250481

JPRS 81294

16 July 1982

Worldwide Report

LAW OF THE SEA

No. 203

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JPRS 81294

16 July 1982

WORLDWIDE REPORT

LAW OF THE SEA

No. 203

CONTENTS

ASIA

INTER-ASIAN AFFAIRS

Korean Fisheries Body Warns Japan on Fishing Agreement

(KCNA, 2k Jun 82) 1

Fishing Council Orders Japanese Boats From DPRK Waters

(KYODO, 25, 26 Jun 82) 2

Council Orders Departure

Sakurauchi on DPRK Fishing Talks

Japanese Boats in New Zealand Zone Upset Local Fishermen

(THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 1 Jun 82, THE EVENING POST,

2 Jun 82) 3

Agreement Extension Criticized

Government Spokesman's Response

AUSTRALIA

Record-Sized Jacket, Platform Ready for North West Shelf

(THE WEST AUSTRALIAN, 20 May 82) £

Undersea Pipeline From NW Shelf Gas Project Begun

(Peter Alford; THE WEST AUSTRALIAN, 31 May 82) 7

Fishermen To Ask Government for Ban on Japanese Tuna Boats

(Fia Cumming; THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN, 22-23 May 82).. 8

New Drilling To Be Started Off Tasmanian Coast

(J. N. Pierce; THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 18 May 82). 9

- a - [III - WW - 136]
Briefs

Bass Strait Activity 10

New Shelf Well Progress 10

Fish 'Dumping' Issue 10

Queensland. Over-Fishing 10

Oil Slick From Sinking 11

INDIA

Defense Minister Speaks on Need for Coast Guard

(THE TIMES OF INDIA, 6 Jun 82) 12

Briefs

Navy Arrest Authority lii

INDONESIA

Briefs

Japanese Aid l5

NEW ZEALAND

Exclusive Fishing Zone May Be Expanded for Local Fleet

(Karen Dabrowska; THE EVENING POST, 2 Jun'82)... 16

New Oil Prospecting License Issued for Great South Basin

(THE PRESS, £ Jun 82) 17

PHILIPPINES

New International Sea Law Poses Problems for Philippines

(E. T. Suarez; BULLETIN TODAY, 16 Jun 82) 18

SRI LANKA

Fisheries Minister Interviewed on Maritime Problems

(Ravindran Casinaderj THE ISLAND, 13 Jun 82) 20

EAST EUROPE

POLAND

National Interests, Rights in Law of Sea Declared

(Zbigniew Lesnikowski; TRIBUNA LUDU, 7 Jun 82) 26

b -
NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

INTER-ARAB AFFAIRS

Briefs

Red Sea Minerals 29

IRAN

Law of Sea Treaty Denounced as Superpower Colonialism

(KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL, 19 Jun 82) 30

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

SENEGAL

Government Attempts To Revive Fishing Industry

(Abdallah Fayej LE SOLEIL, 22 Apr 82) 32

MEST EUROPE

TURKEY

Briefs

Admiral Turner Discusses Exploitation 36

- c -
INTER-ASIAN AFFAIRS

KOREAN FISHERIES BODY WARNS JAPAN ON FISHING AGREEMENT

SK250036 Pyongyang KCNA in English 2232 GMT 24 Jun 82

[Text] Pyongyang, June 25 (KCNA) — The general secretary of the Federation of East

Sea Fisheries Cooperatives of Korea issued a talk on June 24 in connection with the expiration of the extended term of the tentative fishery agreement signed between the Federation

of East Sea Fisheries Cooperatives of Korea and the Japan-Korea Fisheries Council on June 30.

Follows the full text of the talk:

Thanks to the care shown by the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

for the stability of the life of the poor fishermen of Japan, a tentative fishery agreement was signed on September 5, 1977, between the Federation of East Sea Fisheries

Cooperatives of Korea and the Japan-Korea Fisheries Council, allowing the poor fishermen

of Japan to catch fish free of charge in the economic waters outside the military boundary

of our country. For nearly 6 years since then, thousands of fishing boats of the Japanese

side have caught fish in the economic waters outside the military boundary of our country

without the least inconvenience under the protection of the government of our republic.

By a friendly step of the government of our republic desirous of good-neighbourly friendship between the peoples of Korea and Japan, the term of validity of the tentative fishery

agreement has been extended twice and its extended term will expire on June 30.

In this connection, the organisation of the Japanese side, a signatory to the agreement,

and personages concerned, have expressed on several occasions from last year their wish

to have its term extended again.

Taking into consideration this wish of the Japanese side and the good neighbourly relations

between the two peoples, our side has expressed all goodwill and generosity from March

this year for an early solution of the problem of extending it.

But, due to the unfriendly step of the Japanese authorities, the desire of the relevant

organisations and fishermen concerned of Japan has been ignored and our generous and

sincere efforts have come to naught, and the term of validity of the tentative fishery

agreement is expiring without so much as an agreement between personages concerned of the

two sides to this end. Deeply regretting this, we hereby request the Japan-Korea Fisheries

Council and the Dietmen's League for Promotion of Japan-Korea Friendship to take an appropriate step to withdraw all the Japanese fishing boats operating in the economic waters

of our country by June 30 till a new agreement is reached between the two organisations.

In case a deplorable event occurs from illegal fishing operation in our economic waters

after the expiration of the term of the tentative fishery agreement signed between the

Federation of the East Sea Fisheries Cooperatives of Korea and the Japan-Korea Fisheries

Council, the responsibility for it will entirely rest with the competent organs and

organisations of Japan.

CSO: 5200/2089
INTER-ASIAN AFFAIRS

FISHING COUNCIL ORDERS JAPANESE BOATS FROM DPRK WATERS

Council Orders Departure

OW251055 Tokyo KYODO in English 1047 GMT 25 Jun 82

[Text] Tokyo June 25, KYODO— The Japan-North Korea Fishing Council, a private body of fishermen, Friday ordered all Japanese fishing boats operating in a 200-nautical-mile zone around

North Korea to leave the area as soon as possible, council officials said.

This order was issued after North Korea announced Thrusday that it would not permit Japanese

fishery operations in the 200-mile zone from July 1, when the current Japan-North Korea

private-level fishery agreement expires. About 300 Japanese cuttle fishing boats are operatxng

in the zone at present and will have to leave the area by the end of June.

Hauls by Japanese fishing vessels in the zone were worth yen 5 billion (dollar 19.6 million)

in 1981, a large drop from the yen 13 billion (dollar 50.9 million) recorded in 1980.

Sakurauchi on DPRK Fishing Talks

OW260524 Tokyo KYODO in English 0516 GMT 26 Jun 82

[Text] Tokyo, June 26, KYODO — Foreign Minister Yoshio Sakurauchi indicated Saturday the

government may admit a North Korean delegation, depending on its membership, to discuss

extension of a private fishery agreement.

North Korea said Friday it would not allow Japanese fishermen to operate within its 200-

mile economic zone on June 30 at the expiration of the present fishery accord.

Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, the foreign

minister said his office would discuss prudently the question of the visit of a North

Korean delegation if it materializes. This was interpreted to mean the government would

allow the North Korean delegation to visit Japan depending on who will be in the group.

North Korea said a new fishery agreement could not be concluded because of Japanese

authorities' unfriendly stance toward the communist government.

CSO: 5200/2089
INTER-AS IAN AFFAIRS

JAPANESE BOATS IN NEW ZEALAND ZONE UPSET LOCAL FISHERMEN

Agreement Extension Criticized

Auckland THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD in English 1 Jun 82 p 11

[Text!

Press Assn Wellington

Commercial fishermen

are unhappy about last

week's agreement which

allows Japanese licensed

boats to continue fishing

in New Zealand waters

until 1984.

"They have been allocated the. same quota," said

the secretary of the Commercial Fishermen's Association, Mr R. Poison. "September, 1984, is a long way

away and we will be taking !up the matter with the Government. ...

"These sorts of decisions

are being taken, but they;

will not make decisions |

about the domestic industry, 1

which is developing at quite

a steady pace.

