lOC/B - 50 (1) - page 6 



II. REPLIES TO THE CIRCULAR LETTER (in chronological order) 



1 . UNITED STATES OP AMERICA ' 



Extract from the letter of 29 August I9S8 from Mr, Paul W. Erikson, Secre- 

 tary of the United States Permanent Delegation to Unesco: 



"These comments and suggestions were drafted on the assumption that the 

 group of consultants to be convened pioi'siiant to IOC Bureau and Consultative 

 Council Recommendation 8.k would be knowledgeable in the nature and func- 

 tions of the IOC role and prograrmne and the interrelationships between IOC 

 and other organizations. Therefore, no attempt was to include qualifica- 

 tions or explanations in a number of instances which might well have been 

 Included if the coranents and suggestions were addressed to a less knowledge- 

 able group or intended for general circulation. It is believed that the 

 implementation of the oora;nents and suggestions will contribute substantially 

 to the evolutionary development of the IOC and international marine science 

 during the next few years and will encourage broader participation by many 

 countries In the activities of IOC." 



19 August 1968 



U .S. Comraents and Suggestions to the IOC in Response to IOC 

 B&CC Reconmendation 5^.5 in Connexion with the Report and 

 Proposals Prepared hy the Unit ed Nation s Secretary-Goieral 

 under UNGA Resolution 2172 (E/khiil) Relating to Broadening a nd 

 Strangthening of IOC ■ 



The United States welcomes the Secretary-General's proposals for an expanded 

 programme of international co-operation in marine science and the broadening and 

 strengthening of the IOC as a focal point for such a programme. Ihis will re- 

 quire adequate scientific and governmental development of an expanded progranme, 

 in which the International Decade of Ocean Exploration proposed by the United 

 States could be a key element, modification in the structure and operations of 

 the IOC, and strengthening and development of the support of the IOC by various 

 International organizations and the relationships between them and the IOC. The 

 IOC expansion should also provide for the planning and execution of the Integrated 

 Global Ocean Station System (IGOSS), plus activities in data management and in 

 the problem of marine pollution. Specific comm«its and sioggestions are listed 

 below. 



Role and terms of reference of IOC 



1. The responsibilities of IOC should include co-ordination of basic scientific 

 research and basic resources research and investigations. Development of living 

 resources, however, should continue at this time to be the responsibility of FY^O. 

 Development of mineral resources is being considered in the United Nations Ad Hoc 

 ConHnittee on Peaceful Uses of the Sea-Bed; it is not clear l«hat international ar- 

 rangements will be required in this regard. 



lOC should be broadly responsible for co-ordination and planning of Interna- 

 tional co-operative scientific research in the oceans, recognizing the specific 

 scientific research responsibilities of various international prganlz^tions." Atoong 

 the basic marine science topics that might be considered by IOC in coliaBoratloh 

 with other marine science organizations are: 



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