27 
UNITED STATES TAKING THE LEAD 
Senator Pruu. I am sure you are more familiar than I with those 
two basic rules of diplomacy: one is the man who gets the first paper 
in, provides the framework on which the other ideas are attached, and 
those ideas survive, and the other basic rule of diplomacy, which is 
that you always let the other man have your way. 
In both of these connections, would it not be to our advantage to 
table, to use in the sense of the United Nations and not in the cog- 
nizance sense, a piece of paper or document really very soon, incor- 
porating our best thinking? 
Mr. Sisco. Senator, you are not only showing, you are reflecting 
your experience in the Senate, but likewise your previous experience 
in the State Department. I agree with both points that you have made. 
My answer to vour comment is this: we are taking the lead in this 
six-nation working group which today, is focusing in New York on 
the precise details on a resolution, because we would like to get such 
a proposal adopted. We have had about 50 countries that have already 
spoken. The general debate is completed. 
We have actually taken a very substantial lead within the frame- 
work of this working group, and my hope is that what will come out 
will reflect a very reasonable approach and will provide the inter- 
national instrumentality for quick and further study. 
THPS TAKEN TOWARD AN INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING 
N 
Senator Preir. Another question, either for you to reply, or for Mr. 
Pollack to reply to is, what actual steps has the interdepartmental 
committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Kohler, what actual steps 
have you taken to press ahead in this field of an international under- 
standing or arrangement ? 
Mr. Pourack. I think the general answer to that, Senator Pell, is 
that a number of working groups and task forces have been established 
to consider the variety of problems that are posed by the future of 
the ocean floor, and that the principal consequence at this point in time 
has been to scope the problem, to examine some of the possible alter- 
natives. 
Senator Pritt. To scope the problem? 
Mr. Potnack. Yes. 
Senator Prru. That is a new phrase since I have been in the State 
Department. 
Mr. Potxack. To determine the parameters of it. 
Senator Prexy. To delineate ? 
Mr. Potrack. Delineate, ascertain the dimensions, but this is the 
first chore that the interdepartmental groups addressed themselves 
to, and we have been considering some of the alternatives, some of 
which have been incorporated in comparable fashion in your resolu- 
tion, but at this point in time this work is currently underway, and 
conclusions have not yet been reached. 
ATTITUDES OF OTHER NATIONS 
Senator Prry. Would you be willing to hypothesize the attitude of 
other nations? We know the Soviet Union is dragging its feet. I have 
