Annual Report 

to the 

President 

and the 

Congress 

WilliamS. Cohen 

Secretary of Defense 

1999 
.. FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION 

Appendix I 

FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION 

For 19 years, the U.S. Freedom of Ndigation program 

has ensured that excessive coastal state claims over the 

world's oceans and airspace are repeatedly challenged. 

By diplomatic protests and operational assertions, the 

United States has insisted upon adherence by the nations 

of the world to the international law of the sea, as 

reflected in the UN Law of the Sea Convention. A 

significant majority of countries (130) are now Parties 

to the Convention, 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, 

assertions challenging the excessive maritime claims 

listed in the accompanying table. In addition, military 

vessels and aircraft frequently conducted routine 

transits through international straits, such as the Straits 

of Gibraltar, Hormuz, and Malacca. Air and surface 

units also transited the Indonesian Archipelago in 

archipelagic sea lanes passage on 20 occasions and 

transited the Philippine Archipelago by exercising high 

seas freedoms, transit passage, and innocent passage, as 

applicable, on 32 occasions. Combined with robust and 

highly visible routine operations by U.S. forces on, 

over, and under the world's oceans, and scrupulous 

adherence by the United States to the navigational 

provisions of the UN Law of the Sea Convention, 

Freedom of Navigation operations have continued to 

underscore the U.S. commitment to a stable legal 

regime for the world's oceans. 

· which left unchallenged would limit navigational 

freedoms vital to U.S. national security and essential to 

peaceful uses of the world's oceans. 

In FY 1998, U.S. armed forces conducted operational 

FY 1998 DOD OPERATIONAL ASSERTIONS 

Country Excessive Claims Challenged 

Albania Prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea 

Algeria Prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea 

Bangladesh Excessive straight baselines; claimed security zone 

Burma Excessive straight baselines; claimed security zone 

Cambodia Excessive straight baselines; claimed security zone 

Croatia Prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea 

Cuba Require state aircraft to comply with directions from air traffic control within flight information 

region 

El Salvador 200 nautical miles (nm) territorial sea 

Iran Excessive straight baselines; prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea 

Kenya Excessive straight baselines; historic bay claim (Ungwana Bay) 

Liberia 200 nm territorial sea 

Libya Claims all waters south of 32-30 north latitude Gulf of Sidra closure line as internal waters 

Malaysia Excessive restrictions on military activities in exclusive economic zone 

Maldives Prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea 

Malta Prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea 

Nicaragua 200 nm territorial sea 

Pakistan Claimed security zone; excessive restrictions on military activities in the exclusive economic 

zone 

' 

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Appendix I 

FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION 

,_ 

FY 1998 DOD OPERATIONAL ASSERTIONS (Continued) -

Country Excessive Claims Challenged 

Philippines ..J Excessive straight baselines; claims archipelagic waters as internal waters 

Saudi Arabia Excessive straight baselines; claimed security zone 

Seychelles Prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea 

Sierra Leone 200 nm territorial sea 

Somalia 200 nm territorial sea; prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea 

Sudan Prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea; claimed security zone 

Syria 35 nm territorial sea; prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea 

United Arab Emirates Prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea; claimed security zone 

VietNam Excessive straight baselines; claimed security zone; prior permission for warship to enter the 

territorial sea 

Yemen Prior permission for warship to enter the territorial sea; claimed security zone 

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