The perpetual conflict between freedom and security in the Law of the Sea.- Principles drawn from the treaty provisions on State responsibility for interferences with navigation on the high seas.- The U.S. strategy: 28 bilateral treaties and the Proliferation Security Initiative.- Compensation for interferences in international conflicts.- Conclusions and outlook.

Conventions covering the law of the sea contain provisions on compensation for wrongful interferences with navigation, though they are rarely applied. This book analyses all relevant compensation provisions and compares them to the general law of state responsibility. The author discusses such issues as the responsibility of international organizations, liability for lawful conduct, and several and joint liability in public international law.