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STATEMENT OF HON. ROBERT A. FROSCH, ASSISTANT SECRETARY 

 OF THE NAVY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 



Mr. Frosch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to appear 

 before the subcommittee. As you know, my work in Europe was closely 

 connected with this problem. I was the chairman of the U.S. delega- 

 tion to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of 

 UNESCO. We discussed a number of topics that are related to this 

 subject. 



The only resolution that I have seen is House Resolution 816. I 

 presume the other resolutions are similar in nature. I agree completely 

 with the substance of the resolution. That is, it is much too early in our 

 knowledge and understanding of the nature of deep ocean resources 

 and of the technology that will be required to exploit them for us to 

 consider major legal questions regarding its exploitation and owner- 

 ship, certainly too early for us to think that we would know what we 

 were doing if we were to take action to vest control of ocean resources 

 in an international body in a specific way. 



I think this is the general view in the executive department ; it has 

 been well coordinated among the various departments and agencies. 

 I believe it is the view of the State Departiment, and I would defer to 

 them in this matter, that while the resolution is correct and agrees with 

 the policy of the executive department, it is unnecessary because it is 

 in such close agreement with what has been determined to be our 

 current policy. 



Thank you, sir. 



Mr. Fascell. Admiral Waters, do you wish to add to the Secretary's 

 comments ? 



STATEMENT OF REAR ADM. 0. D. WATERS, JR., U.S. NAVY, 

 OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE NAVY 



Admiral Waters. No, sir ; I don't believe so, except to say that we, 

 within the Navy as far as my sphere of operations goes, we are in full 

 concurrence with what Secretary Frosch has just said. We don't know 

 enough yet about the deep oceans. We are trying as fast as we can 

 to learn more. 



Mr. Fascell. Admiral Heam, you have a prepared statement. 

 Would you proceed, please. 



STATEMENT OF REAR ADM. WILFRED A. HEARN, U.S. NAVY, 

 JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL OF THE NAVY 



Admiral Hearn. It is a pleasure to appear before this subcommittee 

 as Judge Advocate General of the Navy to testify with respect to 

 House Joint Resolution 816 and similar resolutions which oppose the 

 vesting of title of the deep ocean floors in the United Nations. 



This subcommittee has already heard the testimony of Mr. Popper 

 and Mr. Pollack of the Department of State, and Assistant Secretary 

 Cain of Interior. The Navy has been working very closely with the 

 Department of State and other interested agencies in connection with 



