RES001 (2025)
26th July 2025
General Assembly First Committee: Disarmament and International Security
Co-Sponsors: United Arab Emirates, Federative Republic of Brazil
Presenter: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Signatories: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom Of Spain, Kingdom of Sweden, the
Swiss Confederation, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar, The State of Israel, Republic
of Turkiye, Republic of Kenya, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Czech Republic, Federal
Republic of Germany, The Kingdom of Norway, Democratic Republic of the Congo, United
Mexican States, The Kingdom of Thailand, The State of Qatar, The Arab Republic of Egypt,
Topic: Deliberating upon the demilitarization of the South China Sea and resolving territorial
Disputes
Recalling the Charter of the United Nations, which emphasizes the peaceful settlement of
disputes and the prohibition of the threat or use of force in international relations,
Having reviewed the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the case of The
Republic of the Philippines versus The People's Republic of China, which clarified certain
aspects of maritime conflicts and claims in the South China Sea,
Acknowledging the diverse perspectives and claims of the parties involved, and the necessity
for an inclusive approach to address the complex issues at hand,
Alarmed by the increasing militarization and non-compliance of UNCLOS in the South China
Sea,
Expressing concern regarding the absence of enforcement bodies to implement international
maritime laws,
Emphasizing the need for a policing naval convoy to de-escalate tensions and monitor the
breaking of international maritime laws,
Operative clauses:
1) Affirms, that all maritime disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved through
peaceful dialogue, mutual respect, and full adherence to international law, particularly
the UN Charter (Article 33), and other treaty obligations;
2) Encourages, external powers not directly involved in disputes to exercise restraint and
avoid provocative actions, including large-scale naval drills and weapon deployments, that
escalate regional tensions;
3) Urges all Member States to recommit to foundational international legal principles by:
a) Refraining from threats or use of force as prohibited under UNCLOS Article 301,
b) Embracing peaceful judicial settlement options such as ITLOS, as outlined in UNCLOS
Article 287,
c) Encouraging diplomacy as a first resort in line with Article 33 of the UN Charter,
d) Respecting the principle of ‘pacta sunt servanda’ as enshrined in Article 26 of the Vienna
Convention on the Law of Treaties,
e) Upholding obligations not to act against the object and purpose of treaties under Article
18 of the same Convention,
f) Promoting mutual EEZ boundary resolution through dialogue under UNCLOS Articles 74
and 83;
4) Suggest to Hold an annual intergovernmental forum on maritime peace and coordination,
hosted in Nuremberg ,Germany;
5) Suggests negotiation of the Framework Agreement for Maritime Boundary Restraint
(FAMBR) (Here after)
with key components such as:
a) Specifying maritime areas off-limits for military buildup,
b) Designating mutually recognized redlines within EEZ overlaps,
c) Submitting unresolved demarcation issues for adjudication under ITLOS, per UNCLOS
procedures;
6) Urges low-tide elevations to be designated as Non-Militarizable Zones, prohibiting the
installation of weapons or bases on submerged or semi-submerged features;
7) Condemns the use of maritime militias and grey-zone tactics, calling for a legally defined
and potential ban on such hybrid warfare;
8) Supports the designation of Peace Corridors, free from all military drills or weapon
deployments in high-tension areas;
9) Calls upon all States to immediately halt military construction on contested maritime
features to prevent the worsening of disputes;
10) Establishes the South China Sea Dialogue and Transparency Mechanism (SCS–DTM)
to(needs)
a) Host quarterly multilateral talks,
b) Facilitate incident reporting,
c) Submit annual maritime reports to UNGA;
11) Calls for mandatory pre-notification and transparent reporting for all geological or
ecological marine surveys in disputed areas;
SECTION D: Ecology & Resource Management
12) Encourages the creation of Maritime Peace Parks, turning disputed reefs into
conservation and science zones;
13) Recommends the Designation of Peace & Science Reserves—demilitarized areas for
coral reef protection, biodiversity restoration, and marine research access;
14) Supports a Unified Fisheries Protection Patrol with neutral civilian coast guards under
shared rules to:
a) Protect small-scale fishers,
b) Monitor destructive practices,
c) Pilot sustainable fishing corridors;
15) Calls for a centralized regional response unit for maritime disasters and crisis
management to reduce delays in multilateral actions;(needs)
16) Urges all claimant States to publicly deposit EEZ coordinates to eliminate map-based
ambiguities;
17) Supports joint administrative regimes for disputed islands to manage resources and
environmental protection while keeping sovereignty claims neutral;
18) Proposes temporary adoption of the Uti Possidetis Principle, whereby current peaceful de
facto control is acknowledged to prevent further escalation;
19) Requests that all States pre-submit to ITLOS or ICJ jurisdiction for SCS disputes,
demonstrating good faith and legal commitment.
