Evening star., 1960-03-27

On U. S. delegation.
manipulated to increase the cost
Of ocean transport upon which
most Western nations heavily
depend.
International law grants each
country the right to regulate
movement Of merchant vessels in
its territorial waters If it consid,
ers the movement "prejudicial to
the peace, good order or security"
Might Deny Possose .s
Should a neutralist or unfriend-
ly nation invoke this power to
delay passage Of freighters through
its territorial waters, it could
force shipowners to choose more
expensive circuitous routes around
straits that might be closed. .tl
The Sino-Soviet bloc conducts
most Of its transport by overland
means. It thus has everything to
gain by restricting the right Of
Western nations to use the sea.
The Soviet Union, together
with q minority Of other nations
represented at Geneva, already
has asserted claim to a 12-mile
limit. The Russians declare no
contractural international agree.
ment specifying breadth Of ter.
ritorial waters have been con-
cluded and that they thus have
the right to adopt the 12-mile
limit in interests Of security.
Non-Communist countries are
supporting the Russians at Ge.
neva for different reasons. olz
One might be called a delusion
Of grandeur. Indonesia, for in
stance, has advanced the claim
that its sovereignty reigAs for 200
miles from its coasts. Other ma
tions also seem to feel a heady
sense Of power at the thought Of
owning" huge stretches Of water.
A more dangerous delusion Ia
the belief, to which some Ameri-
cans have fallen victim, that ex-
tension Of territorial waters some
how promotes national defense.
Territorial waters, of course.
will not defect missiles, subma-
rines, ships or aircraft sent to in.
wade them. In peacetime, a SUBJ
marine or plane assigned to recon.
Nuisance or some clandestine duty
will, II necessary to its mission, dis
regard territorial waters no matter
what their extent. 80
In wartime, territorial waters
can attract conflict to the shore
Of neutral nations. .-4S
Submarine Subterfuge ~
Soviet submarines, for instance,
might attempt to get safe passage
beyond the patrol of American
ships by hugging the coastline Of
neutral countries.
Under international law, a neu.
tral nation must deny q belliger.
ent military use of its territorial
waters. If it fails to do so, the
opposing belligerent has the right
to intervene. Most smaller nations
do not have the military capacity
to keep submarines or strong naL
val units out of their waters. %
Some countries evidently are
supporting restriction of freedom
Of the sea out Of perverse pleasure
at the difficulty it would cause the
United States.
Some Western nations are adj
vocating adopting the 12-lnile
limit with the intention of getting
for themselves exclusive rights
to coastal fishing grounds.
Increasingly efficient methods Of
mining the sea have sent fishing
vessels farther and farther from
their native countries and in some
instances into areas only a few
miles from foreign shores.
These incursions especially have
alarmed such countries as Ice,
land and Canada in whose econ.
omies products of the sea are vital.
The United States is entirely
sympathetic to problems of coun.
tries involved in conflicts over
fishing rights.
But 1t considers that the con-
hicts best can be solved through
separate compacts among the dis
putting nations, rather than by
diminution of the right Of all:
countries to use the oceans. -.7
Suggests Compromise
At the current conference, the
United States has proposed a COM
promise whereby territorial waters.
would be extended to miles and
exclusive fishing rights to IL, sub,
ject to such compacts. --..
ANY international agreement
binding all countries requires ap-
proval by two-thirds Of those.
represented at Geneva. At the.
1858 session, the same American
compromise proposal failed by
seven votes to achieve such a.
majority. 49,.
Some commentators writing
about the present conference have
stated that the existing 3-mile
limit is obsolete" or dead" This
is not necessarily true. A majority
Of the major maritime powers still
recognize it.
The Soviet-supported 12-mile.
limit does not have the sanction
of tradition, logic or widespread
recognition. At this time, the Rus
slams probably cannot muster,
enough votes to enforce its adop-r
ton.
II no agreement is concluded al
Geneva, disruptive conflicts among.
Western nations and with the
Soviet bloc will continue. But the
United States is prepared to ac.
cept these in preference to dan.
QerOllS cIlrtailInent NJ tho b;s+oui~