560 
ited extension seaward of coastal State authority. As you know the 
conflict that is going on now is that the petroleum industry—with 
its advocates, the Department of Interior and Commerce—wants coast- 
al State jurisdiction over offshore mineral resources extended to at 
least the landward portion of the continental rise or the beginning 
of the deep ocean floor. 
On the other side, the Defense Department would probably like to 
see the Continental Shelf doctrine eliminated. So what we have to 
do is to try to reach a meaningful compromise, and my view is that 
the narrower the exclusive coastal State zone the better off we are 
because so much of the continental shelves around the world are out- 
side the United States. This is the best approach not only from a 
security standpoint and an industry standpoint, but, indeed, from a 
national] standpoint. 
Mr. Downtne. And you advocate, I believe, the 550 meter depth 
which is, you say, the lowest depth of the Continental Shelf. 
Senator Peri. Exactly. The edge of the Continental Shelf is not 
known to occur at.a depth greater than 550 meters. 
Mr. Downtne. And I believe that you advocate that the depth 
beyond that be settled by an international treaty arrangement. 
Senator Prix.’ That is correct. An international regime to apply 
beyond the limits of national jurisdiction must be established by a 
multilateral convention. 
Mr. Downtna. Do you have any ideas in mind just how this would 
be done? 
Senator Petx. Not too specific because I wanted to leave it open, but 
int he last 3 years we have refined some of these ideas, and it would 
be an authority, as I said earlier, set up not under the United Nations 
but in association with the United Nations, The nearest analogy would 
be the World Bank which has proved very successful, very helpful to 
our national interest and very helpful to the world. 
It would be set up along those lines, but with the added factor of 
providing for adjudicating and enforcement agencies as well. 
Mr. Downtne. Would this conflict with our defense interests ? 
Senator Prix. The defense interests may be decided in the next few 
weeks at Geneva. There are disarmament talks going on now with 
regard to the Soviet and American draft seabed disarmament pro- 
posals, and it looks as if there is a possibility of agreement in the next 
few months. 
The Defense Department would prefer complete freedom, no regula- 
tion whatsover, kut I think if you would look through the testimony 
that they offered to the Subcommittee on Ocean Space, you would find 
that they would prefer, and you must ask them for themsevles, the 
kind of approach which I suggested, as versus the approach of the 
National Petroleum Council. 
Mr. Downtne. Thank you very much, Senator. 
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
Mr. Lennon. We will return to the gentleman from Washington 
who had not completed his questioning. 
Mr. Prizy. I have my own questions that I would like to ask you 
S you know, Senator, ir e Convention on the Law of the 
Hea Gave tne Coast MUALe SOVETeloNnty Over the Wontinental Shelf and 