"The Japanese have been,

given a better deal than any

other country fishing in New

Zealand's zone," Mr Poison

said.

The secretary of the Seafood Processers Exporters

Association, Mr Ian Hamilton, said that the agree-1

ment was a political move|

to appease foreign nations.!

"Letting the Japanese into

the zone is like letting someone into your house without

telling them how many

rooms they are allowed to

occupy."
Government Spokesman's Response

Wellington THE EVENING POST in English 2 Jun 82 p 27

[Text]

The bilateral fishing

agreement with Japan

laid down only the conditions under which licensed

fishing was conducted,

and did not guarantee any

particular tonnage to

Japan, the Acting Minister of Fisheries, Mr

Talbot, said yesterday.

Mr Talbot was responding to criticism by the Federation of Commercial Fishermen of the extension of

the agreement until late

1984.

"The federation is well

aware that during the course

of the existing argeement,

which was signed in 1978,

Japanese access to the

prime species has. been cut

substantially," said Mr

Talbot.

"These cuts have been

made to increase.the quantities of these profitable

species available to co-operative ventures and domestic

fishermen."

Mr Talböt added that

when the extension of the

fisheries agreement was announced, it had been made

clear that the Government

had deliberately limited it to

two years because the fishing industry was going

through a period of development and "we wanted to

keep our options open for accommodating its increasing

needs."

• Commercial fishermen in

Timaru want all foreign and

joint-venture squid boats

banned from fishing in the

Canterbury Bight.

And they will ask the federation's conference in Picton this week to support

moves to have the Bight reserved for New Zealandowned fishing boats.

They claim in a remit

that early season catches by

the Japanese have a serious

effect on the financial return

for local fishermen during

the latter part of the season.

The fishermen also say

squid caught by the

Japanese is smaller than

that caught by local boats,

and squid reserves could be

seriously affected.

CSO: 5200/9095
AUSTRALIA

RECORD-SIZED JACKET, PLATFORM READY FOR NORTH WEST SHELF

Perth THE WEST AUSTRALIAN in English 20 May 82 News of the North p 14

[Text] DRILLING DERRICK *t

REMOTE FLARE

FLARE JACKET

An artist's view of the North .Rarikin A jacket and platform

which will be used on the NW Shelf.
ALL EYES around Dampier and barge and when positioned will be

Burrup will be directed seaward flooded in a controlled way so it

this weekend awaiting the arrival settles on the bottom in 12-metre

of the biggest single piece of deep water. The jacket is an eightequipment for the North West legged steel structure which will

Shelf gas project, the 23,000-tonne be held to the seabed by 32 piles

North Rankin A jacket. The jack- each 154m long and 1.8m in diaet was built at the Nippon Kokan meter. It' is one of the heaviest

shipyard in Tsu, Japan, and set steel platform sub-structures to be

off for Burrup in April. It is ex- built anywhere in the world and

pected to arrive on Friday or Sat- is about three times as heavy as

urday and will be anchored in any of the jackets installed in

Mermaid Sound until weather the Bass Strait field. It is deconditions are right for the 12- signed to withstand cyclonic conhour tow to the site of the field, •• ditions with winds of up to 215-

130km off Dampier. There it will kmh and waves up to 23 metres

be slid from the 183-metre long. ' . high.

CSO: 5200/7543
AUSTRALIA

UNDERSEA PIPELINE FROM NW SHELF GAS PROJECT BEGUN

Perth THE WEST AUSTRALIAN in English 31 May 82 p 4

[Article by Peter Alford] 1

[Text] THE OFF-SHORE phase of the North-West Shelf natural gas

development is now in full swing with the laying of the submarine

pipeline from the Burrup Peninsulai to the North Rankin field

having begun.

Project construction

work is running ahead

of schedule and Woodside Offshore Petroleum officials hope

to have the 135km

pipeline finished in

four months.

- The pipe-laying barge

ETPM 1601 began

welding together

lengths of pipe and

laying them on the sea

floor on Friday night.

The pipeline will

carry gas and condensate from the North

Rankin "A" platform

to the gas-treatment

plant at Withnell Bay,

north of Dampier.

Woodside Offshore officials estimated in the

weekend that the

North-West Shelf joint

venturers — Woodside

Petroleum Ltd, BP

Australia, California

Asiatic Oil, Shell Australia and BHP—are

now spending about $2

million a day on the

project

Dispel

They were keen 'to

dispel fears that target

date extensions for the

second stage of the

project—delivery of liquified natural gas

(LNG). to Japanese

customers—were a f-

"fecting progress of the

| domestic gas stage.

The domestic gas

phase—the State Energy Commission has

contracted to buy 10.9

million cubic metres

daily over 20 years,

starting in 1984—will

cost $2200 million at

.current estimates.

The North Rankin

"A" jacket arrived in

Mermaid ' Sound, off

the peninsula, on May

22 and is being

checked for possible

damage during the trip

from' Japan , and that

equipment is in working order. > '■■■■

' (Woodside i Offshore's

assistant; general

manager, (construction

and production) . -Mr

Ian Henderson, said

that if all went well

the- jacket* would be

towed on its barge out

to the field and secured in place within a

week.

It is expected that accommodation, drilling

and substructure modules, a helipad and a

flare tower will to^T delivered and readv .' "

secured to tfcP"'

form by mid-September.

The V modules are

being built at Jervoise

Bay, Geraldton and

Singapore and the

flare tower Is under

construction in Adelaide.

Mr Henderson said

that if significant delays could be avoided

he hoped to have the

drill rig operational by

March next year—well

ahead of the October

1983 date in the project's "master schedule"»

The North Rankin

"A" platform will have

the capacity for 34

wells.

Seven will be need in

operation to fulfil the

first-stage requirements.!

Meanwhile, the pipeline is being laid on

the sea floor alongside

the route of the trench

that will hold it. . An undersea plough

will then dig the

trench and lay the pipe

mit. '.'-.

The rock-dumping

vessel "Rocky Giant"

will cover the pipeline

with rock to a distance

of 23km from shore.

This .covering will

protect the ' pipeline

from dragging anchors

and from movement

caused by; cyclone

surge . waves. V '.< „

CS0: 5400/7545
AUSTRALIA

FISHERMEN TO ASK GOVERNMENT FOR BAN ON JAPANESE TUNA BOATS

Canberra THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN in English 22-23 May 82 p 6

[Article by Fia dimming] **

[Text] f^HE Fishing Industry

'Council will ask the"Federal

•Government to ban Japanese fishirigin-'Australian waters^ because the industry's

staple, the southern bluefin

tuna, is threatened.

The council's executive

meeting last week decided to

press for the removal of all

Japanese fishing vessels from

the new fishing year, beginning on November 1. to save

the $15 million local industry.

This follows a CSIRO Division of Fisheries report which

concluded the bluefin tuna

could suffer a "population

crash" unless the catch was

Immediately reduced.

The council's national executive officer, Mr Stephen Carney, said yesterday the Government would now have to

decide between the Japanese

and"the Australian industries.

"We appreciate the Government is in a delicate position

and does not wish to upset its

Japanese - trading partners,

but that is their problem," Mr

Carney said.

At present, there are no

restrictions on bluefin tuna

fishing, and the catch this

year from Australian boats,

Japanese long-line trawlers

and New Zealanders could be

50.000 tonnes.

Scientists believe the sustainable catch limit is only

26,000 to 28,000 tonnes.

CSO: 5200/7543

INVESTED

Mr Carney said the Australian tuna catch, 11,000 tonnes

two years ago, was now 23,000

tonnes, and the industry had

recently invested heavily in

trawlers.

"That doesn't leave any

room for the Japanese, and it

means the Australian industry

itself will have to manage and

control its catch in future

years," Mr Carney said.

The CSIRO report said the

tuna spawning stock was more

than halved by over-fishing

between 1967 and 1974, and

was now below the level where

the fish population could

maintain itself.

