REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES DELEGATION 



TO THE 

 INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION 



I . BACKGROUND . 



The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, 

 Scientific, and Cultural Organization, at its Eleventh Session 

 in November 1960 adopted the proposal of the Intergovernmental 

 Conference on Oceanographic Research, held at Copenhagen from 

 11 to 16 July 1960, to establish an Intergovernmental 

 Oceanographic Commission (lOC) within the United Nations 

 Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

 The purpose of the Commission, as stated in the UNESCO 

 resolution, is "to promote scientific investigations with a 

 view to learning more about the nature and resources of the 

 oceans, through the concerted action of its members," 



The First Session of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic 

 Commission was convened by the Director-General of UNESCO and 

 held at the UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France, from 19 to 27 

 October 1961. This session, in addition to deciding 

 organizational matters required for the continuing work of the 

 Commission, considered substantive programs and other technical 

 items needed to fulfill the purpose of the Commission, 



II. AGENDA . 



1. The Provisional Agenda^submitted by the IOC Secretariat 

 were somewhat extended and modified by the Commission. The 

 final agenda as adopted are presented in Annex I. 



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