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INTRODUCTION

• Oceans are a Common Resource

• 1982 Law of the Sea Convention Provides Fair and Equal Access

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HISTORIC OVERVIEW

• Community Property- Roman Empire

• Closed Seas- 1493 Spain/Portugal

• Open Seas- 1609 Hugo Grotius– High Seas Freedom of Navigation– Territorial Sea (3 miles) 1703• Subject to Right of Innocent Passage

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POST-WW II EXPANSION OF TERRITORIAL SEA CLAIMS

• Fisheries

• Oil & Other Non-Living Resources

• 200 nautical mile territorial sea claims

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CODIFICATION OF THE LAW OF THE SEA

• UNCLOS I (1958)

–1958 GENEVA CONVENTIONS

• UNCLOS II (1960)

• UNCLOS III (1973-82)

–1982 UN CONVENTION ON LAW OF THE SEA

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1982 UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF

THE SEA (UNCLOS III)

Major Topics:• Coastal State Rights

• Navigation & Overflight Rights

• Environment Protection

• Settlement of Disputes

• Sea-Bed Mining Provisions

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U.S. POSITION ON LAW OF THE SEA

• 1983: Ocean Policy Statement

• 1983: 200 nm Exclusive Economic Zone

• 1988: 12 nm Territorial Sea

• 1999: 24 nm Contiguous Zone

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UNCLOS IIIDEVELOPMENTS

• 1990: UNSG Initiated Informal Discussions to Modify Part XI

• July, 1994: UNGA Resolution Proposes Agreement Amending Part XI

• November, 1994: UNCLOS III Enters Into Force • October, 1994: U.S. President Forwards to Senate – U.S. accession still pending Senate advice & consent

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INTERPRETATION

• No reservations

• Declarations

• Dispute Resolution– Mandatory – Optional

• Role of IMO

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CURRENT STATUS

• As of January 2012: 161 Nations were parties

• U.S. Ratification Has Not Yet Occurred

• Widespread International Adherence

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CONCLUSION

• Equal Distribution of Commonwealth of the Oceans

• National Security

• Economic Interests

• Freedom of Navigation

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USEFUL WEB SITES

• UN Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea

http://www.un.org/Depts/los/index/html – UNCLOS III Parties, treaty texts, national claims, UNGA

Resolutions, UNSG Reports

• U.S. Department of Defense– Maritime Claims Reference Manual

http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html/20051m.html

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