International Cooperation 



-development of international legal, financial, and political arrange- 

 ments to promote investment in marine development and facilitate 

 a fruitful partnership between public and private interests in 

 marine matters. 



Marine Science in the United Nations^ 



In the United Nations, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social 

 Council, and a number of specialized bodies are responsible for various 

 aspects of marine science affairs, as shown in Figure II. 1. In 1967, the Gen- 

 eral Assembly, at its twenty-second session, began consideration of jurisdic- 

 tion over the deep ocean seabed ^ and related questions. Fifty-eight countries 

 spoke in the debate and assumed a wide range of positions. Some countries 

 advocated that title to the seabed be vested in the United Nations. Others 

 called for a moratorium on unilateral exploitation of seabed resources. Most 

 countries seemed to feel there should be a freeze on claims of national 

 sovereignty to the seabed. Some maritime nations opposed any consideration 

 now by the Assembly. 



The United States, recognizing that understanding of the factors in- 

 volved in exploiting these resources is incomplete and that we are far 

 from ready to define a precise legal regime at this time, supported careful 

 study of the issue by the General Assembly. 



The position of the United States followed the course set by President 

 Lyndon B. Johnson in July 1966 when he said: 



"Under no circumstances, we believe, must we ever allow the prospects of 

 rich harvest and mineral wealth to create a new form of colonial competi- 

 tion among the maritime nations. We must be careful to avoid a race to grab 

 and to hold the lands under the high seas. We must ensure that the deep 

 seas and the ocean bottoms are, and remain, the legacy of all human beings." 



The United States proposed that the General Assembly establish a Com- 

 mittee on the Oceans which would be competent to examine all marine 

 questions brought before the Assembly. Such a Committee would stimulate 

 international cooperation in exploration of the oceans. It would assist the 

 General Assembly in considering questions of law and arms control and as a 

 first step might develop a set of principles to govern states in the exploration 

 and use of the seabed. 



At the conclusion of debate, the General Assembly took a preliminary step 



^The texts of the 1966 and 1967 General Assembly Resolutions on marine matters 

 are presented in Appendix E, Table E-2. 



" In this chapter "seabed" refers to the ocean floor and its subsoil seaward of the 

 Continental Shelf as defined in the Continental Shelf Convention. 



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