Catch-weight quotas should

immediately be imposed for

each State with large blue-fin

tuna industries — Western

Australia, South Australia and

NSW.

But one of the scientists, Dr

Garth Murphy, said perhaps

only an international committee to introduce and enforce

catch limits could ensure

quotas were followed.

The CSIRO researchers said

the Australian catch this year

would not affect spawning

stock until 1983-84, and the effect on fishable stock could

not be estimated for another

seven years.

The director of the NSW

State Fisheries, Dr Donald

Francois, said the CSIRO

scientists' were "alarmists."

and the fish population would

gradually decline rather than

collapse. ,

'The only crash will be when

the fisherment can't make

enough money. It will be an

economic crash rather than a

population crash," he said.
AUSTRALIA

NEW DRILLING TO BE STARTED OFF TASMANIAN COAST

Sydney THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD in English 18 May 82 p 13

[Article by J. N. Pierce]

[Text] A well to be spudded off Tasmania's inhospitable West Coast late next month

will mark the return of one oil explorer after an eight-year absence and the beginning of an ambitious petroleum search career by another.

The returning explorer is Standard Oil Co (Indiana) subsidiary, Amoco Australia

Petroleum Co, which has not carried out any Australian exploration since 1974.

The new explorer is the glass container and packaging group, Australian Consolidated

Industries Ltd, which has set its sights on placing about one-quarter of its assets in the energy and resources industry during the 1980s.

The well will be known as Cape Sorell No 1, taking its name from the southern headland of deeply indented Macquarie Harbour on which the small mining port of Strahan

stands.

The well will be drilled by Diamond M Epoch, a semi-submersible drilling rig whose

last overseas assignment was off the coast of Argentina.

The rig is under long term contract to Phillips Petroleum for its programs in the

Otway and Gippsland Basins but in the meantime is being farmed out to other groups.

Its first Australian activity has been the Pisces 1 well in Gippsland Basin for the

group headed by Union Texas.

Cape Sorell No 1 is expected to be spudded between June 21 and June 30 about 13 kilometres northwest of Cape Sorell lighthouse. It will have a target depth of about

3660 metres.

Amoco and ACI will each have a 25 per cent participating interest in the well, which

is in the Tasmanian permit area, T/12P. Amoco will be the operator.

The other participants are Tasman Oil Inc—a subsidiary to Fluor Corporation of the

US—with 40 per cent, and Anschutz Overseas Corporation, with 10 per cent.

CSO: 5200/7543
AUSTRALIA

BRIEFS

BASS STRAIT ACTIVITY—A $240 million search for oil in Bass Strait has begun with

the spudding of the Hammerhead No 1 well. Shell Development is operator on behalf

of Shell, 40 per cent, News Corp 20 per cent, TNT 20 per cent, Crusader 15 per

cent, and Mincorp 5 per cent. The well is the first to be spudded in permit areas

relinquished by BHP-Esso in last year's licensing round. The target at Hammerhead

is a trap lying in the Rosedale fault system, at a depty of 121m. Expected total

depth of the well is 2100m. Shell Development hopes oil within the Gippsland

Basin has migrated to the boundary fault and has been trapped. [Text] [Canberra

THE AUSTRALIAN in English 18 May 82 p 40]

NEW SHELF WELL PROGRESS—Woodside Petroleum Ltd reported that the North Scott Reef

No. 1 well being drilled on the North-West Shelf was at a plugged back depth of 4391m.

During the week a 18cm liner was run in preparation for production testing. Participants in the well were: Woodside 50 per cent, BP Petroleum Development Australia

Pty Ltd and California Asiatic Oil Company each 16.67 per cent and Shell Development

(Australia) Pty Ltd and Hematite Petroleum Pty Ltd each 8.33 per cent. [Text]

[Perth THE WEST AUSTRALIAN in English 19 May 82 p 76]

FISH 'DUMPING' ISSUE—Sydney: NSW fishermen are threatening to blockade Sydney

Harbour in protest at what they say is the dumping of cheap New Zealand fish in Australia. The trawlermen want the Federal Government to act to stop imports of cheap

fish. "Fishermen are reaching their breaking point," said Mr Terry Curtin, executive officer of the NSW Professional Fish Trawler Owners' Association. "They are

going broke. The Government has known about the problem for almost a year and still

nothing has been done." Mr Curtin said there was strong support at a recent meeting of trawler owners for a harbour blockade. "They are determined to take some

direct action if there is no satisfactory Government proposal within a week or

two," he said. "One proposal was to dump two tonnes of fish on the steps of Parliament House in Canberra." Mr Curtin said large volumes of cheap NZ fish were

flooding the Australian market. Imports of whole fish and fillets had jumped from

21,000 tonnes in 1978-79 to 32,860 tonnes in 1980-81. A large part of the increase

was NZ fish caught by joint NZ-Russian operations. Fish prices on the Sydney market

had fallen an average of 4 per cent last year. At the same time, trawler operators'

costs had risen dramatically. [Text] [Perth THE WEST AUSTRALIAN in English 19 May

82 p 52]

QUEENSLAND OVER-FISHING—You cannot find the kind of seafood you dearly love, in the

quality and quantity you want, and at a reasonable price—right? Join the club.

10
A million or more Queenslanders are already members, including a lot, perhaps the

majority, of commercial fishermen. In the not very long term, the situation could

become even less palatable. Unless the fishing industry gets its act together, one

day there'll be little or no seafood left in Queensland waters to complain about.

These waters are being too heavily fished. From the Gulf to the Tweed, professionals, amateurs and shamateurs are beginning to take more from the sea than nature

can replace. That is the opinion of the Queensland Commercial Fishermen's Organisational chairman, Mr Dale Bryan. The Primary Industries Minister, Mr Ahem, agrees,

and so do many competent fisheries scientists and administrators. Mr Bryan, 42, of

Innisfail, a master fisherman, likens the situation to that of a cattleman who allows

his beasts to overgraze a paddock, not just to the point of cropping the grass to

ground level but to pulling up the roots and eating them as well. He agrees he has

a political purpose in what he says, but no, he is not sounding a false alarm: the

situation is as he says it is. Someone, he says, has to wake the state, more particularly his organisation's 2760 members and all in the fish catching, processing

and marketing industry, to the facts. Mr Bryan says that, paradoxically, an industry which is often and with justification described as inefficient is, in fact,

too efficient. [Excerpt] [Brisbane THE COURIER-MAIL in English 24 May 82 p 51

OIL SLICK FROM SINKING—The 8500 tonne cargo ship Kyoten Maru has sunk in

the Coral Sea two days after it was shipwrecked on Lihou Reef, 360 nautical

miles east of Cairns. The ship sank yesterday afternoon, leaving an oil slick,

40 large containers, one life boat and two life rafts floating near the reef,

the Australian Coastal Surveillance Centre said last night. It was believed

the Kyoten Maru carried 500 tonnes of oil. A civil aircraft chartered by

the Transport Department reported the sinking. A RAAF Orion surveillance

plane was sent to fly over the area late yesterday. It confirmed the sinking

and reported that there were no other ships within 60 nautical miles of the

area. The RAAF plane also confirmed that there was an oil slick and large

containers floating near the reef where the ship had been. The Kyoten Maru

was on its way from Sydney to Port Moresby when it hit the reef at 7.30 ,p.m.

on Tuesday. Its crew of 24 were taken off by the 25,000 tonne British container ship Arafura on Wednesday morning. The main concern now is the oil slick.

Its size was not known late last night, but part of it had been broken up

by waves in the area, a Surveillance Centre spokesman said. The navigational

aid vessel Lumen left Cairns yesterday with an oil pollution expert and some

equipment to fight the slick. It also was carrying some salvage equipment.

The Lumen was expected to arrive at the reef this morning. Surveillance aircraft will continue to monitor the movements of the oil slick. [Text] [Brisbane THE COURIER-MAIL in English 28 May 82 p 3]

CSO: 5200/7545

11
INDIA

DEFENSE MINISTER SPEAKS ON NEED FOR COAST GUARD

Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA in English 6 Jun 82 p 3

[Text] BOMBAY, June 5—The government of India has accorded high priority

to the rapid augmentation of the Coast Guard Force for protecting our seabed resources and offshore assets from enemy threats, according to the defence

minister, Mr. R. V. Venkataraman.

