THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE ISSUE OF DEEP 

 OCEAN RESOURCES 



I. INTERIM REPORT 



A. Introduction 



On August 17, 1967, the Permanent Mission of Malta to the United 

 Nations proposed that the agenda of the 22d U.N. General Assembly, 

 scheduled to convene in New York on September 19, include the 

 following item : 



Declaration and treaty concerning the reservation exclusively 

 for peaceful purposes of the seabed and of the ocean floor, 

 underlying the seas beyond the limits of present national 

 jurisdiction, and the use of their resources in the interests of 

 mankind. 



An exploratory memorandum accompanying this proposal expressed 

 concern that the rapid progress in marine technology could lead to the 

 extension of national claims to the ocean floor, the appropriation of 

 resources "of immense potential benefit to the world" by the tech- 

 nologically developed countries, and the use of the seabed and the 

 ocean floor for military purposes. 



In order to forestall such developments, the memorandum proposed 

 that the seabed and the ocean floor be declared "a common heritage 

 of mankind" and reserved exclusively for peaceful purposes. It was 

 further proposed that an international framework be created for the 

 use and economic exploitation of the seabed and the ocean floor. The 

 net financial benefits derived from such activities were proposed to be 

 used "primarily to promote the development of poor countries." 



The full texts of the note verhale of Malta, of the accompanying 

 explanatory memorandum, and of the revised item which was subse- 

 quently placed on the agenda of the 22d General Assembly, appear 

 in the appendix. 



The prospects of imminent action in the United Nations on the 

 Maltese proposal provoked considerable concern. During August and 

 September 1967, nearly two dozen resolutions were introduced in the 

 U.S. Congress, expressing opposition to the vesting of control over 

 deep ocean resources in an international body. Although the language 

 of these resolutions differed in some respects, most of them expressed 

 the view that, for the present, the vesting of such control would be 

 premature. One resolution, introduced on October 25, endoreed the 

 approach suggested by Malta. Most of the resolutions relating to this 

 issue were referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and assigned 

 to the Subcommittee on International Organizations and Movements 

 for such action as the subcommittee deemed appropriate. 



(IR) 



