SOME INTERNATIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE 

 LAW OF THE SEA 



I concur with recommendations of NACOA for actions which 

 can strengthen the United States position in international ocean 

 affairs by joining with other countries, particularly developing 

 countries, in joint projects. Many Federal Agencies including the 

 National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are engaged in a wide 

 spectrum of joint efforts, both with developing and developed 

 nations. A number of countries now participate actively with the 

 United States in ocean projects. Some of the innovative suggestions 

 for additional cooperative ventures will be explored. At the same 

 time, I must note that the NACOA report does not fully reflect 

 either the carefully defined policy which the United States has 

 followed in the current Law of the Sea negotiations, based on 

 the President's statement on United States oceans policy of May 23, 

 1970, or the institutional arrangements created to implement that 

 policy. 



In 1970 an Interagency Law of the Sea Task Force was estab- 

 lished under the chairmanship of the legal adviser of the Depart- 

 ment of State. From its inception, the Task Force has been 

 composed of representatives of all agencies within the Executive 

 Branch concerned with the proposed 1973 Law of the Sea Con- 

 ference. The primary responsibility of the Task Force is to elaborate 

 on United States oceans policy within the guidelines established 

 by the President. Its recommendations are reviewed by the Depart- 

 ments concerned and, where appropriate, in the Executive Office. 



Since early 1972, the Task Force has been assisted by an Ad- 

 visory Committee on the Law of the Sea, composed of about 

 sixty representatives of the business, professional, academic and 

 scientific communities. The Advisory Committee has already made 

 a valuable contribution to the formulation and negotiation of 

 United States oceans policy, and its advice will become even more 

 important as the Law of the Sea Conference approaches. 



The fundamental problems facing the United States in the Law 

 of the Sea forum concern the respective rights of nations to use 

 the seas and their resources. The issue, as the President stated, 

 concerns whether the oceans will be used rationally and equitably 

 for the benefit of mankind or whether they will become an arena 

 of unrestrained exploitation and conflicting jurisdictional claims. 