Speaking at the launching of the second offshore patrol vessel, "Vijaya",

at the Mazagon Dock here today, Mr. Vekataraman said an outlay of Rs. 110

crores had been made for a five-year Coast Guard Development Plan under which

the Coast Guard would equipped with 24 patrol vessels.

Foreign Vessels

The first patrol vessel "Vikram", launched eight months ago, would be commissioned in June 1983 and "Vijaya" would join the Coast Guard by the end

of 1983. One more patrol vessel would be builk by the Mazagon Dock under

the five-year plan.

Poaching by foreign vessels in Indian waters posed serious problem and the

Coast Guard, with its limited forces, was hard put to apprehend the entruding

foreign trawlers. Mr. Venkataraman said.

The defence minister said that more was to be done to ensure effective patrolling of our waters. The Coast Guard should also start prosecutions under

legal provisions to ensure India's Exclusive Economic Zone against offenders,

he said.

Vice-admiral M. R. Schunker, director-general of the Coast Guard, said the

para-military force under the ministry of defence, had to protect over 2 million square kilometres of sea and about 5,550 km-long coastline around the

country. India had been accorded the status of "Pioneer" by the recently

concluded UN Laws of the Sea Conference in sea mining, he added.

The director-general said the Coast Guard had apprehended 30 foreign fishing

trawlers poaching in Indian maritime zone and legal actions had been initiated against them. With the expeditious implementation by the defence ministry and quicker execution of the project by the Mazagon Dock, the traget force

level of the Coast Guard, would be achieved in the planned time, vcie-admiral

Schunkar said.

12
The managing director of Mazagon Dock, Mr. N. K. Sawnney, in his welcome address, said the launching of the second patrol vessel marked a step forward

in achieving self-sufficiency in naval ship design and ship-building. The

patrol vessels were specialised ships, fully designed by the Mazagon Dock.

He said the vessels were equipped with pollution control and fire fighting

capacity and a deck and hangar for a ship-borne helicopter enhanced its versatality. He added that the Mazagon Dock was evolving a new design of more

advanced version of these patrol vessels.

Sub Construction

He said that the shipyard was vigorously engaged in building Godavari class

naval ships which are more sophisticated than the Leander class frigates,

and civil works for the construction of submarines had begun.

The present indigenous content of products at Mazagon Dock was 71 per cent

in patrol vessels and 60 per cent in Offshore platforms, according to Mr.

Sawnney.

Earlier, Mrs. Anne Mary Schunker, wife of the director-general of the Coast

Guard, christened the ship as "Vijaya" and after an invocation applied "kumkum" to the stem of the ship. And in accordance with the tradition after

breaking a coconut on the bow of the ship, she launched the vessel by pressing a button and "Vijaya" gracefully slid into the sea from the drydock.

Those present on the occasion included Mr. M. C. Sarin, secretary, defence

production, and the FOC-in-C, western naval command, M. P. Awati.

CSO: 5200/7042

13
INDIA

BRIEFS

NAVY ARREST AUTHORITY—The Centre has authorised the commissioned officers of

the Navy in addition to the coast guards under Section 9, sub-section (I) of

the Maritime Zone of India Act to check illegal fishing by foreign vessels,

reports UNI. [Text] [New Delhi PATRIOT in English 20 Jun 82 p 5]

CSO: 5200/7044

1U
INDONESIA

BRIEFS

JAPANESE AID—Singapore, 17 Jun (ANTARA)—Japanese Foreign Minister

Yoshio Sakurauchi has stated that Japan was prepared to help Indonesia

in the exploitation of deep sea wealth. The statement was made byMinister Sakurauchi when he met his Indonesian counterpart, Minister

Mochtar Kusumaatmaja, at the Hilton Hotel here Wednesday [16 June] The

deep sea wealth issue emerged in bilateral of the Wawasan Nusantara

archipelago concept in the last conference on the law of the sea. The

time has come to explore the way for the development of the exploitation

of sea wealth to support national development, according to Minister Mochtar.

Indonesia, Mokhtar said, respects Japan for her support to the draft convention

forwarded at the last conference on the law of the sea. [Text] [BK170855

Jakarta ANTARA in English 0715 GMT 17 Jun 82]

CSO: 5200/670

15
NEW ZEALAND

EXCLUSIVE FISHING ZONE MAY BE EXPANDED FOR LOCAL FLEET

Wellington THE EVENING POST in English 2 Jun 82 p 21

[Article by Karen Dabrowska] "*

[Text]

PICTON Today. — There was still some room for, the expansion of'New Zealand fisheries, the Parliamentary Undersecretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Rex

Austin, said today.

"But just how much more

we can take out and for how

long without destroying the

fishery or somebody going

broke is far from certain,"

Mr Austin said in his opening

address to the 24th annual

conference of the New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen in Picton.

"Unless further research

shows there are more fish

out there than we think there

are, or the ones nobody

wants can be caught and

marketed profitably, we

have to face the fact that we

have a surplus of catching

capacity.

"In the few years since

the exclusive economic zone

was declared we have arrived at a balance — perhaps an uneasy one — of

domestic New Zealand involvement, joint ventures

and foreign licensed fishing.

'"Rie Government is committed to getting as many

New Zealanders as possible

involved in fishing, and the

ministry is considering extending the areas adjoining

the territorial sea that are

closed to foreign and joint

venture boats. .

Ability

"To achieve the extension

of the closed areas, it must

be established that the

domestic fleet is reasona€ly

capable of harvesting the

fish," Mr Austin said.

The National Fisheries

Management Advisory Committee has suggested fishermen supply the ministry

with information required to

determine whether this is

the case.

Mr Austin emphasised

that entering the deepwater

fishery was not just a matter

of training or having suitable

vessels.

"Lifestyle and attitudes

will play a large part.

"For instance, an American tuna boat commonly

spends 12 weeks at sea, and

some of our local fishermen

might have to contemplate

changes to their traditional

> way of operating if they are

to' compete successfully in

the deeper waters," Mr Austin concluded.

CSO: 5200/9096

16
NEW ZEALAND

NEW OIL PROSPECTING LICENSE ISSUED FOR GREAT SOUTH BASIN

Christchurch THE PRESS in English 5 Jun 82 p 6

[Text]

PA Wellington

A new oil prospecting

licence for the Great South

Basin off Stewart Island has

been approved by the Government. •

The Minister of Energy

(Mr Birch) said yesterday

that drilling of at least two

prospecting wells in the area

was expected next year.

Negotiations for a suitable

rig were still going on but at

least two wells, costing about

$30 million each, were expected during the next three

years.

The petroleum prospecting

licence has been awarded to

Hunt International petroleum

Company N.Z., Ltd, its associated companies of Impel

N.Z., Ltd, and Placid Oil, Ltd,

and Petroleum Corporation

: of N.Z. (Exploration), Ltd, on

behalf of the Government.

The licence covers the

same area of more than

|_ 59.000 square kilometres, as

covered by a previous

licence, and has been issued

for up to five years.

The licence area is part of

one of New Zealand's most

prospective basins, the Great

South Basin.

"The geology of.the region

is such that there is potential

for a major discovery of

petroleum," Mr Birch said.

"Of the six wells drilled in

the basin in the 1970s, three

had shows of hydrocarbons."

CSO: 5200/9096

17
PHILIPPINES

NEW INTERNATIONAL SEA LAW POSES PROBLEMS FOR PHILIPPINES

Manila BULLETIN TODAY in English 16 Jun 82 p 28

[Article by E. T. Suarez]

[Text] Solicitor General Estelito P. Mendoza said yesterday that the right of

unimpeded passage enjoyed by foreign ships under the new international law of

the sea poses problems for the Philippines and is contrary to its Constitution.

