A vote that is long overdue (11/02/07)

Better late than never.

Twenty-five years after it was first concluded and 13 years after it was signed, the U.S. Senate is going to vote on whether to ratify the Law of the Sea Convention.

The treaty, which spells out international law for navies, shipping companies, offshore industries, and sea-going fishermen, this week received strong approval by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Sen. Richard Lugar was among the 17 committee members voting for it, which comes as no surprise given his expertise in international relations.

The treaty was first drafted back in 1982, but U.S. approval was delayed due to objections by then-President Reagan over a provision related to seabed mining.

That section of the treaty was revised to make it palatable to the U.S. in 1994, and then-President Clinton signed it.

Since then, it has languished.

Republican leadership refused to bring it to a vote, playing to fears that it would subject the U.S. to international bureaucracy. In fact, by staying out of the treaty, the U.S. has been left out in the cold, isolated from the rest of the world.

In a climate where piracy, of all things, is back in the news and Russia is making aggressive claims on Arctic territory, Sen. Lugar and others believe it's imperative to act now to ratify the agreement and get on board.

Just this week, U.S. Navy commanders found themselves in the odd position of coming to the aid of North Korea to deal with Somali pirates. That made for an odd partnership, given the rancorous history between the two countries.

Having the Law of the Sea Convention in place would be no panacea, but it would provide a framework for resolving disputes and maintaining relationships.

America is actively engaged commercially, diplomatically, and militarily with the rest of the world. Ratification of the sea treaty is long, long overdue. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]