209 



* * * would be premature"? Doesn't that mean at another time it 

 might be the appropriate thing to act? All we are saying and all you 

 are really saying is that we don't know enough at this moment to take 

 any steps. I don't think you can argue really with the soundness of 

 that position. 



Mr. Fascell. Does that include a resolution by the Congress? 



Mr. Frelinghuysen. A resolution by Congress now saying any 

 action at this time would be premature to my mind would be an indi- 

 cation that we would be receptive to such a thing at a later date. I 

 am not saying that we shouldn't have a statement of general principles 

 as to what we think should be done as to the deep. 



Mr. Fascell. That is why I am inquiring about the meaning of 

 such words as "deep ocean resources" and trying to differentiate be- 

 tween "title," "jurisdiction," and "sovereignty" and what our rights 

 are under the International Convention on the Continental Shelf. If we 

 are going to take a position as a Congress I would think we would 

 have to explore all of these and understand them thoroughly before 

 we 



Mr. Frelinghuysen. We didn't do much exploration before we 

 passed that cotton bill yesterday. 



Mr. Gross. What, precisely, is deep ocean ? 



Admiral Hearn. Deep ocean would be the areas beyond the conti- 

 nental sjielf . I think that is the way they would want to construe this. 



Mr. Fascell. Is that the same as the deep sea bed ? 



Admiral Hearn. I think we are talking in generalities. 



Mr. Fascell. No, we are not either, sir. We are not talking in gen- 

 eralities. 



Mr. Frelinghuysen. It seems to me some of the areas beyond the 

 Continental Shelf are already covered by the convention to which 

 we are a party. Those areas beyond the shelf which are subject to 

 exploration are covered. We are in the deep sea bed already to a degree, 

 and tliis may result in conflicts between national interests. This is 

 why this matter of the deep seabeds is of concern. To what extent 

 does that kind of competition, the technical capacity to get beyond 

 the Continental Shelf, result in what might be an undesirable struggle 

 for power in a new area. And mightn't this mean that we ought to 

 establish some rules of the road? That obviously is not the expression 

 because that has a specific meaning. To what extent is it not desirable 

 at least to try to see where we are going and see if we want to define 

 some general principles. I assume this is what Ambassador Goldberg 

 is going to be arguing for. Let's take a good look at what the nature 

 of the ]:)roblem is in order to have an understanding of what Ave are 

 doing before we consider the advisability of trying to develop a con- 

 vention. 



Mr. Fascell. Gentlemen, we are going to go into executive session 

 now. I want to thank you very much for discussing this matter on the 

 record with. You have made a very significant contribution. 



Before we proceed further, however, I should like to place in the 

 record a letter to me from the Vice President of the United States, 

 dated October 27, 1967, on the activities of the Federal Government 

 pursuant to the Marine Resources and Engineering Development Act 

 of 1966. I also expect to receive a report on the activities of the Com- 