Mendoza, in an interview with newsmen during a program commemorating the 81st

anniversary of the solicitor general's office, said the right of unimpeded

passage is provided for by the Convention on the Law of the Sea approved by a

United Nations conference in New York city recently.

He said the Philippines took part in the conference.

"Under this new law of the sea, even warships may pass through what the Philippines considers her internal waters, and thus create security problems for the

country," Mendoza said.

He said the new law of the sea recognizes the archipelagic principle espoused

by the Philippines, Indonesia and other archipelagic states. He said that under this principle, archipelagic waters belong to their respective states.

"But the same treaty made exceptions to the sovereign right of archipelagic

states over their waters," Mendoza stressed.

One of these exceptions, Mendoza said, is the right of unimpeded passage by

foreign vessels through the archipelagic waters.

Mendoza explained that under the Constitution, the waters around, between and

connecting the islands of the archipelago, irrespective of their breadth and

dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippine archipelago.

Meanwhile, Mendoza said the existence of the solicitor general's office shows

that even the government is subject to law and its actions may be challenged

in court.

18
He said his office represents the government and its officials involving

their official acts in court litigations. Considered the "biggest law office,"

it is manned by some 250 lawyers and support staff.

"This office is proof that the rule of law is observed in this country,"

Mendoza said.

CSO: 5200/5666

19
SRI LANKA

FISHERIES MINISTER INTERVIEWED ON MARITIME PROBLEMS

Colombo THE ISLAND in English 13 Jun 28 p 4

[Article by Ravindran Casinader]

{Text] Q: Why is it that Sri Lanka, an island surrounded by fish, continues

to import canned fish?

A: It is because out output of fish at the moment is not sufficient to meet

the demand. On the basis of 45 pounds per person per year we need about

300,000 tons to supply our people with the necessary fish protein. At the moment, production is around 190,000 tons. The balance 110,000 tons have to be

imported to satisfy the demand. As such, we have to import dry fish and

canned fish.

Q: Why is it that production has not increased sffficiently?

A. So far we have been dependent on coastal fisheries for which we have been

using a small fleet, partly mechanised and partly unmechanised. However, we

have now gone in for mechanisation on a large scale, in an effort to increase

production. When we took over, out of a fleet of 22,000 craft only 7,000 were

mechanised. As a result of our mechanisation policy more n production is

partly due to our inland fisheries production going up from 7,000 tons in 1977

to 15,000 tons this year.

We have increase production despite the setback caused by the cyclone in 1978

which damaged, completely, more than onesixth of our fleet.

Q: Why is it that, despite your policy of mechanisation and increased production, fish prices are so high?

A: The prices are high because of several reasons. One is the inflationary

trends in the country: the fisherman too has to meet his increasing cost of

living. Then, there is the increase in demand for fish, caused partly by the

tourist industry. I know one hotel in the south which is prepared to pay any

amount to buy seer fish from the people. This hotel collects as much as 25

tons per week from the coastal areas and stocks them in ice storage in the

area. We have also to take into account the fisherman's increasing costs of

production. For instance, as a result of the price increase in electricity,

20
the ice factories increased the price of their ice sold to fishermen. To add

to this prices of fishing equipment, such as boats, have gone up by as much

as ten times.

Q: But still, with the increase in production that you talk about one would

have expected better prices for the fish?

A: True. Production has been increased to 190,000 tons. But the maximum we

can get from the coastal area is 255,000 tons. Three resource surveys that we

have carried out also confirm this. That is the maximum we can get. Our

seas are not as fertile as we think. That is because our fish are mainly the

migratory type and that is seasonal. If the season fails, the fish may not

come.

As for the demersal variety (Fish living at the bottom of the sea) our seas,

unlike in the Bay of Bengal or around Maldives don't provide enough upsurge

of nutrients. Our fish depend for their nutrients largely on the rivers flowing into the sea. But because of the lack of rail and the damming of rivers

such as the Mahaveli Ganga even that source of nutrients is getting blocked

up. Because of the Mahaveli project the eastern province may not have the

same amount of fish as there used to be. That is why to compensate for that,

we are stepping up inland fisheries in the Mahaveli region.

Q: Speaking of the eastern province, there have been complaints that the effluents from the Valachchenai Paper Factory have decimated the fish population

in the Valachchenai lagoon. What action have you taken?

A: We had appointed a committee to investigate the matter. Some of the

short-term measures recommended by the Committee, such as the cleaning up of

drains, are being implemented. As a long-term measure, the committee had advised us to set up a processing plant to process the waster material of the

factory. But the processing plant will cost about Rs. 150 million and we are

looking for a source for funding.

Q: What do you feel about Cey-Nor?

A: Cey-Nor is actually a private organisation. We are helping Cey-Nor because

it is an establishment which is contributing to our national development efforts to increase fish production.

Q: But aren't some of your officials directors of Cey-Nor?

A: My Secretary Mr. Anura Weeraratne happens to be Chairman of Cey-Nor by

virtue of the office he holds in this Ministry. But that was the wish of they

Cey-Nor benefactors, that the Secretary of the Fisheries Ministry should be

the Chairman.

Q: There have been tears expressed in the north that the Government might

close down Cey-Nor?

A: No, we will never close down Cey-Nor.

21
Q: There have been complaints of corruption, waste and mal-administration at

Cey-Nor. What steps are you taking to rectify this?

A: There have been various allegations. My Secretary, who is the Chairman,

has taken drastic measures. Now it is on a better footing especially after

the retrenchment.

Q: Why is it that there has been tension in Mullaitivu and Mannar between native fishermen of those areas and migrant fishermen who go there?

A: There is now an awakening consciousness on the part of local fishermen

that they have a right to fish resources in their own areas. That is the main

reason why the local fishermen are now against migrant fishermen. Everywhere

it is happening, not only in Tamil areas but also in Sinhala areas where Sinhalese are objecting to Sinhalese from other areas coming to fish there.

Q: But in respect of Mullaitiva and Manner, is it not due to the fact that

houses have been allocated to migrant fishermen who don't belong to those

areas?

A: No. In Mullaitivu, no houses have been allocated in Mannar to migrant

fishermen?

Q: What about Mannar?

A: No.

Q: You mean no houses have been allocated in Mannar to migrant fishermen?

A: Well, you see, even among migrant fishermen you get a class of people who

have become locals. They spend their lives mainly in those areas. It is very

rarely that they get back to their native areas, if at all.

Q: Your ministry had spent a lot of money on subsidising boats. But boatbuilders are said to be passing defective boats to local fishermen. What steps

are you taking to prevent this?

A: We have taken steps to ensure that boats are made to certain specifications. There may be instances where these people have given bad boats. But

when we receive complaints our engineers keep a strick check on the boatyards.

Q: Is it true that a good number of defaulters of bank loans given for boats

are migrant fishermen who, having bought the boats, have decamped?

A: Migrant fishermen are not the only ones who have defaulted. There are

certain areas where there are more defaulters than in other areas.

Q: What is the criterion used by the Fisheries Ministry in giving subsidies

for fishing boats?

A: In the case of boats given to co-operatives we give a subsidy of 50 percent and in the case of private individuals and firms it is 35 percent.

22
Q: Who chooses as to who is to get these subsidies?

A: They must be recommended by the local fisheries officials, but if it is a

co-operative there is no need for a recommendation.

Q: Is there any feasibility done with regard to individuals who will be receiving the loans, whether they are capable of repaying the loans?

A: It is the banks that give the loans, and they carry out a survey before

they do that.

Q: But the banks may not be able to do a detailed study in all cases. Why

doesn't your Ministry also do a feasibility survey before the loans are given?

A: As far as the fishermen are concerned, they have no other income other

than from fishing. So the banks only have to see whether the fishermen are

capable of fishing.

Q: Is it absolutely essential for one to be a fisherman?

A: No, it is not necessary. The subsidy is based on a policy of primarily,

giving an incentive to any one who likes to fish, and secondly, to give fishermen a helping hand.

Q: Don't you think that if the loans are given to people who are not fishermen they might be misused?

