COUNCIL PROPOSES SATYA NANDAN FOR RE-ELECTION AS SECRETARY-GENERAL OF SEABED AUTHORITY
Press Release
SEA/1668
COUNCIL PROPOSES SATYA NANDAN FOR RE-ELECTION AS SECRETARY-GENERAL OF SEABED AUTHORITY
20000328(Received from International Seabed Authority.)
KINGSTON, 28 March -- The Council of the International Seabed Authority, meeting in Kingston, decided without objection this morning to propose the re-election of Satya N. Nandan as Secretary-General of the Authority for a second four-year term.
Mr. Nandan was the only candidate for the post. The Government of Fiji had nominated him in a note last week, and his name was placed before the Council today by the Russian Federation. Spokesmen of the other regional groups endorsed the candidacy.
The Council's recommendation will now go for final action to the Assembly of the Authority, which is due to meet on Friday, 31 March, the closing date of the current first part of the 2000 session.
Mr. Nandan was elected as the first Secretary-General of the Authority in March 1996. Prior to that time, he had represented Fiji at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, which produced the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and then served as Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Law of the Sea from 1983 to 1992. He is a former Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Fiji.
In other action at its formal meeting this morning, the Council completed its roster of vice-presidents for this year's session and decided to postpone to the July portion of the session, consideration of two remaining rules of procedure of the Legal and Technical Commission.
The vice-presidents elected today without opposition are Jamaica, nominated by Chile on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, and Italy, nominated by Australia on behalf of the Group of Western European and other States. The other two vice-presidents, elected last Wednesday, 22 March, are Poland and Sudan.
After closing its formal meeting this morning, the Council moved into a private meeting at which it is continuing its effort to thrash out remaining issues in the draft regulations on prospecting and exploration for polymetallic nodules in the international seabed area. No date or time has been set for its next open meeting.
- 2 - Press Release SEA/1668 28 March 2000
Election of Secretary-General
The Council's action today in proposing the re-election of Mr. Nandan was taken in accordance with article 162.2(b) of the Law of the Sea Convention. This states that, as one of its functions, the Council is to propose to the Assembly a list of candidates for the election of the Secretary-General. Council President Sakiusa S. Rabuka (Fiji) observed today that Mr. Nandan's was the only name put forward. The function of the Assembly is to elect the Secretary-General from among the candidates proposed by the Council.
The matter of the election had been discussed informally by regional groups in informal consultations, but this was the first time this year that it was considered formally by the Council.
The Russian Federation led the discussion by expressing its support for the re-election of the incumbent Secretary-General. Nigeria said the African Group, after extensive discussions, also supported Mr. Nandan's candidature. For the Asian Group, the Republic of Korea commented that Mr. Nandan has contributed greatly to the work of the International Seabed Authority in its formative years. For the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, Jamaica said Mr. Nandan's enormous experience made him the ideal candidate for the task of completing the work on the mining code. Voicing the full support of the Group of Western European and other States, Australia said, We wish him all the best.
Rules of Legal and Technical Commission
The Council's decision to defer consideration until July of the two remaining rules of procedure of the Legal and Technical Commission concerned rules pertaining to when that body of experts might hold public meetings, instead of its normally private ones and when States might be invited to participate in meetings. The Council adopted all of the Commission's other rules last August.
Council President Rabuka announced today that he understood that some delegations needed to consult with their Governments before discussing this matter further. Also, he thought it better for the Council to concentrate now on the mining code.
Endorsing the proposal to postpone, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom stated their understanding that the other rules would, in the meantime, be applied provisionally.
Mexico called attention to the rule providing that the Commission Chairman or a designated representative shall attend Council meetings on matters relating to the Commission's work. Mexico observed that neither the Chairman nor his representative was present during the Council's current meetings.
President Rabuka asked the Authority's secretariat to draw attention to the need for the presence of the Chairman when the Council took up the rules.
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