and respectfully what the court decided. "Nicaragua has a good opportunity to rebuild trust between the two countries and close the chapters that have been used in recent years."

Nicaragua's government called the environmental verdict to "major defeat for Costa Rica" in a statement. It did not comment on the other cases.

As a part of the border settlement, who have had rival claims since 2002, when Nicaragua published maps detailing oil concessions. Some of those were in waters claimed by Costa Rica.

Costa Rica had filed the suit in 2014, asking the court to determine its borders with Nicaragua in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean.

In 2010, Nicaragua felt like a move to the San Juan River that divides both countries to and from nearby Nicaraguan lake. Nicaragua said it was dredging a natural waterway.