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Maintain U.S. national and economic security and leadership in promoting global stability and preserving global navigational freedoms.

The U.S. has always recognized and defended the traditional freedoms of navigation and overflight on and over the world's oceans for military and commercial purposes. Internationally agreed-upon freedoms of navigation key to our ability to import raw materials and export finished products to global markets are essential to our economic security. Freedom of navigation is also essential for national security, enabling the worldwide movement of U.S. military forces and the sealift and airlift needed for their support.

The complex global political/military environment of the post-Cold War era puts a premium on forces that can move quickly anywhere in the world's oceans, including through more than 250 international straits, to provide military presence for diplomatic purposes without infringing on any nation's sovereignty, to project power from the sea, to enforce United Nations sanctions, or to conduct humanitarian operations. In the past decade, there have been twelve U.S. and coalition military operations that were critically dependent on internationally recognized transit rights and high-seas freedoms of navigation. Forward presence of ocean-based military assets supports U.S. intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities, providing a better understanding of developing international tensions and potential threats, deterring hostilities, and promoting global stability and security.

The customary international freedoms of navigation that are critical to economic, national, and international security are codified in the Law of the Sea Convention. Continued exercise of our navigational rights and freedoms is essential to the future strength of our nation and to global stability.

Ongoing Concerns

• Continued failure to join the Law of the Sea Convention could diminish U.S. influence and leadership in international ocean affairs and undercut our ability to resist excessive maritime claims worldwide.
• Failure to conduct our domestic ocean affairs and global operations consistent with the Convention could restrict U.S. navigational rights and freedoms critical to our economic and national security.
• Many nations make maritime claims and other proposals such as military exclusion zones or nuclear-free zones that could have the effect of limiting or denying U.S. military and commercial ship mobility in critical areas of the world's oceans.
• Domestic and international ocean initiatives and the U.S. military's ability to test, train, exercise, and operate in the marine environment have the potential to conflict.

Recommendations

• The President, the Vice President, and the Cabinet should continue to work with the Senate and particularly the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to have the U.S. join the Law of the Sea Convention.
• Expand the U.S. freedom of navigation program using Navy, Coast Guard, and other national assets to exercise openly the traditional freedoms of navigation and overflight in areas of unacceptable claims.
• Work within an interagency structure to coordinate initiatives to maintain freedom of navigation and national security.

For more information

http://www.navy.mil
http://www.defenselink.mil