With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements: 1. A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baseline determined in accordance with the convention. 2. Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea. 3. The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Answer: D. All three statements about UNCLOS are correct. The UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA (UNCLOS, 1982; in force from 1994) is the comprehensive treaty governing rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world's oceans. Statement 1 is CORRECT. Under ARTICLE 3 of UNCLOS, every coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its TERRITORIAL SEA up to a limit not exceeding 12 NAUTICAL MILES, measured from baselines determined per the Convention. In the territorial sea, the coastal state exercises full sovereignty (subject to right of innocent passage). Statement 2 is CORRECT. ARTICLES 17-19 of UNCLOS grant the RIGHT OF INNOCENT PASSAGE through the territorial sea to ships of ALL STATES, whether COASTAL OR LAND-LOCKED. Passage must be 'continuous and expeditious' and 'not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal State'. This is one of the bedrock principles of maritime law. Statement 3 is CORRECT. ARTICLE 57 specifies that the EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (EEZ) SHALL NOT EXTEND BEYOND 200 NAUTICAL MILES from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. Within the EEZ, the coastal state has sovereign rights over natural resources (living and non-living) but other states retain freedoms of navigation and overflight. Source: UNCLOS 1982 (Articles 3, 17, 57) / Ministry of External Affairs ocean affairs documents.