55 



be no claims of sovereignty in outer space or on celestial bodies. The 

 treaty does not vest title in anybody. 



Mr. Fascell. It could not very well, could it? 



Mr. Popper. Nor does it state how exploitation should be carried 

 out, if you could do it on the moon. It is silent on those points. 



Mr. Fraser. I was asking Congressman Rogers about the effect 

 of these articles. As I read the continental shelf definition, where there 

 are states that are opposite each other, my impression was that you 

 took a Hne that was created by those points which lay equally distant 

 from the opposite coasts. 



Mr. Popper. There is language of that kind in the convention, yes. 



Mr. Fraser, So it would appear Bermuda would carve out a very 

 large section of the Atlantic, and at the other end — if you start drawing 

 median lines, midpoint lines, or whatever they are called — using the 

 Azores, you take out a big chunk at the other end of the Atlantic. 



It is technology extended indefinitely, so if one came into the 

 question of how this functions you would have considerable difficulty? 

 A very small island could have a very big piece of the ocean depending 

 on how far away it was. 



Mr. Popper. If you look at article VI of the convention I think it 

 tends to support that kind of view. 



I would suggest, Mr. Chairman, if someday you pursue these 

 hearings, that you might wish to hear from legal specialists on this 

 range of problems because it is a very intricate subject, indeed. 



Mr. Fascell. We will. 



Mr. Fraser. Literally applied, then, one square foot of territory 

 representing an island could have an enormous impact on who has 

 sovereign rights to the sea bottom, assuming technology is that far 

 advanced. It would seem to me to be a wholly unacceptable result to 

 the international community to make a small island wher3 nobody 

 lived a matter of great international significance. 



Just speaking for myself, I want to say that I hope our country will 

 try to approach this problem with a spirit of trying to build patterns of 

 international cooperation. It is my opinion that this is most clearly in 

 the national interest of the United States. Because we are such a 

 powerful nation we think we can disregard the need to build inter- 

 national cooperative patterns. It seems to me in the long run we will 

 suffer unless we do this. 



I agree with the chairman. There is much in the Maltese resolution 

 which deserves very serious consideration. I am a little weary of w'ar 

 and the enormous drain on the emotional and economic human 

 resources of our country as well as that of others. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Fascell. Mr. Gross? 



Mr. Gross. If I may be permitted an observation concerning the 

 Maltese resolution, the best thi ig it has accomplished to date is to 

 put us on notice of what may be taking place. That is the only credit 

 I want to give the Maltese action. 



On page 6 of your statement, Mr. Popper, second paragraph, you 

 say: 



Thus, the Subcommittee may be sure that we do not intend, in the course of 

 consideration of the question in the General Assembly, to dispose of title to the 

 deep-sea bottom, either to the United Nations or to any other recipient. 



