One of the participants in the edit war has now contacted me to say that they do not agree with my reasoning, as they consider that the original UN document clearly defines the Border and splits the Lake between both countries.
I have given them my reasoning, and suggested that they may like to discuss the matter further in this thread, so have included my reply here, for everyone’s information.
FYI, the original (French) document is available at https://archives.ungeneva.org/accords-de-londres-1913-frontiere-greco-albanaise-protocole-de-delimitation-avec-cinq-annexes-florence-1925-commission-internationale-de-delimitation-des-frontieres-de-lalbanie. An English translation is included at Section II - D and Section III of https://library.law.fsu.edu/Digital-Collections/LimitsinSeas/pdf/ibs113.pdf
My response to their argument was:
"Yes, you sent us a copy of a document, that is apparently © the UN, but which is released by them “for non-commercial, personal, or research use only” (i.e. not for mapping in OSM), under a CC-BY licence that we would need a waiver signed to be able to use.
If you have read that document, you will have seen:
ARTICLE IV.
The course of the border is indicated:
1. By the 177 sheets drawn up, one for each boundary marker, with a description of the boundary marker and a detailed description of the border from the said boundary marker to the next boundary marker (Appendix II) [my bold]
2. By the general description of the border (Annex III).
3. By 7 sheets of the border map at 1:50,000 drawn up by the International Commission for the Delimitation of the Boundaries of Albania in 1923-1924 (Annex IV).
The descriptions given in the documents referred to above refer only to this latter map, which replaces either the summary maps at 1:100,000 drawn up in 1913 by Messrs. Captains King and Grabau, annexed to the Protocol of Florence of December 17, 1913, and which the Commission recognized as inaccurate, namely the 1:50,000 sketch provisionally adopted in 1923 by the Commission and on which the Conference of Ambassadors had given its decision for Section I.
In the event of discrepancies between the map and the text, it is understood that the text of the detailed descriptions appearing on the sheets of paragraph 1 shall prevail. [my bold]
However, by the document, there were only 3 copies of the 177 descriptive sheets produced - 1 was retained by the Conference of Ambassadors, with 1 each being given to the Governments of Greece and Albania.
Appendix III.
General description of the border line.
From Vratsa, the boundary line straightens, in a southerly direction, without leaving the Devoli–Belitsa watershed, and it reaches, via Tchafa e’Fouches (point 1469), the summit of Badaroche (point 2036). [ This would appear to be Node: Μπανταρός (2806078758) | OpenStreetMap ]
From Badaroche, the boundary continues to follow the line of the ridge of the Gramos range in a generally southerly direction, passing successively by points 2217 (Goubbel) [Node: Maja Gobelit (5304404306) | OpenStreetMap ], 2519 (Mt. Tchioukapetsit) [Node: Τσούκα Πέτσικ (305681514) | OpenStreetMap ] , 1977, 2167 (Mt. Sarpoun), 2144; by Tchafa e’Badres (point 1772); then by points 1909 (Mt. Guiontchit), 1934 (Golo), 2041 (Mt. Kammenik), 1474 (Vari Lople), 1634 (Mt. Vaches), 1047; then it drops rapidly, passing by points 712 and 644, to the Sarandaporos thalweg, at point 430.
You will notice there is no mention of the Lake, which is located between “Goubbel” and “Mt. Tchioukapetsit*”.*
Maintenance of the Border Line.
ARTICLE VIII.
a) The maintenance of boundary stones, small pyramids, and the cutting of timber three meters wide on each side of the frontier line shall be the subject of a special agreement to be concluded between the two Governments concerned.
b) Until such an agreement is concluded, this maintenance shall be assigned as follows: from Lake Prespa to the Sarandaporos-Voyussa confluence (inclusive) to Albania;
from the Sarandaporos-Voyoussa confluence (exclusive) to Phtelia Bay
to Greece;
moreover, a Commission, composed of an officer from each country, shall visit the frontier line once a year and prepare a report on the condition of this line. It shall meet on July 1 of each year at Kapeshtitsa.
As part of my investigation into this case, I have spoken to a mapper in a nearby Greek village, who told me that the Border hasn’t been surveyed in living memory, and that he has personally seen that some of the Border marker posts have been damaged and/or destroyed.
Other mappers, located in both Greece and Albania, have also told me that neither Government releases any mapping data for general public use.
Taking all of this into account, I again say that this is irresolvable, and will remain that way until a detailed survey of the Border is carried out by either, or both, of the Governments concerned, with the resulting details then being released to teh general public, in a format that OSM can make use of to update our currently drawn maps.
I therefore consider this case to now be closed, but if you wish to discuss it further, I would urge you to do so publicly, at the Forum thread I mentioned earlier: Επεξεργασία πολέμου - Λίμνη Γκιστόβα / Γράμος / Edit war - Lake Gistova / Gramos - #6 by Fizzie-DWG "
