[GA—AT VOTE—AGAINST] Regarding Artificial Islands

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Picairn

Picairn

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Regarding Artificial Islands
Category: Free Trade | Strength: Mild
Proposed by: New Kowloon Bay | Onsite Topic​
Recognizing the use of artificial islands for various purposes, such as tourism, transport and energy production,

Concerned that without proper regulation, artificial islands may cause incompatible claims on marine resources between countries, leading to conflict,

Believing that artificial islands should be constructed in full compliance with international maritime law,

The General Assembly:

1. Defines :
1a. an “artificial island,” for the purposes of this resolution, as new dry land in a nation’s territory permanently affixed to the seabed from a body of water, that is not naturally formed,

2. Asserts that these artificial islands, when constructed, should not interfere with international shipping routes nor sea lines essential for navigation,

3. Declares that any artificial island cannot solely claim jurisdiction over their surrounding waters,
3.1. In cases where any member nations have disagreement on the influence of artificial islands upon these boundaries, authorizes the World Assembly Nautical Commission(WANC) to provide arbitration in these disputes, unless those nations freely decide on an alternative agreement.
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Note: Only votes from TNP WA nations, NPA personnel, and those on NPA deployments will be counted. If you do not meet these requirements, please add (non-WA) or something of that effect to your vote. If you are on an NPA deployment without being formally registered as an NPA member, name your deployed nation in your vote.
Voting Instructions:
  • Vote For if you want the Delegate to vote For the resolution.
  • Vote Against if you want the Delegate to vote Against the resolution.
  • Vote Abstain if you want the Delegate to abstain from voting on this resolution.
  • Vote Present if you are personally abstaining from this vote.
Detailed opinions with your vote are appreciated and encouraged!
ForAgainstAbstainPresent
0200
 
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For the record, I voted Against the proposal after consulting Minister Jinkies's opinion. Upon reading it closely, this proposal appears to me as poorly written, since Section 3 imposes a blanket ban on all artificial islands claiming jurisdiction over their surrounding waters regardless of their proximity to the nation controlling them. If a nation were to build an artificial island within its 200-nautical mile EEZ, this proposal would block it from claiming jurisdiction over the island's adjacent waters. That is absurd, it is not a valid protection for freedom of navigation as much as it is a handicap for nations exercising their jurisdiction on artificial islands within the EEZ.
 
Against as well, as I actually raised a number of issues on and off in the WA Discord. I replied mostly on Discord on this one as I think I was travelling when I logged in.
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For example

"The drafting of the resolution isn't related to what you're trying to say. You seem to be saying that "newly created artificial islands do not have sovereignty and cannot claim jurisdiction for their surrounding waters (within 3/12 miles)", if so, say so. If you want to say "terrain extended from a previous small islet doesn't extend the territorial claims" (say the massive landfilling east of Changi in Singapore, which does have territorial implications because it's near Malaysia), say so. What you are drafting is in my view neither here or there."
 
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Overview
The resolution seeks to prevent artificial islands from being used to restrict international trade or stake out territorial claims in international waters.

Recommendation
While a valid international issue, this international resolution actually may prevent nations from exercising maritime rights given that waters around artificial islands cannot have jurisdiction claimed over them. This egregious error cannot be overlooked.

For this reason, we recommend a vote AGAINST Regarding Artificial Islands.

This IFV Recommendation was written by Vapid in collaboration with the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs.
 
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