Innocent Passage Act
The World Assembly,
NOTING that member nations currently have no protected right to open and free passage through other member nation’s waters,
SEEING that no WA legislation provides a basis for jurisdiction of the legality of such transit,
DISCERNING that legislation on this topic will help small nations reliant on naval transit,
Hereby,
- Defines, for the purpose of this resolution:
- Innocent Passage: A right given to vessels registered in a member nation.
- In the waters extending up to 200 NM from a nation's low tide mark other member nations have the right to innocent passage, except in times of war, quarantine, or other national or international crisis. Passage is innocent so long as it does not include acts of aggression, espionage, or actions not having a direct bearing on passage.
- Member Nations have the right to refuse innocent passage to military vessels of other nations for any reason.
- In shared waterways less than 400 NM wide, through which naval transport passes, any of the nations with a claim on the waterway may deny innocent passage, unless the ship(s) being denied cannot reach their destination by another route.
- Vessels travelling under innocent passage provisions must conform to legislation in extant WA law and the customs regulations of the member nation through which they pass, subject to World Assembly Nautical Commission oversight, ensuring there is not abuse of the system.