POSITON PAPER GUIDELINES

Delegates will be required to submit their position papers on their

committee topics. Choose only one topic for your position paper. These
position papers would be deliberated for awards. In order for the position
paper tobe considered as the best, it should contain the following:

• The relevance of the issue to your country;

• Your country’s past and present actions and contributions in solving
the issue;
• Your country’s suggested solution to the issue.

Format

Delegates should type their position paper in this format:

Single-spaced, Times New Roman, 11 pt., Margin, Normal

A sample position paper with the prescribed format is on the next page.
Please be reminded that position papers should only be one (1) page.
Cite your sources in APA format on a separate page (the 2nd page on
your file).

Position papers should be saved as a PDF file with a file name using this format:

SURNAME_Committee

(e.g.DELACRUZ_SC). Submission

After finishing the position papers, delegates shall send their files
following this format:

To: FEUA_PASO@gmail.com
Subject: FEUA MUNC 2019 Position Paper Submission

Delegates shall receive a confirmation e-mail once the DIAS

has received the files. The deadline for the submission of
position papers is until October 26, 2019, 11:59 PM
(Philippine Standard Time).
Name: Lachica, John Irish
Country & Committee: United States of America – UN Security Council
Topic: Freedom of Navigation in Disputed International Waters

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was adopted to provide rules and
regulations for territorial waters, exclusive economic zones, and freedom of navigation. It is also tasked to
settle territorial water disputes such as the South China Sea, which has not yet settled, and the tensions
remain high. The region is contested due to its vast amount of natural resources such as oil and fish and
serves a major trading route. The acts of reclamation and colliding claims of sovereignty have been
posing an enormous threat to the region’s peace and stability since the freedom of navigation is
jeopardized and which the United States is fully alarmed. The United States supports the principle that
disputes between nations should be resolved peacefully, without coercion, intimidation, threats, or the use
of force, and in a manner consistent with international law.

Escalating disputes in the South China Sea have threatened the maintenance of peace and security. Since
then, the United Nations through the UNCLOS has created programs to better regulate disputes and
maritime law. Furthermore, the UN General Assembly has annually adopted a resolution, with the
resolution 71/257 as the recent one. In these annual resolutions, the General Assembly reassert the
importance of the peaceful settlement of disputes and the need for cooperation between member states in
settling disputes. Aside from the UN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional
organization, has also played a significant role in resolving the disputes in the region through its various
efforts and initiatives. Despite the efforts of these organizations, the situation still threatens the peace and
security in the region, pushing the issue with the domain of the Security Council’s mandate.

The United States is pursuing efforts to counter China’s aggression in the region, including protesting
against China’s unilateral actions, strengthening its allies maritime policing and security capabilities, and
conducting more frequent and routine freedom of navigation operations in the Asia-Pacific region. In
response to China’s destabilizing actions in the region, the United States withdrew China from a US-led
military exercise, citing that its actions impede regional security, transparency, and freedom of
navigation. Also, the United States deployed military aircraft over the artificial islands built by China and
sent warships to patrol within 12 nautical miles of disputed features in the island chains to highlight the
importance of freedom of navigation in the contested waters. These operations are intended to deter
China’s maritime assertions and assume to expand in scope and have gained support from the allies and
partners of the United States. The United States takes no position on competing claims to sovereignty
over disputed waters in the region, including those of its allies. However, it is deeply interested in
maintaining maritime security, upholding freedom of navigation, and ensuring that disputes are being
settled peacefully. The United States wants to ensure economic prosperity, peace, and stability in the
South China Sea. It will maintain the necessary military actions and capabilities to protect our interests
and those of our allies against the threat to maritime security. The United States will continue to advocate
for resolving the territorial disputes in accordance with the principles of the United Nations. In order to do
so, the United States proposes to the Security Council the following: (1) encourage all the parties
involved to regularly conduct freedom of navigation operations; (2) ensure the obedience to the
international maritime law; (3) prohibit any actions that will hinder freedom of navigation and undermine
regional peace and stability; (4) facilitate the development of a multilateral framework for greater
cooperation and conflict resolution; and (5) promote transparency and accountability to all parties
involved.
Bibliography

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Reuters.

Center for Strategic and International Studies. (2016). China’s Response to the South China Sea
Arbitration Ruling. Retrieved 19 May 2017 from: https://www.csis.org/events/chinas-response-
south-china-sea-arbitration

Charter of the United Nations, 1945.

China’s Maritime Disputes. (2016, August 1). Council of Foreign Relations.

Cho, H. (2019, April 10). Getting Freedom of Navigation Operations Right in the South China Sea. The
National Interest. Retrieved April 11, 2019. Conflict in South China Sea (Issue brief). (2015).
Council of Foreign Relations.

Department of State. (n.d.). Maritime Security and Navigation. Retrieved April 2, 2019. Kuok, L. (n.d.).
The U.S. FON Program in the South China Sea: A lawful and necessary response to China’s
strategic ambiguity. Center for East Asia Policy.

Ngo, D. L. (2018, January 26). The Usefulness of "Redundant" Freedom of Navigation Operations. Asia
Maritime Transparency Initiative. Retrieved April 11, 2019.

Stashwick, S. (2017, May 08). US Freedom of Navigation Challenges in South China Sea on Hold. The
Diplomat. Retrieved April 11, 2019.

`Swaine, M. D. (2015). America’s Security Role in the South China Sea. Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace.

United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. (1982). United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea. Retrieved 22 April 2017 from:
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United States, Department of Defense. (n.d.). Asia Pacific Maritime Security Strategy 2018. U.S.
Congress. (2019). Chinas actions in South and East China Seas: Implications for U.S interests
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