A: The loans are meant for people who need large boats for deep sea fishing.

The poor fisherman cannot afford to buy a boat for even Rs. 5,000. In the

case of the self-employment scheme, the fisherman gets 35 percent and the

banks give 57 percent. The fisherman will have to pay 8 percent.

Even 8 percent of Rs. 5,000 is a big amount for a fisherman. So it is to ensure that deep sea fishing is done that we give these loans also to those who

are not fishermen.

Q: There have been allegations that there was undue delay in the handing over

boats to the Devinuwera electorate.

Have you any comments?

A: There was no delay in the handing over of boats. Only in the case of cooperatives we were unable to give any boats to any place because there was a

problem of bank loans being not available.

Q: Why were the bank loans not available?

A: Earlier these boats were given from monies from the Treasury, on an Advance Account. This scheme was stopped and taken over by the banks. The banks

then took time to plan the loan scheme...

23
Q: The Finance Minister is reported to have said that the Fisheries Ministry

was holding up the issue of the boats.

A: That's a misunderstanding. We are not holding up the issue of boats. It

is the banks that hold up the issue of boats.

Q: While the Fisheries Ministry is going ahead with the intensified mechanisation programme, why is it that the local fishermen have not been given adequate

training on the new technology?

A: We are training the youth who are taking to fishing. As far as the traditional fishermen are concerned, we are finding it difficult to persuade them to

learn the new methods.

in fact the Norwegian research vessel 'Dr. Fiordoft Nansen' has advised us that our fishermen must adopt methods such as long-line

fishing.

We are teaching our fishermen this new type of technology.

Q: Fishing vessels from Taiwan and Japan poach in our waters. But why is it

that we have not been successful in terms of foreign collaboration for fishing

projects?

A: I think that is the very reason why we have not been successful. Poaching

goes on unabated. They prefer to poach and take away our fish than be engaged

in foreign collaboration in which case they would have to give us our share.

We have been trying to have joint ventures in deep sea fishing with various

countries such as Korea and Japan, but have not been successful.

Q: Sri Lanka has been faced with the recurring problem of Indian fishing trawlers intruding into Sri Lanka's territorial waters and damaging fishing gear of

local fisherman. What action are you taking to prevent this/

A: That's a mutual problem.

Their people cross the border and our people too

cross the border. One cannot say which party is the aggressor, because the

area dividing the two territorial waters is a narrow strip. It is only an

imaginary line.

We are trying at official level to iron out these problems.

Q: You have also said that you would like to negotiate with the Indian government to reclaim the rich fishing grounds of the Wadge Bank which Sri Lanka had

conceded to India when the problem with regard to the Kachchetivu Island was

resolved in 1976. How has India responded to your proposal?

A: So far there has been no response.

Q: Why was the decision made to shift the Bay of Bengal headquarters from

Madras to Colombo.

2k
A: This decision was taken by the Bay of Bengal Conference held here last

year. Even the FAO had thought it fit that the TUNA Secretariet be set up in

Colombo.

Since Sri Lanka is surrounded by fish, the member states of the Bay of Bengal

Conference must have thought that the Headquarters should be shifted to Sri

Lanka for a change.

Q: Why is it the Headquarters has still not been set up in Colombo?

A: The FAO has to do it. But India has been protesting against the decision.

Q: On what grounds has India protested?

A: That it has been in Madras all the time. But India was not present at the

time the decision was taken at the Conference.

Q: Why did they not participate at the Conference?

A: They said they had other committments.

Q: Do you think they were trying to boycott the Conference?

A: I don't think so. I checked up with the Indian High Commission. They

said their delegates had certain committments. I think their elections was

going on.

Q: How has Sri Lanka responded to India's protest?

A: We see no reason why the Headquarters should not be shifted. The decision

of the conference committee should go through.

Otherwise it will be undemocratic. We anyway don't want to make a big issue

about it with India. After all we are friendly countries. And I am sure India

will not stand in our way.

CSO: 5200/5666

2$
POLAND

NATIONAL INTERESTS, RIGHTS IN LAW OF SEA DECLARED

Warsaw TRYBUNA LUDU in Polish 7 Jun 82 p 6

[Article by Zbigniew Lesnikowski: "Law of the Sea Convention—End of the

Great Debate"]

[Text] There has been no longer nor more arduous debate in the history of

the ONZ [United Nations Organization]. From the first session in Caracas

in 1974, through the last recently concluded session in New York, there was

no let-up in disputes and stormy discussions. When the verdict was at last

announced at the conclusion of the 11th session of the 3rd Law of the Sea

Conference, participants heaved a sigh of relief. Their efforts had not

been in vain.

After 8 years of negotiations a Law of the Sea Convention was finally

adopted, together with a whole packet of accompanying appendices and

resolutions.

Unfortunately, it was not possible to attain this via consensus or agreement

by all conference participants. There were 130 countries for the plan, 4

against (the U.S.A., Israel, Venezuela and Turkey), while 17 States abstained

from voting. Poland and other socialist countries were among the abstainees,

except for Romania, Vietnam and Cuba which supported the Convention just

like the "Group of 77" that already de facto numbers more than 120 Third

World countries.

The main reason why some socialist countries abstained from voting was their

reservations as to certain provisions that discriminated against them. These

pertained to so-called pioneering investors in the exploitation of the ocean

bed.

It was established that in addition to four countries: USSR, India, Japan

and France, four international private corporations will also have the right

of priority in conducting research and exploiting undersea resources—each

with a substantial share of American capital. We regarded such a resolution

as unjust, however, this does not mean that the countries that refrained

from voting (in addition to those named above, they include Belgium, Federal

Republic of Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and

Thailand) will not sign or ratify the Convention.

26
The formal signing will most likely take place in September of this year in

Caracas but the Convention will not become effective until 12 months after

the date on which the sixtieth ratification document is filed. Before that

happens, a preparatory subcommittee will be appointed. It will define the

final form of future international institutions that will be monitoring the

implementation of the Convention's provisions, namely, the Ocean Bed

Organization with headquarters in Jamaica, and the Sea Rights Tribunal with

headquarters in Hamburg.

Let us return, however, to the Convention itself and its accompanying

documents. It is truly a universal, unified code that in about 300 articles

contains all of the principles and standards of contemporary ocean law.

There is talk in it about many unregulated matters in the future, which

among others, pertain to exploitation of the ocean bed, the freedom of

navigation (including the unrestrained transit of straits by ships and planes,

the continental shelf, the study and preservation of the maritime environment, fishing and the conservation of biological resources. In a word,

everything pertaining to any kind of activity associated with the sea that

could have an overly significant meaning for the development of the global

economy, international transportation and trade.

With so wide a range of fixed rules and the natural conflict of interests

on the part of individual countries, it is no wonder that the 3rd International Law of the Sea Conference dragged on as long as it did and that

it required so many compromises. Let us consider that for the first time

in history this concerned the definition of rights and responsibilities

associated with the sea of more than 150 very different countries. Socialist,

capitalist, economically developed and developing countries, large and

small, rich and poor, those that live almost exclusively off of the sea,

and those which in general have no access to the sea. It is hard to believe

that with such a variety of attitudes and views it was, however, possible

to formulate, and by a huge majority to adopt a broad, almost 200-page

code containing more provisions than the output of the 1st and 2nd Law of

the Sea Conferences, in other words, the output of negotiations which have

taken place since 1958.

If observers of the New York session talk about the enormous significance

of the adopted documents and compare it to the United Nation's Charter and

the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man, and if UN Secretary

General Javier Perez de Cuellar calls this Convention "a cornerstone on the

road to building a better world"—then the bombast contained in those words

seems to be fully justified.

To be sure, much depends on when the Convention becomes effective and on

whether its provisions will be universally observed. The lack of consensus

at its adoption is also disturbing, particularly the votes against the

Convention, which could imply that certain countries will not be bound by

its provisions. So is the fact that after numerous efforts to torpedo the

output of the 3rd Conference, the United States, though having resigned from

some of its demands continues to regard the documents accepted over its

opposition, as not protecting parochial American interests. This obstructionist

27
stand by the current USA administration, particularly with reference to

the principles of exploiting sea resources that are recognized as the

"common legacy of mankind" can in the future complicate implementation

of the convention's rules, although it is conceivable that that stand

could still be changed.

