Marine Science Affairs 



— an account of the scientific, technical, economic, legal, and other as- 

 pects of the deep ocean floor; and 

 — an indication regarding the practical means to promote international 

 cooperation in the exploration, conservation, and use of the deep 

 ocean floor. 

 The Ad Hoc Committee met three times during 1968, and considered 

 background papers prepared for the Committee by the U.N. Secretariat, 

 the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), and other U.N. 

 specialized agencies. Its final report illuminated many of the emerging con- 

 flicts of interest and reflected a heightened awareness of the technical and 

 legal problems associated with exploiting the deep ocean floor. Expectations 

 of early and large returns from resources of the deep seabed became tempered 

 with . realism. 



During the fall of 1968, the General Assembly reviewed the Committee's 

 report, and after extensive debate in the Political Committee of the General 

 Assembly three Resolutions cosponsored by the United States were adopted. 

 The Resolutions: 



— establish a 42-member Standing Committee on the Peaceful Uses 

 of the Seabed and the Ocean Floor Beyond the Limits of National 

 Jurisdiction, which will expand the studies carried out earlier by the 

 Ad Hoc Committee; 

 — urge measures to prevent pollution of the oceans; and 

 — support the U.S. proposal for an International Decade of Ocean Ex- 

 ploration within the framework of a comprehensive long-term pro- 

 gram of scientific investigation and call on the IOC to play a leading 

 role in coordinating the program. 

 The General Assembly also adopted a fourth Resolution which requested 

 the Secretary General to study the question of establishing international 

 machinery to promote exploration and exploitation of seabed resources and 

 their use; the United States considered this proposal premature and there- 

 fore abstained.^ 



During the deliberations of the General Assembly and the Ad Hoc Com- 

 mittee, the United States submitted a number of additional proposals, in- 

 cluding (a) a draft Resolution containing a declaration of principles on 

 the use of the deep ocean floor; (b) a draft Resolution referring to the 

 Eighteen Nation Disarmament Committee the question of arms limitations 

 on the seabed and ocean floor with a view to defining those factors vital to a 

 workable, verifiable, and effective international agreement which would pre- 

 v'cnt the use of this new environment for the emplacement of weapons of 

 mass destruction; and (c) a suggestion to establish international marine 

 preserves, i.e., major types of unmodified ocean habitats such as a deep 



^ These four Resolutions and the 1967 Resolution establishing the Ad Hoc Com- 

 mittee are included in Appendix C-1. 



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