Draft letter from IOC Chairman to U. N. Secretary 

 General with copies to Executive Heads of all 

 organizations mentioned in the letter. 



General Assembly Resolution 2467 D (XXIII) requests 

 the IOC, in collaboration with other interested inter- 

 national organizations and in accordance with General 

 Assembly Resolution 24l4 (XXIII) to cooperate with 

 the Secretary General in the preparation of a compre- 

 hensive outline of the scope of a coordinated, long- 

 term program of oceanographic research, of which the 

 International Decade of Ocean Exploration will be 

 an important element, designed to assist in a better 

 understanding of the marine environment through science 

 and to increase, in the interests of world economic 

 development, the resources available to all the people 

 of the world. 



The Bureau and Consultative Council of the IOC 

 welcomes the opportunity to assist in this step to 

 advance international cooperation in oceanic research 

 which for many years has benefitted nations throughout 

 the world. For almost ten years the IOC has devoted 

 efforts to promoting international cooperation in 

 scientific investigations of the ocean and its resources, 

 Many other international organizations have also been 

 concerned with these and related international collabora- 

 tive efforts. The growing international interest in 

 expanding these activities and in strengthening coordina- 

 tion among programs and projects of international 

 interest has been highlighted in a number of Resolu- 

 tions of the General Assembly during the past several 

 years . 



However, the development of an outline of a 

 long-term and expanded program requires 

 considerable effort, internationally and by indi- 

 vidual nations, to develop a sound scientific basis 

 for carrying out specific research projects in a very 

 large, complex, and variable environment. Also, the 

 diverse interests of many nations must be ascertained 

 and taken into account, and careful consideration 

 must be given to the mutual interests and responsi- 

 bilities of many international organizations » 



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