FOREIGN RELATIONS

Costa Rica is an active member of the United Nations and the Organization of American States. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations University of Peace are based in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is also a member of many other international organizations related to human rights and democracy.

A main foreign policy objective of Costa Rica is to foster human rights and sustainable development as a way to secure stability and growth.[citation needed]

Costa Rica is a member of the International Criminal Court, without a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the United States military (as covered under Article 98).

Costa Rica also has a long-term disagreement with Nicaragua over the San Juan River which defines the border between the two countries; the disagreement arises because the river, on Nicaraguan soil, is the only way to reach several communities in Costa Rica served by the Costa Rican police.

On July 14, 2009, the Hague(ICJ) court stated that The Costa Ricans had their rights to navigate for commercial purposes upheld and the right to subsistence fishing on their side of the river. An 1858 treaty extended navigation rights to Costa Rica, but Nicaragua denied that passenger travel and fishing were part of the deal, the court ruled that Costa Ricans on the river were not required to have Nicaraguan tourist cards or visas as Nicaragua alleged but, in a nod to the Nicaraguans, ruled that Costa Rican boats and passengers have to stop at the first and last Nicaraguan port along their route. They must also have an identity document or passport. Nicaragua can also impose timetables on Costa Rican traffic. Nicaragua may require Costa Rican boats to display the flag of Nicaragua but may not charge them for departure clearance from its ports. These were all specific items of contention brought to the court in the 2005 filing.[39]

On June 1, 2007, Costa Rica broke diplomatic ties with the Republic of China in Taiwan, switching recognition to the People's Republic of China. Costa Rica was the first of the Central American nations to do so. President Óscar Arias Sánchez admitted the action was a response to economic exigency.[40]

In appreciation, the People's Republic of China has taken upon themselves to build Costa Rica a brand-new, $74 million, state-of-the-art, soccer stadium in Parque la Sabana, located in the province of San José. Approximately 600 Chinese engineers and laborers are taking part in this project, and it is scheduled to be done by November 2010.

Costa Rica finished a term on the United Nations Security Council, having been elected for a non-renewable two-year term in the 2007 election. Its term expired on 31 December 2009; this was Costa Rica's third time on the Security Council.

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