33 



This would require an affirmative two-thirds vote, so for the 

 United States then to get a consensus could be difficult. 



It would be more difficult, perhaps, then for us to muster a two- 

 thirds vote, and for us to get a two-thirds vote in any circum- 

 stances would be extremely difficult, so I do think we have timing 

 considerations that are of considerable urgency, and this, it is fair 

 to say, is a major concern, in my view, with respect to the manner 

 in which the review is now being conducted. 



Chairman Zablocki. Of course, Mr. Richardson, you said you did 

 not intend to guess what the Conference would do or what would 

 likely happen at the Conference if we are not ready, but is there a 

 possibility that the Conference would go ahead without us? 



Mr. Richardson. I certainly think that they might well go ahead 

 with the formalization of the text, as I have just indicated. 



I do not think that they would go ahead and adopt the treaty 

 without us, but the formalization of the text would be a step that 

 make it harder for us thereafter to get changes. So, looking at the 

 situation, therefore, in terms of trying to make the most of an 

 opportunity to get improvements, I would be concerned if we were 

 not prepared to do that in Geneva. 



Chairman Zablocki. With the permission of the members, I 

 would like to return to my first question when I referred to your 

 presidency of the Department of State's Advisory Council — what 

 input do you have, what input have you had, and what input do 

 you expect to have on the executive branch as President of the 

 Department of State's Advisory Council? 



Mr. Richardson. We have not had a whole lot of input up to 

 now, Mr. Chairman, although I did have an informal conversation 

 with most of the subcommittee chairmen a month ago, the result of 

 which was the conclusion that each subcommittee should seek its 

 own means of presenting its views to the group of Deputy Assistant 

 Secretaries now conducting the review under Mr. Malone, and to 

 Mr. Malone himself. 



The Seabed Mining Subcommittee has done this. Whether any 

 other has up to now, I don't know. 



The committee will meet, as I indicated, on June 8 and 9, and at 

 that meeting, I feel sure that these questions — the questions we 

 have been discussing — will be addressed together with the question 

 of judgment I mentioned which is, what will the traffic bear in 

 terms of future improvement in the text. 



Chairman. Zablocki. Mr. Winn. 



Mr. Winn. I thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



I want to take this opportunity, if I may, to commend the gentle- 

 man, the Secretary, for the many hours of dedication and hard 

 work that he has put in trying to make this become a law, an 

 international agreement that is important to so many countries 

 and so many people in the world. 



I am quite sure that it must take a very patient man to spend 

 the time and energy that you have, and then to have your own 

 administration sort of put the brakes on you, almost slam the door 

 in your face. 



I would like to know, maybe you would prefer to tell me later — 

 but I am anxious to known in the committee anyway, do you really 

 have the ear of the President? 



