The Word Assembled,
Noting, that many sections of maritime law are not internationally established;
Cognizant, of the need for further work in this area;
Convinced, of the necessity of defining appropriate rights of passage
The World Assembly Hereby:
1. Defines for the purposes of this resolution the following:
A. Internal Waters: as waters that exist solely within a member states, within being defined as being to the landward side of the mean low-tide mark
B. Archipelagic Waters: as waters controlled by an archipelagic nation as defined by a baseline drawn from the outermost points of the outermost islands including all waters that would otherwise be deemed internal
C. Strategic Strait: as a strait connecting two bodies of water wherein the navigable route is partially or entirely within the internal waters of one state or waters that are partially or entirely within the territorial waters of multiple states. For the purposes of this resolution, canals joining to bodies of water where neither body of water is internal are to be treated as strategic straits
D. Right of Free Passage: as the right of ships to pass through a body of water unfettered except as needed to enforce international law
E. Right of Benign Passage: as the right of ships to pass unfettered through a body of water subject to the sovereign control of a state except as necessary to enforce international or local law, which shall apply to a vessel availing itself of this right
F. International Waters: as waters to which no state has any legal claim.
2. Establishes the Right of Free Passage through International Waters
A. If a corridor of International Waters has been established where a state could potentially place a legal claim such a corridor shall be treated as a strategic strait
B. In the event of armed hostilities, belligerent nations are permitted to act accordingly versus vessels of other belligerents
3. Declares that internal waters are not subject to any international regulation, Right of Passage or other such except as to treaty obligations assumed by such a Sovereign State
4. Establishes the Right of Benign Passage through archipelagic waters and strategic straits subject to the following limitations:
A. Vessels capable of operating below the surface of the water shall pass surfaced
B. Military vessels enjoy a diminished right being subject to requirements from the Sovereign authority(ies) to insure that such a vessel does not engage in belligerent or endangering actions while exercising said right
C. All vessels exercising the Right of Benign Passage must at all times fly the national flag of its country of registration
D. This right shall be subject to reasonable restriction and control by the sovereign authority(ies) to preserve orderly traffic flow and safety in the area
E. Canals treated as strategic straits may still be subjected to usual and customary fees for use
F. Nothing in this resolution shall be construed to prohibit the sovereign authority(ies) from connecting to bodies of land except in so much as they must take reasonable efforts not to impair the relevant right of passage
Please note the following:
The current resolution has at lest 3 280 characters already use, so ask for additions wisely or balance them with deletions...
Said dastardly character limit has prevented me from being as explicit as I would like in some places