From the opinions expressed by members of our delegation about the New

York session, it appears that Poland sees many more pluses than minuses in

the Convention. Thus, although not all of Poland's interests were safeguarded, and we even regarded some of the rules as discriminatory,

nonetheless Poland did not vote against adoption of the final documents.

We recognized that international security, peace and the elimination of

possible claims and conflicts—for which the seas and oceans could become

an arena if the Convention was not adopted—are more important than even

the best motivated economic interests of individual countries.

Thus, for example, not all of the Convention rules in the area of deep-sea

fishing are favorable for us. The inland Baltic is a small half-closed sea

thus we are interested in access to the economic zones of other coastal

countries. Meanwhile, the Convention proclaims that the maximum width of

a territorial sea cannot exceed 12 sea miles (1 mile = 1852 m), and the

width of an economic zone^-200 miles. In practice, this means that in the

aggregate, economic zones encompass about 40 percent of ocean areas, in

which the richest fishing grounds.are to be found, and from which nearly

90 percent of all fishing is derived.

Our traditional fishing rights have been restricted more and more over the

years, and the only consolation is that in accordance with Convention rules,

a sea-shore country which itself is unable to take advantage of the fishing

limits should permit access to fishing by fleets of other nations. Thus we

have every right to request fishing concessions and undoubtedly will be

taking advantage of that right.

It is worth noting that if it were not for Convention provisions, the

difficulties in distant fishing grounds would be substantially greater.

From this standpoint as well as with respect to navigational freedom, the

Convention establishes some restraint on excessive attempts by some countries

to expand the zone of waters under their exclusive jurisdiction. Although

we are unable to establish a 200-mile economic zone in the Baltic in view of

its dimensions, then nonetheless as an "unfavorably geographically located

country", in accordance with the spirit of the Convention, we gain certain

additional advantages that increase our opportunities for deep-sea fishing.

Finally, our navigational interests. They were guaranteed by the Convention's

strongly emphasized principle of the freedom of navigation. This is

extremely important for us. Not just because we have a large merchant fleet.

Any disturbance of the freedom of navigation would have disastrous consequences

for international trade, and that in turn could also reflect itself negatively

on our economy. From that point of view, Convention provisions relative to

freedom of navigation ring most positively in Polish ears.

10433

CSO: 5200/3002

28
INTER-ARAB AFFAIRS

BRIEFS

RED SEA MINERALS—Khartoum, June 18, (SUNA)—Energy and Mining State Minister

Yousif Suleiman arrived Wednesday from France after attending the meetings of

the Red Sea Mineral prospection coordinating committee that convened in Paris

June 7-11. The meeting discussed results of exploration works that confirmed

the availability of tengesten, gold, cooper, Zinc and silver. Prospection for

tengesten and gold will begin in the next two years. Another relevant programme

will be carried out next October. The prospection plan which aims at utilizing

the Red Sea minerals costs $10 million and is a joint venture between Sudan,

France and Saudi Arabia. [Text] [Khartoum SUNA in English No 4160, 18 Jun 82

P 1]

CSO: 5100/5010

29
IRAN

IAW OF SEA TREATY DENOUNCED AS SUPERPOWER COLONIALISM

Tehran KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL in English 19 Jun 82 p 3

[Text]

The Law of the Sea Treaty (LST) was finally signed after nine

years of intense diplomacy and international bargaining on

April 30. One hundred and thirty countries voted for it, 17

(including Russia, Britain and West Germany) abstained and

four (U.S., Israel, Venezuela and Turkey) voted against. In

naked self-interest the Americans continued to demand until

the last minute, the introduction of major changes in the draft

treaty, which is a complex convention of 320 articles and nine

annexes in 180 pages. Last minute concessions offered by the

160 State conference guaranteed U.S. mining companies and

the so-called 'pioneer States' access to eight mining sites on the

ocean floor. Even this did not soften the U.S. stand, which

demands complete freedom to exploit deep sea riches.

The problem started in March 1981, when after eight years of

delicate diplomacy the LST was about to be signed in New

York. The incoming Reagan administration, under pressure

from the U.S. mining interests, expressed 'serious doubts'

about certain parts of the LST and insisted that the whole issue

be 're-examined'.

Reagan sacked half of the U.S. delegation to the Law of the

Sea conference, and appointed the chief lobbyist of the American mining corporations as the deputy chairman of the U.S.

delegation to the conference. Reagan is deeply committed to big

business, which believew thatthe seabed is its newest chance to

accumulate unlimited wealth. Ideas of 'global revenue sharing',

stipulated in the LST, and the formation of a trans-national

mining company to compete with private commercial companies, are *cr«ry' and 'dangerous' concepts because they will

limit the companies' chances of plunder.

During the last year major western nations (U.S., Britain,

France, W.Germany, etc.,) have rushed "national* legislations

through their parliaments allowing their governments to regulate and license exploration and commercial recovery of hard

minerals from the ocean floor by their own citizens. Even the

Russians passed a similar law last April.

After the miscarried conference in New York (March 1981),

another session was held in Geneva (August 1981), but the

Reagan administration failed to come forward with concrete

proposals. New U.S demands (mainly free and continuous

access' to the seabed wealth, abolition of the production limits

and a guaranteed seat for the U.S. with veto powers, on the

executive of the International Seabed Authority (ISA)) provoked heated arguments in the conference. Most of the

delegations of the 160 States were convinced that the new

American thoughts' could not be accommodated without

unravelling the whole draft treaty, the formulation of which had

taken eight years of compromise and negotiation. The American delegation clearly threatened that the U.S. would flout the

30
CSO: 5200/5312

LST if its 'thoughts' were not accommodated, because the U.S.

Senate would not ratify it. The main area affected by U.S. rethinking was about the arrangements governing the mining of

manganese nodules, rich in cobalt, copper and nickel, which lie

on the deep seabed and are estimated to be worth 'trillions of

dollars'. The production limits were stipulated to safeguard the

interests of the land-based producers of these minerals.

The Americans pulled out of the conference in Geneva last

year, but returned to the New York session this year with the

same demands. The overwhelming majority of the delegations

refused to bow to U.S. pressure, and decided to go a

v

ead with

the draft that had taken nine years to prepare, with or without

the U.S.

The LST regulates almost every human activity upon and

beneath the oceans. It covers not only seabed mining, but also

marine navigation, sovereign rights over continental shelves,

and sea pollution control. The LST provides all coastal countries (in additon to the 12 miles full sovereign power) a 200 mile

exclusive economic zone in which they can control fish and

other resources. Ships are allcpved to pass through and planes to

fly over a country's territorial waters. Land-locked countries are

ensured rights of access to and from the sea. Naval vessels are

permitted to pass through strategic straits such as Gibralter and

Hormuz. The LST also provides for an 'International Seabed

Authority' (ISA) which will control all seabed mining, including

its own, through an organization called 'Enterprise" (to be

based at Jamaica) onbehalf of all countries of the world. Private

mining companies will be obliged to share their technology with

the ISA at a fair price, and wouldhave to allow half of their sites

to be exploited by the ISA. Royalties are to be shared by all

couatries, including the land-locked ones. The general policies

of the ISA will be fixedby anassembly of all member-states, but

the real power will reside ina 36 member executive council. The

U.S. having been unable to secure a permanent seat with veto'

powers on this executive, now seeks a sufficient majority of

western and pro-American countries to ensure the blockade of

any action by the ISA unacceptable to western big business.

The so-called 'like-minded' western States (including the

USSR), led by the U.S., are already planning to bypass the

LST. They are seeking to conclude a 'mini-treaty', to be called

the 'Reciprocating States' Agreement* which will 'harmonize'

the 'national' legislations these States have passed on the

subject during the last year. This seems inevitable, given the

present belligerent mood in western cap*"'*.

