The head of the legal team working on behalf of the Maldives, Prof. Payam Akhavan has stated regardless of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) decision over the Chagos island case, the Maldives will not lose a special economic zone in the country. 

The Maldives had earlier voted against a UN resolution calling for the handing over of Chagos to Mauritius, but there has been talk in some quarters that a sudden change in the decision could lead to the loss of part of the country's territory.

At a press conference held last evening, Professor Payan Ahawan, who is leading the Maldives' advocacy team at the tribunal, said that no matter how the case is concluded, there is nothing to lose for the Maldives and the economic zone will remain.

Payam said the border issue should be resolved based on the ICJ decision in the case filed by Mauritius. He said he believed the Maldives case was very strong and Maldives was defending itself very well in the tribunal.

Speaking with the press, Akhavan said that this is not an issue that gives certain people the best or the worst. Both sides have to make concessions, he said.

The professor said the question was not whether the case would succeed or not, but how best to divide the disputed area.