UN General Assembly
1978

163. As regards the law of the sea, Ecuador has been contributing substantially to the quest for agreements which will enable a consensus to be reached so as to conclude a universal convention. This is one of the most intractable questions mankind now faces because there are many aspects involved. Ecuador will continue to maintain that to arrive at this consensus the rights of States in maritime spaces must be respected. These rights in many cases are derived from historical legal precedents which cannot be ignored without the risk of vitally affecting vital interests which States cannot nor should not renounce.