SEABED ASSEMBLY DISCUSSES SECRETARY-GENERAL'S REPORT ON WORK OF AUTHORITY
Press Release
SEA/1564
SEABED ASSEMBLY DISCUSSES SECRETARY-GENERAL'S REPORT ON WORK OF AUTHORITY
19970829 KINGSTON, 27 August -- The Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority, Satya N. Nandan, presented his first annual report on the work of the Authority at this morning's meeting of its Assembly at Kingston. The report reviews the work of the Authority since it was established in 1994 as an autonomous organization under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.Among items of the report highlighted in the ensuing discussion were the proposed headquarters agreement between the Government of Jamaica and the Authority, and the relationship between the Authority and other organizations, especially the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, located in Hamburg, Germany. Some speakers also had queries about the position of those States parties to the Convention which have not yet become party to the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI (seabed provisions) of the Convention.
The comprehensive report (documents ISBA/3/A/4 and Corr.1) covers the activities of the Authority in three years since its inception and highlights its organizational progress and development so far. It states that the Authority has largely completed the organizational phase of its work. The various organs of the Authority, including the Council, the Legal and Technical Commission and the Finance Committee, have been elected and have commenced their substantive work. A small core secretariat has been established and steps are being taken to organize its operations in a cost-effective manner.
Among the other major items covered in the report are the relationship with the United Nations and other organizations, the relationship with the host country, privileges and immunities, the matter of permanent representatives to the Authority, the substantive work of the Authority and plans for its future work.
In introducing the report today, Mr. Nandan described steps taken to build the staff of the Authority, beginning with personnel that had previously served with the United Nations. He noted that posts had been advertised internationally, with more than 150 applicants for some positions.
Several representatives expressed concern about the status of the proposed headquarters agreement, which relates to the rented premises occupied by the Authority in Kingston and to any permanent site for the Authority in
Jamaica. This matter was the subject of debate at the March meetings of the Authority, when some members had difficulty with a revised draft of the agreement worked out between the secretariat and the Government of Jamaica. The Secretary-General had been mandated to continue his negotiations with the host country and report his progress in August. The areas of difficulty, in particular article 2 of the draft relating to the location of the headquarters within the country, remain unresolved.
At today's meeting, some countries were uncomfortable with the fact that no formal agreement was in place regarding the Authority's present premises, but that rent was, nevertheless, being paid.
Kenneth Rattray (Jamaica), responding to some of these concerns, informed the Assembly that his Government had established a national commission to study the issue thoroughly. A preliminary report had already been submitted to the relevant authorities, and all options were being exhaustively examined. He noted that a permanent police post had been established on the premises in response to security concerns expressed by the Authority.
The Acting President of the Assembly, José Luis Vallarta (Mexico), observed that the headquarters was an issue to be dealt with by the Council and not the Assembly.
On the matter of relations with other organizations, the representative of the United States, supported by Argentina, Germany and the United Kingdom, cautioned that while a good working relationship with the Tribunal was desirable, it should be borne in mind that that body was also the court to which the Authority was answerable with regard to any seabed mining disputes. The United Kingdom expressed surprise that the Secretary-General's report had referred to "consultation" between the two bodies and stressed that both organizations must take care that nothing should impinge on the neutrality of the Tribunal. Supporting this view, Germany said the matter should be discussed on the basis of a report from the Secretary-General citing, more specifically, the organizations with which the Authority intended to cooperate closely.
The representative of Jamaica said, while it was true that the Authority could become a litigant before the Tribunal, he felt that both organizations could continue to function objectively. He encouraged the Secretary-General to continue exploring the need for a relationship agreement.
Following up on a point raised by Indonesia about the situation of States that had adhered to the Convention, but were not yet party to the Agreement, the United Kingdom suggested that the Secretary-General might contact the governments of those members not present at this series of meetings, so that they might be encouraged to become parties.
- 3 - Press Release SEA/1564 29 August 1997
A comment from Saudi Arabia that Jamaica should lighten its visa requirements for delegates prompted a suggestion from Brazil that the Secretary-General could discuss with the Jamaican Government an agreement waiving visa requirements in such cases.
Chile announced that on Monday, 25 August, it had submitted its instrument of ratification of the Convention and the Implementation Agreement.
China offered to host one of the workshops planned by the Authority for 1998. The topics of these meetings are the environmental impact of deep seabed activities and deep seabed-mining technology.
Following this discussion, the Assembly took note of the Secretary- General's report.
At the start of the meeting, the Assembly observed a moment of silence in memory of Misael Pastrana Borrero, former President of Colombia, who died on 20 August.
* *** *