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of strategic importance, as well as for the unrestricted 

 freedom to deploy forces worldwide in times of international 

 crises. This need for the preservation of traditional navi- 

 gational freedoms — in the face of ever-increasing exclusive 

 maritime claims by coastal states — is directly related to 

 the achievement of a reliable supply of numerous strategic 

 minerals which, for the U.S., depends on the unimpeded flow 

 of oceanic commerce from foreign landbased sources. DOD 

 regards access to such strategic materials, and those on and 

 under the seabed, as an important security objective. Insofar 

 as navigation rights through and over the world's oceans are 

 directly related to a reliable supply of a broad range of 

 critical materials from foreign sources, DOD concerns with 

 mobility and access to minerals are identical. 



The balancing of national objectives in law of the sea 

 policy will be a function of the latter stages of the Admini- 

 stration review of the draft Convention. Current seabed 

 mining projections have identified four metals to be derived 

 from seabed production. In weighing competing national 

 objectives, the potential availability of these four minerals 

 from seabased sources must be viewed in light both of the 

 need for other critical resources which are imported by means 

 of the sea lines of communication and of other national 

 interests in law of the sea. 



