FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION

FY 2000 – 2003 OPERATIONAL ASSERTIONS

For over 20 years, the U.S. Freedom of Navigation program has ensured that excessive coastal state claims over the world’s oceans and airspace are challenged.  By State Department diplomatic protests and operational assertions conducted by the Department of Defense, the U.S. has insisted upon adherence by the nations of the world to the international law of the sea.  A significant majority of countries (145, as of May 2004) are now Parties to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, and there is an encouraging trend toward the rolling-back of excessive maritime claims.  Nonetheless, some coastal states continue to assert maritime claims inconsistent with international law, which, if left unchallenged, would limit navigational freedoms vital to U.S. national security and essential to peaceful uses of the world’s oceans.

From FY 2000 through FY 2003,[1] U.S. armed forces conducted operational assertions challenging excessive maritime claims as listed below. 

In addition, air and surface units transited the Indonesian Archipelago (in archipelagic sea lanes passage) and the Philippine Archipelago (by exercising high seas freedoms, transit passage and innocent passage rights, as applicable) on numerous occasions.  Military vessels and aircraft also frequently conduct routine transits through international straits, such as the Straits of Gibraltar, Hormuz, and Malacca.  Combined with robust and highly visible routine operations by U.S. forces on, over, and under the world’s oceans, and U.S. support for the navigational provisions of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, Freedom of Navigation Operations have continued to underscore the U.S. commitment to a stable legal regime for the world’s oceans.

Considering the importance of global stability and U.S. national security in light of the events of September 11, 2001, State Department and the U.S. armed forces will continue to assert U.S. navigation and overflight rights.

Note:   * designates countries where FON operations have been conducted more than

   once during FY 2000 – 2003

Country                                                           Excessive Maritime Claim Challenged

Albania                                                             Prior authorization for warships to enter

                                                                        territorial sea

Algeria                                                             Prior authorization for warships to enter

                                                                        territorial sea

Bangladesh*                                                     Excessive straight baselines

Burma*                                                            24 nautical mile (nm) security zone;

Excessive straight baselines;

Authority to regulate over-flight in

international space.

Cambodia*                                                      Excessive straight baselines;

                                                                        24 nm security zone

Croatia                                                             Prior authorization for warships to enter

                                                                        territorial sea

Ecuador                                                           200 nm territorial sea

Egypt*                                                             Prior notice for warships/nuclear powered

                                                                        vessels to enter territorial sea/Exclusive

                                                                        Economic Zone (EEZ)

El Salvador                                                       200 nm territorial sea

India                                                                 24 nm security zone; prior

authorization for warships to enter

                                                                        territorial sea

Indonesia*                                                        Prior notification for warships to enter

                                                                        territorial sea

Libya                                                                Claimed historical waters status (i.e.,

                                                                        internal waters status) for Gulf of

Sidra

Malaysia*                                                         Prior authorization to conduct military

activities in EEZ

Maldives*                                                        Prior notification for warships to enter

territorial sea

Malta                                                               Prior authorization for warships to enter

                                                                        territorial sea

Panama                                                            200 nm territorial sea

Philippines*                                                      Excessive straight baselines;

                                                                        Claims archipelagic waters as internal

Sri Lanka                                                         Security zone; prior permission for

warships to enter territorial sea

Syria*                                                              35 nm territorial sea; prior permission for warships to enter territorial sea

Taiwan                                                             Excessive straight baselines;  24 nm security     

                                                                        zone

Venezuela*                                                       Claimed security zone

Vietnam*                                                          Excessive straight baselines; prior

permission for warships to enter territorial sea