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attitudes toward the question which is now before us, and we will be 

 talking with you as to the movement of technology, and its conse- 

 quences into the deep ocean floors. 



I don't think when we began this process we had quite anticipated 

 the speed at which the problem would be put before us. But Mr. Popper 

 will be describing to you the actions that have precipitated interna- 

 tional consideration of the deep ocean floors. 



I simply wanted to set the framework that what we are now doing 

 is the result of a number of months of intense intergovernmental con- 

 sideration of the problems that are now with us. 



Without further ado I will ask Dave to speak to this. 



Mr. Fascell. Mr. Popper. 



STATEMENT OF DAVID H. POPPER, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRE- 

 TARY FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AFFAIRS, DEPART- 

 MENT OF STATE 



Mr. Popper. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



I am very glad to carry on from the discussion which we were fortu- 

 nate to have with the subcommittee, you will remember, on the 22d 

 of September, I think it was. At that time we explained to the com- 

 mittee why the subject of the exploration and exploitation of the deep 

 ocean floor had come to the forefront in the United Nations and 

 elsewhere. 



You will recall that we pointed out that the issue had been brought 

 to a focus in the United Nations because Ambassador Pardo, of Malta, 

 had introduced for the agenda of the U.N. General Assembly an item 

 entitled "Declaration and Treaty Concerning the Reservation Ex- 

 clusively for Peaceful Purposes of the Seabed and of the Ocean Floor, 

 Underlying the Seas Beyond the Limits of Present National Juris- 

 diction, and the Use of Their Resources in the Interests of Mankind." 



The memorandum attached to that proposal for an agenda item 

 indicated that Ambassador Pardo suggested such a treaty should 

 reserve the deep ocean floor for peaceful purposes only ; that the net 

 financial economic benefits for the exploitation of the floor should be 

 used for developing countries; and that the treaty he had in mind 

 should establish some kind of an international agency which would 

 assume jurisdiction as a trustee for all countries over the seabed and 

 ocean floor. Those were the ideas he included briefly in his mem- 

 orandum. 



Since that discussion on September 22, the General Assembly has 

 adopted its agenda including this particular item, although it has 

 changed the title of the item so as to eliminate the reference to the 

 "treaty," reflecting, I think, a fair degree of caution as to how far 

 and how fast we want to go on this matter. We think that was a 

 judicious decision. 



The subject has been allocated to the Political Committee of the 

 Assembly in recognition of its great political importance although 

 there was some problem as to whether it shouldn't be considered as 

 an economic or legal matter. In the end it was decided to consider it 

 as a political matter. 



We have had some difficulty in organizing the Political Committee, 

 in determining what items it should take up first and which it should 

 delay. 



