Published: 14:33, November 10, 2023 | Updated: 17:21, November 10, 2023
Malaysia says Sultan's heirs pull out claim on Paris buildings
By Reuters

A man walks in a street in Paris, March 20, 2020. (PHOTO / AP)

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia said the heirs of a former sultan have withdrawn their claims over three Malaysian-owned diplomatic properties in Paris, as part of a $15 billion arbitration dispute between the two sides.

An enforcement judge in Paris on Nov 9 "recorded the claimants' withdrawal from the proceedings they had initiated to seize the... diplomatic buildings," Malaysia's law ministry said in a statement issued late on Thursday.

The judge asked the heirs of the sultan to pay 15,000 euros ($16,008) to Malaysia as costs, in addition to the 100,000 euros ordered by a Paris Court of Appeal earlier this year, it (the statement) said

Representatives for the heirs were not immediately available for comment.

The Filipino heirs of the last Sultan of Sulu won a $14.9 billion award in a French arbitration court last year in a long-running dispute over a colonial-era land deal, prompting them to go after Malaysia-owned assets.

READ MORE: King Charles begins Kenya visit in 'painful' colonial history

But in June, a Paris court upheld the Malaysian government's challenge against enforcing a partial award.

In the statement, the law ministry said the enforcement judge also quashed an earlier order authorizing that a statutory mortgage be registered on the three buildings.

READ MORE: Malaysia says cross-border air pollution law still possible

The judge asked the heirs of the sultan to pay 15,000 euros ($16,008) to Malaysia as costs, in addition to the 100,000 euros ordered by a Paris Court of Appeal earlier this year, it said.

READ MORE: Malaysia names Sultan Ibrahim as next king

"The government of Malaysia is confident that the ultimate annulment of the purported final award by the Paris Court of Appeal is only a matter of time, and is making every effort to secure that result as quickly as possible," the ministry said.