510 



depth of 200 meters (218.8 yards), and would agree to regard these 

 resources as the common heritage of mankind."' The regime proposed 

 for the exploitation of seabed resources would provide for the collec- 

 tion of substantial mineral royalties to be used for international com- 

 munity purposes, particularly economic assistance to developing 

 countries. It would also establish rules and regulations for protecting 

 the ocean environment, safeguarding the investments necessary for 

 exploitation, and a mechanism for the settlement of disputes. 



To accomplish these goals, the President proposed two types of in- 

 ternational machinery : 



First, I propose that coastal nations act as trustees for the international com- 

 munity in an international trusteeship zone consisting of the continental margins 

 beyond a depth of 200 meters off their coasts. In return, each coastal state would 

 receive a share of the international revenues from the zone in which it acts 

 as trustee and could impose additional taxes if these were deemed desirable. 



As a second step, agreed international machinery would authorize and regu- 

 late exploration and use of seabed resources beyond the continental margins. 109 



In the meantime, an interim policy was proposed for all nations 

 to join the United States in seeing to it that all permits for explora- 

 tion and exploitation of the seabed beyond 200 meters be issued subject 

 to approval under the international regime to be agreed upon. 



In June 1970, the Committee on Oceanography of the National 

 Academy of Sciences-National Research Council recommended that 

 the United States consider opening ocean waters subject to U.S. juris- 

 diction to scientific research by foreign nations as a means of encourag- 

 ing other countries to ease their own restrictions. The resolution called 

 for maintaining appropriate and adequate safeguards for national 

 security, but without requiring researchers to obtain a permit, This 

 policy would not apply to internal waters. 110 



As indicated earlier, hearings were held in the Senate concerning 

 the provisions of the President's proposal, which was formally intro- 

 duced on August 3, 1970, as the draft United Nations Convention on 

 the International Seabed Area. On the final day (Aug. 28, 1970) of 

 the session of the Seabed Committee in Geneva, the U.S. Representa- 

 tive commented on the President's proposal : 



When President Nixon made the difficult political decisions inherent in his 

 May 23 announcement and in our draft convention he placed great importance 

 on international community interests. We, as a party to the 1958 Geneva Conti- 

 nental Shelf Convention, could have relied on the exploitability test to extend 

 our boundary unilaterally. We felt, however, that in view of the uncertainties 

 surrounding seabed boundaries, and in light of the great opportunity the inter- 

 national community now has to rectify the inequities of the law of the sea. it 

 would l>e better for states to renounce under a treaty all national claims beyond 

 the 200 meter isobath, leaving the international seabed area as the widest area 

 possible. By this move we could wipe the slate clean and, in essence, re-think 

 the proper relationship of international community interests to those of coastal 

 states. 111 



The. working paper detailed the basic principles concerning mineral 

 resources, living resources, protection of the marine environment, 

 life, and property, and the establishment of an International Seabed 



in Presidential announcement on I'.S ocean policy, May 23, 1970. 



uo "Freedom of scientific research ami exploration of the sea and the seabed." By Com 

 mlttee on Oceanography, National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, News- 

 release (June 1 1, l *. • 7 ) 



'" Ambassador Christopher II. Phillips, "Statement to the U.N. Committee on the 

 Peaceful Uses of I lie Seabed and the Ocean Floor beyond the Limits of National Jurisdic- 

 tion" (Palais des Nations, Geneva, August 28, 1970). 



