COUNCIL OF SEABED AUTHORITY ADOPTS AGENDA, EXTENDS PROVISIONAL MEMBERSHIP OF 14 STATES AND EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
Press Release
SEA/1542
COUNCIL OF SEABED AUTHORITY ADOPTS AGENDA, EXTENDS PROVISIONAL MEMBERSHIP OF 14 STATES AND EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
19970324 (Received from the International Seabed Authority.)KINGSTON, 18 March -- The Council of the International Seabed Authority began deliberations at Kingston this afternoon with the adoption of an agenda for the third session (1997), election of a new member to the Legal and Technical Commission, and the extension of provisional membership in the Authority of 14 States and the European Community.
The agenda (ISBA/3/C/L.1) includes consideration of the rules, regulations and procedures for activities in the international seabed area, as well as agreements on relations with the United Nations and on the Authority's headquarters in Jamaica. In opening the session, the President of the Council, Lennox Ballah (Trinidad and Tobago), said that items concerning the budget, staff and financial regulations would be addressed by the Council in the August part of its 1997 session, since those items must await prior consideration by the Finance Committee.
The agenda was amended to include the election of four vice-presidents representing regional groups. The African Group proposed the representative of Cameroon while the Asian Group, the Eastern European Group and the Western European and Other States Group asked for more time to present their candidates.
Also this afternoon, the Council approved the extension of provisional membership of the Authority in the case of 14 States and the European Community. On that list (ISBA/3/C/1 and Add.1) are Belarus, Belgium, Chile, Gabon, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Qatar, Russian Federation, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom. (The request of Poland, originally included in that list, was in fact approved by the Council last August.)
Under the 1994 Agreement on Implementation of the sea-bed provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, States and other entities not party to the Convention but applying it provisionally were members of the Authority until the Convention entered into force in July 1996. Last August, the Assembly of the Authority agreed to let them continue to
participate provisionally in the Authority's meetings and the Council later decided that States requesting an extension should retain provisional membership until the end of the 1997 session.
All extensions of provisional membership were made for two years from 16 November 1996 except for the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, which had requested extensions of one year.
Under the Implementation Agreement an extension of provisional membership in the Authority is normally granted for a period not exceeding two years upon approval of a request submitted to the Secretary-General of the Authority by the State or other entity concerned, provided that the Council is satisfied that the requestor has been making good faith efforts to become a party to the Convention and the Agreement.
The President gave notice of the recent ratification of the Convention by the Russian Federation and Gabon, and said that those two States would therefore become members of the Authority 30 days after ratification.
The representatives of Chile and Cuba notified the Council that the Convention had been submitted to the relevant authorities in their countries for consideration and approval.
Clarifying certain issues related to the credentials of members of the Council, the President confirmed that while the Assembly was in session, there would be no need for Council members to make separate presentation of credentials. That would become necessary only if the Council were to meet outside of the regular sessions of the Authority.
The President said that Council's discussion of the agreement concerning the relationship between the United Nations and the Authority, and the agreement between the Authority and the Government of Jamaica concerning the Authority's headquarters, should both be deferred briefly to give members time to review the documents. The agreement with the United Nations was signed last week in New York; the agreement with Jamaica was negotiated with that country and is before the Council and the Assembly for approval.
Inge K. Zaamwani (Namibia) was unanimously elected as that country's representative on the Legal and Technical Commission, becoming the only woman to serve on that body. Ms. Zaamwani, Barrister-at-Law, is Director of Mining in Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy and has done extensive research in various aspects of international law related to seabed mining. She replaces H. Shimutwikeni, also of Namibia, who died recently. The 22-member Commission was elected last August
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Mr. Ballah announced that the Legal and Technical Commission, at its first meeting of the session this morning, had elected Jean-Pierre Lenoble (France) as its Chairman. The Commission, which meets in closed session, is considering the proposed seabed mining code, on which it will report to the Council and the Assembly.
The Council will resume on Thursday morning, 20 March, to consider the agreements and complete the election of its vice-presidents.
Council Membership
The Council is composed of five groups: Group A -- Japan, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States -- represents countries with a special interest in deep seabed mining as either the largest consumers or importers of minerals. Group B -- China, France, Germany and India -- is made up of large pioneer investors in deep seabed mining. Group C -- Australia, Chile, Indonesia and Zambia -- represents countries that are major land-based exporters of minerals found on the deep seabed.
Group D -- Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Nigeria, Oman, and Trinidad and Tobago -- is composed of developing countries with special interests. Group E -- Argentina, Austria, Cuba, Egypt, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Netherlands, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia and Ukraine -- reflects the principle of equitable geographical distribution, as well as a balance between developed and developing States.
Although the Assembly is designated by the Convention on the Law of the Sea as the supreme organ of the Authority, the Council has wide-ranging powers including direct control over the Authority's financial and budgetary arrangements. It will also review and approve contracts for the exploration and exploitation of the international seabed, once such contracts are presented.
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