Annexure I: Collective Ocean Intelligence and Non-Interference Framework
Objective:
Article A-1: Legal Basis
Anchor the unified fisheries patrol in international agreements (eg: UNCLOS, FAO
guidance), plus national laws that recognize small-scale fishers’ rights and prohibit
destructive practices,
Article A-2: Community Participation
Recognize and formalize local fishers’ role in surveillance and enforcement by incorporating
community patrollers and local committees,
Article B-1: Neutral Civilian Patrol
Deploy unarmed or lightly armed civilian coast guards under shared procedural rules,
coordinated across jurisdictions,
Article B-2: Patrol Methods
Use beach patrols, vessel monitoring systems, drones, and community surveillance to detect
illegal activities efficiently,
Article C-1: Safeguarding Small-Scale Fishers
Protect artisanal fishers by prioritizing patrols in their areas, offering direct communication
channels, and preventing interference from industrial fleets,
Article C-2: Deterring Destructive Practices
Ban harmful gear and methods (eg dynamite, poison, fine mesh), enforce sanctions tied to
revenue reinvestment into patrol operations,
Annexure II -Maritime Emergency Response Coordination Centre (RMERCC)
Objective: The Regional Maritime Emergency Response Coordination Centre (RMERCC)
shall serve as a centralized mechanism under the ASEAN–ORCA framework to ensure swift,
coordinated, and efficient responses to maritime disasters, natural calamities, and crisis
situations occurring within the South China Sea and adjoining waters.
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1. Mandate and Objectives:
The RMERCC shall be tasked with:
a) Coordinating multinational responses to maritime disasters, such as oil spills, shipwrecks,
collisions, and typhoon-related incidents;
b) Facilitating timely humanitarian assistance and search-and-rescue (SAR) operations;
c) Reducing bureaucratic and diplomatic delays in deploying emergency relief assets;
d) Ensuring a unified chain of communication between naval, coast guard, and civilian
maritime agencies;
e) Monitoring and analyzing maritime disaster risks using predictive modelling, satellite
surveillance, and early-warning systems.
2. Structure and Operational Base:
a) The RMERCC shall be headquartered in *Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia*, chosen for its
strategic maritime positioning and existing port infrastructure.
b) It shall function under a *Joint Oversight Council*, composed of equal representation
from ASEAN coastal states, the ORCA Secretariat, and rotating observers from international
humanitarian agencies.
c) Specialized sub-divisions within RMERCC shall include:
i) Rapid Response & SAR Unit,
ii) Oil Spill & Marine Pollution Task Force,
iii) Humanitarian Logistics Coordination Cell,
iv) Maritime Risk Forecasting Unit.
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3. Interoperability and Assets:
a) Member States shall commit to providing pre-registered assets (ships, aircraft, personnel)
to be made available during crises under RMERCC command for time-bound missions.
b) All participating naval and coast guard units must conduct *annual joint training
exercises* coordinated by RMERCC to ensure procedural standardization and operational
interoperability.
c) A shared digital database will be developed to log port availability, hospital ships,
medivac capability, and logistics stockpiles across the region.
4. Information Sharing and Transparency:
a) The RMERCC shall issue biannual public readiness reports outlining its operational status,
resource allocation, and drill results.
b) In the event of a crisis, real-time updates shall be disseminated to all regional partners via a
secure RMERCC communication network.
c) After-action reports will be made publicly accessible within 30 days of each operation, to
promote transparency and institutional learning.
5. Funding and Technical Support:
a) RMERCC shall be funded by international aid, and regional emergency preparedness
grants.
b) It will receive technical support and equipment donations from international partners such
as the IMO (International Maritime Organization), UN OCHA (Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs), and WMO (World Meteorological Organization).
6. Legal & Ethical Guidelines:
a) All RMERCC operations must adhere to international humanitarian law and UNCLOS
provisions on distress and safety at sea.
b) The Centre shall remain strictly non-military in nature and shall not be used for
intelligence gathering or strategic surveillance outside of crisis response.
