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thirds of all oceanic research. The United States has, however, ex- 
pressed its willingness to compromise on the issue to the extent that 
it would be willing to provide coastal states with specific details on 
cruise proposals and with data collected within their economic zone, 
assist them in interpreting the results, and provide coastal states with 
some technical assistance. The Soviet Union has not made any such 
proposal and continues to insist on complete freedom of scientific 
research outside territorial waters of 12 nautical miles.* 
U.S.-U.S.S.R. BILATERAL AGREEMENTS 
Due to the efforts of the U.S.-U.S.S.R. Joint Committee on Coopera- 
tion in World Ocean Studies there are now a total of fifteen coopera- 
tive projects agreed to by both sides for either continued implementa- 
tion or immediate development. Three of these projects deal in 
ocean-atmosphere interaction; two with ocean currents and dynamics; 
six in marine geology; geophysics and geochemistry including deep 
sea drilling; three in biological productivity; and one in instrumenta- 
tion. Most of these activities are joint field investigations extending 
over several years from planning, through field operations to data 
analysis. Geographic areas of operation will be the Atlantic, Pacific, 
Indian, and Southern Oceans aboard vessels of both countries. 
The new areas of activity agreed upon include a study of the mon- 
soon in the Indian Ocean and the oceanic response to it, a study 
of the parameters which affect ocean sedimentation, and a study of 
the origin and evolution of oceanic lithospheric plates. Since both 
sides have been conducting projects in the Indian Ocean on studies 
of the monsoon and the oceanic response to it, it was agreed to 
coordinate plans with a view towards joint activities. This effort also 
will be part of both countries’ participation in the International Global 
Atmospheric Research Program (GARP). 
Both of the new geological and geophysical projects are extensions 
of the present cooperative programs. Data must be gathered on 
dynamic processes that control marine sedimentation, erosion and 
transportation, if paleo-oceanographic conditions are to be correctly 
interpreted from cores of the ocean floor. As data on the sedimentary 
layer accumulates there will be an increasing demand to investigate 
deeper layers of the earth and to understand the dynamics that drive 
the features observed at the surface. Consequently, a cooperative pro- 
gram is proposed to investigate the oceanic lithosphere. 
The Soviets also expressed the desire to develop projects concerning 
studies of the Southern Oceans and the North Pacific. Plans are now 
being developed by each country for further work in the Drake 
Passage and it was agreed to coordinate this work and develop possible 
cooperative projects. Soviet participation in large-scale air-sea interac- 
tion studies in the North Pacific Ocean are being explored. The in- 
creased Soviet interest in this area is attributable to the 
Hydrometeorological Service, which possesses major resources such 
as ships and is interested in large-scale air-sea interaction. 
The bilateral polymode program will take place in the Atlantic 
Ocean to examine the nature of circulation systems (large-scale ed- 
dies) in the ocean. In this program, Soviet ship participation represents 
a significant contribution. 
*Since this study went to press, the Soviet Union has completely changed its attitude towards 
freedom of scientific research at sea in the economic zone. The Soviets are now in agreement with 
the group of 77 which has called for consent for all foreign research activities conducted in the 
economic zone. 
