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[y]

A commission could monitor the possible adverse effects of deep seabed mining on the economies of developing countries which are substantially dependent on the export of minerals also produced from the deep seabed.

The United States believes that the world community has before it *promising proposals* and an extraordinary opportunity.

The regime for the deep seabeds can turn interdependence from a slogan into reality. It provides an occasion to transform the dialogue between industrial and developing countries into practical cooperation.

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[y]

Mankind having failed throughout its history to achieve
which mankind has failed to achieve
the sense of community on land has a new opportunity to
realize it on the regime of the ocean, especially the
deep seabeds, which cover so much of our planet. The
United States will continue serious negotiations on these
efforts to be being made to bring about
issues, to lay the groundwork for final progress when the
Law of the Sea Conference reconvenes in New York next year.

But we must be clear on one point: The United States cannot
sacrifice its interest in developing an assured supply of
critical resources to meet its domestic requirements in
coming decades to an indefinitely prolonged negotiation.

We prefer to promote this interest by a generally
acceptable international agreement that provides a stable
legal environment before deep seabed mining begins.

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[y]

-- The Conference must take steps to protect the oceans from pollution. We must bring established uniform international instruments about controls on pollution from ships and universal respect for environmental standards for continental shelf and deep seabed exploitation.

-- Access to the sea for landlocked countries must be assured.

-- There must be provisions for compulsory and impartial third-party settlement of disputes. The United States cannot accept unilateral interpretation of a treaty of such scope by individual states or by an international seabed organization.

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The United States believes that a just and beneficial regime for the oceans is essential to global peace.

For the self-interest of every nation is heavily engaged. Failure would seriously impair confidence in global treaty-making and in the very process of multilateral accommodation.

a comprehensive law of the sea

The conclusion of such a treaty would mark a major step towards a new world community. The United States' proposition is that a just and beneficial regime for the

oceans is essential to global peace. The pace of technology, the extent of economic need, and the claims of ideology and national ambition threaten to submerge the difficult process of negotiation.

Disturbing developments continue to crowd upon us. The urgency of this problem is illustrated by Most prominent is the problem of fisheries.

The United States cannot indefinitely accept unregulated and indiscriminate foreign fishing off its

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coasts. Many fish stocks have been ~~close to extinction~~
~~because~~ of foreign overfishing. We have recently concluded
agreements with the Soviet Union, Japan and Poland which
will limit their catch and we have a long and successful
history of conservation agreements with Canada. But
much more needs to be done.

Many within Congress are urging us to solve this
problem unilaterally. A bill to establish a 200-mile
fishing zone passed the Senate last year, ~~and a new one is~~
currently before the House.

The Administration shares the concern which has led
to such legislative proposals. But unilateral action is
incompatible with the ~~thrust of the negotiations described~~
slid here.