Jurisdiction to elaborate such a regime in accordance with paragraph 2(a) of 

 resolution 2467 A (XXIII), 



1. Requests the Secretary-General to ascertain the views of Member 

 States on the desirability of convening at an early date a conference on the 

 law of the sea to review the regimes of the high seas, the continental shelf, 

 the territorial sea and contiguous zone, fishing and conservation of the 

 living resources of the high seas, particularly in order to arrive at a clear, 

 precise and internationally accepted definition of the area of the sea-bed and 

 ocean floor which lies beyond national jurisdiction, in the light of the 

 international regime to be established for that area ; 



2. Requests the Secretary-General to report on the results of his con- 

 sultation to the General Assembly at its twenty-fifth session. 



15 December 1969 



B. 2574B (XXIV) 



Requesting U.N. Sea-Bed Committee to Prepare Sea-Bed Prin- 

 ciples and Rules for Exploitation of Sea-Bed Resources. 



The General Assembly, 



Recalling its resolution 2340 (XXII) of 18 December 1967 and 2467 

 (XXIII) of 21 December 1968, 



Having considered the report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses 

 of the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor beyond the Limits of National Jurisdic- 

 tion, 



Expressing its satisfaction to the International Atomic Energy Agency, 

 the International Labour Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organiza- 

 tion of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and 

 Cultural Organization, and to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Com- 

 mission and the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization 

 for their participation in and contribution to the Committee's work, as well 

 as to the Secretary-General for his assistance, 



1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Committee on the 

 Peaceful Uses of the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor beyond the Limits of 

 National Jurisdiction; 



2. Invites the Committee to consider further the questions entrusted 

 to it under resolution 2467 (XXIII) with a view to formulating recom- 

 mendations on these questions, in the light of the reports and studies to be 

 made available to it and taking into account the views expressed in the 

 General Assembly at its twenty-fourth session ; 



3. Notes with interest the synthesis at the end of the report of the Legal 

 Sub-Committee which reflects the extent of the work done in the formula- 

 tion of principles designed to promote international co-operation in the 

 exploration and use of the sea-bed and the ocean floor, and the subsoil 

 thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction and to ensure the exploita- 

 tion of their resources for the benefit of mankind, irrespective of the geo- 

 graphical location of States, taking into account the special interests and 

 needs of the developing countries, whether land-locked or coastal ; 



4. Requests the Committee to expedite its work of preparing a compre- 

 hensive and balanced statement of these principles and to submit a draft 

 declaration to the General Assembly at its twenty-fifth session ; 



232 