AH mankind will be defenseless against this piracy by a

handful of militarily-strong countries out for the biggest carveup of the earth's resources since the scramble by the European

powers for black Africa in the second half of the nineteenth

century. Whole oceans will be effectively staked out by a

handful of superpowers to plunder the untapped storehouse of

strategic metals that lie on the deep-seabed. Six cons«"*** bave

already been formed to exploit the ocean wealth; most are led

by giant American companies.

The LST is a real test of the drive by the world's overwhelming majority for an equitable "new economic order*. Its failure

will demonstrate again that — behind the beautiful phrases of

'aid', 'development', 'co-operation*, 'inter-dependence',

•North-South dialogue', — the brutal concept of 'might is right'

still rules. The U.N. will be shown again to be an instrument of

the superpowers to keep weaker States busy in futile polemics.

The LST is expected to come into effect in two or threeyears'

time, when at least 60 countries ratify the treaty. Floutedby the

superpowers, it will be *mere ink on paper'.

Muslimedia, London 1982

31
SENEGAL

GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO REVIVE FISHING INDUSTRY

Dakar LE SOLEIL in French 22 Apr 82 p 2

[Article by Abdallah Faye: "Maritime Credit: 650 Million Already Granted"]

[Text] Six projects totalling Fr 1.45 billion of investment have just

been approved by the board of directors of the Senegalese Financial Company

for the Development of Industry and Tourism (SOFISEDIT) which administers

maritime credit, established by the government one year ago to breath new

life into the fishing sector.

The contribution of maritime credit amounts to some Fr 650 million, or

approximately 43 percent of the investment cost of these six projects.

Established in February of last year at the government's request, maritime

credit initially totalling Fr 1.57 billion began its initial action last

April, with the approval by SOFESEDIT of the following first two projects:

the SURGEL Dakar and Ribero Companies. It was supposed to have kept moving

by its own momentum to approve others.

The government's concern, in instituting this maritime credit was to endow

itself with a tool for effective intervention in the profit of the fishing

sector and of the economic operators developing in it.

Revival

Indeed, the government attaches a great deal of importance to the revival

of fishing, which of necessity is undergoing the renovation of equipment

and the setting up of infrastructures for processing and valorization of

fishing products.

The maritime credit thus established will try to realize these objectives

by giving assistance to nationals in order to complement that granted by

the banking sector and the institutions established by the government in

the past. Senegalese individuals and legal entitles may benefit from

maritime credit.

32
The project must also be viable and fit into the government's orientations

and objectives, within the scope of the action plan for fishing. The

object is to promote a dynamic and profitable fishing sector.

Finally, the project submitted for SOFISEDIT's approval must deal with

industrial fishing. In this respect, it should be indicated that there

is special credit for small-scale fishing, administered by the Center

for Assistance and Motorization of Canoes (CAMP).

Finally, through the expedient of Marine Credit, it is necessary to have

an adequately equipped fleet which would make Senegal independent in the

fishing sector with gradual discontinuance of fishing agreements. For the

present, as the secretary of state for fishing explained, it would be an

enormous loss to want to discontinue such agreements.

In any event, the state is doing the maximum to increase the financing

of maritime credit in order to make it more effective. First there is a

Fr 18 billion financing agreement which will be signed shortly with Mexico

and which will be totally reassigned to SOFISEDIT in order to supply

maritime credit. Next there is the benefit of the Spanish boat operation.

The state, it will be remembered, had re-purchased Spanish boats which it

reassigned to private individuals who were to reimburse it. For some time

they have ceased paying, and the state is going to give them a new impetus

to fulfill their obligations.

Henceforth, they will no longer pay the state directly, but SOFISEDIT,

to whom these arrears have been reassigned to permit it to increase its

means with a view to financing maritime credit. But while maritime credit

is functioning quite well, on the other hand operating credit is having

a few problems.

Lost Opportunity

Short-term credit enables shipowners to meet the necessary expenses for going

to sea. The problem is that once returned ashore with their catches, they

were immobilized for a rather long period, the time to market their production

in order to possess the necessary money for refueling their ships. This

could last between 60 to 90 days, and this period constitutes a lost

opportunity to do business.

Neither the secretary of state for fishing nor the director general of

SOFISEDIT has lost sight of this particularly important problem. The

latter institution is in the process of conducting studies in order to

adjust the instrument in order to make it truly operational.

For Robert Sagna, the working capital problem is a basic problem, because

fishing boat skippers have even been seen to sell their cargos at sea

in order to meet their expenses. Others were selling off the fish dirt

cheap. It was necessary to react. But how?

33
By helping the true fishing professionals, who have given up everything

to fish exclusively. Thosre who have built plants and are turning toward

exportation. Because exportation is governed by rigid laws, it is

necessary always to be in a position to meet demand and within the time

allowed. This operating credit will start off as soon as possible,

assures Mr Amath Samb, director-general of SOFISEDIT, because there is an

urgent need for it. Up to the present, the economic operators developing

in the fishing sector have been solving their problems with their customary

partners, i.e., the commercial banks.

Once operating credit has been set up, the clients' account will be

comiciled at SOFISEDIT in order to facilitate operations.

Initially, SOFISEDIT will loan the banks the financing necessary for operating

credit while waiting to take over after the necessary reorganization of its

structure.

Specially equipped for short- and long-term credits, it has to organize

itself in terms of personnel and logistics as well as different financial

resources in order to be able to set up commercial credit gradually. "If

commercial credit is set up this year, we will take over during the next

fiscal year," Samb promises. He hopes that this credit will succeed m

being syndicated as is the case in the agricultural field.

And then, fishing is included in Rural Credit, the establishment of which

has just been announced. Semi-industrial and small-scale fishing will be

solely affected by this credit, Robert Sagna specified, industrial fishing

belonging to SOFISEDIT's exclusive domain.

On the whole, according to him, what should be remembered is that SOFISEDIT

has set up maritime credit quite rapidly, and its organization still remains

to be perfected, among other things by recruiting personnel to manage it.

Investments

The future of fishing in Senegal depends in large part on investments.

While on the level of the tourist sector, investments are bound to be

surprising, the same will not be true of the fishing sector, where they

must, however, continue.

The example of Japan is instructive in this respect. The leading world

producer of fish with 10.752 million tons annually, this country is still

continuing to invest in the sector. Because it has understood that if it

failed to do so, its entire fleet would disappear. That is what happened

to the Ivory Coast, whose fleet is virtually nonexistent. Witness the fact

that the seven licenses granted to it by Senegal within the framework of

the fishing agreement have not been utilized up to the present.

3k
And once one knows that the total value of fishing to Senegal is some Fr 120

billion annually; that our country is the second leading producer of fish

(345,000 tons) in Africa after Nigeria and the second largest consumer

of fish in the world with 43 kilograms per capita per year; and that of

the 70 million tons caught worldwide, 60 percent comes from the African

coasts, he better perceives the urgence of breathing new life into a truly

vital sector which needs to be revitalized. And it is to be hoped that it

will be a long time before maritime credit is exhausted.

9380

CSO: 5200/5654

35
TURKEY

BRIEFS

ADMIRAL TUMER DISCUSSES EXPLOITATION—Ankara, 24 Jun (AA)—Commander of the

Navy Adm Nejat Turner has said that Turkey is obliged and "determined to

exploit the seas surrounding her under the principles of equity." In a

message to the 1982 conference of navigation, hydrography and oceanography

services, coordinated by the navy, which met in Istanbul Wednesday, Admiral

Turner said it was necessary to conduct physical, chemical, biological, geological, geophysical and meteorological surveys in the seas in order to get

to know all aspects of the surrounding seas. All cruises by research vessels

conducted for this purpose would be "a manifestation of our determination to

protect our rights and interests in the seas," Turner added. [Text]

[TA241005 Ankara ANATOLIA in English 0915 GMT 24 Jun 82]

CSO: 5200/2089 END

36