The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea: Is It Time for United States Participation
Abstract
The attempt to achieve an international consensus on law of the sea is a relatively recent phenomenon. Maritime might has traditionally determined customary law of the sea. Although still significant, the unilateral actions of great maritime nations are no longer the primary factors influencing the development of customary maritime law. Historically, states claimed as much of the seas as they could. Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and the United States rose, each in its own time, to positions of preeminence as sea powers, each enforcing its own version of maritime law in the pursuit of its own national agenda. Maritime might, not general international agreement, maintained those rules as the legal regime of the day. The two World Wars of the 20th century radically altered the world order. No longer could any one nation hope to dictate what would or would not become law of the sea. States began to unilaterally claim jurisdiction over vast areas of the sea. As claims proliferated, instability increased. States sought a stable legal regime that would allow for the economic exploitation and military use of the seas. Keywords: Military publications, Periodicals, Reports.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 27, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA219846
Entities
People
- Robert G. Brewer
Organizations
- United States Army War College