Senate Hearing on Law of the Sea Convention

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee conducted a hearing on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte testified that joining the Convention will serve US security interests, secure US sovereign rights over extensive marine areas, promote US interests in marine environmental protection, and give the US a seat at the table when important maritime issues are debated. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England testified that joining the Convention will preserve freedom of navigation. Admiral Patrick Walsh, US Navy, testified that joining the Convention will enhance the US ability to perform vital missions, such as interdicting terrorists, gathering critical intelligence, and securing critical economic infrastructure. (HK Law)