FRONT MATTER.PMD - International Seabed Authority

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FINAL ACT OF THE THIRD UNITED NATIONS
CONFERENCE ON THE LAW OF THE SEA
INTRODUCTION
1. The General Assembly of the United Nations on 17 December 1970
adopted resolution 2749 (XXV) containing the Declaration of Principles Governing
the Seabed and the Ocean Floor, and the Subsoil Thereof, beyond the Limits
of National Jurisdiction and resolution 2750 C (XXV) on the same date, wherein
it decided to convene, in 1973, a Conference on the Law of the Sea, which would
deal with the establishment of an equitable international régime—including an
international machinery—for the area and the resources of the seabed and ocean
floor, and the subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, with a
precise definition of that area and with a broad range of related issues including
those concerning the regimes of the high seas, the continental shelf, the territorial
sea (including the question of its breadth and the question of international straits)
and contiguous zone, fishing and conservation of the living resources of the high
seas (including the question of the preferential rights of coastal States) , the preservation
of the marine environment (including, inter alia, the prevention of
pollution) and scientific research.
2. Prior to the adoption of these resolutions, the General Assembly had
considered the item introduced in 1967 on the initiative of the Government of
Malta 1 and had subsequently adopted the following resolutions on the question of
the reservation exclusively for peaceful purposes of the seabed and the ocean
floor, and the subsoil thereof, underlying the high seas beyond the limits of present
national jurisdiction, and the use of their resources in the interests of mankind:
Resolution 2340 (XXII) on 18 December 1967,
Resolution 2467 (XXIII) on 21 December 1968, and
Resolution 2574 (XXIV) on 15 December 1969.
3. The General Assembly, by resolution 2340 (XXII), established an Ad
Hoc Committee to Study the Peaceful Uses of the Seabed and the Ocean Floor
beyond the Limits of National Jurisdiction and, having considered its report, 2
established by resolution 2467 A (XXIII) the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of
the Seabed and the Ocean Floor beyond the Limits of National Jurisdiction. The
General Assembly, by resolution 2750 C (XXV), enlarged that Committee and
requested it to prepare draft treaty articles and a comprehensive list of items and
matters for the Conference on the Law of the Sea. The Committee as thus constituted
held six sessions, and a number of additional meetings, between 1971 and