INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY ELECTS ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT AND ADOPTS AGENDA FOR EIGHTH SESSION

INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY ELECTS ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

AND ADOPTS AGENDA FOR EIGHTH SESSION

(Reissued as received.)

KINGSTON, 5 August (International Seabed Authority) -- The Assembly of the International Seabed Authority opened the Authority’s eighth session in Kingston this morning with the election of its President by consensus and the adoption of a 13-item agenda for this year’s session, which takes place from 5 to 16 August.

The new President of the 138-member Assembly, nominated by Senegal on behalf of the African Group, is Martin Belinga-Eboutou of the Republic of Cameroon. He is his country’s Permanent Representative to the International Seabed Authority. (A biographical note appears in Press Release SB/8/4, issued today.)

The 36-member Council of the Authority, which also met this morning, adopted its agenda for the current session (ISBA/8/C/ L.1) after a change in one item, describing the main topic on this year’s programme. The word “of” was replaced by the words “relating to” in item 7, which now reads:

“Consideration relating to the rules, regulations and procedures for prospecting and exploration for polymetallic sulphides and cobalt-rich crusts in the [international seabed] Area.”

The Assembly elected Michael C. Wood, Legal Adviser to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom, to serve on the 15-member Finance Committee for the rest of a five-year term ending in 2006. Mr. Wood replaces his compatriot Paul McKell, who resigned on 23 May 2002.

On another matter, Honduras told the Assembly that it had completed internal procedures enabling it to accede to the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI (seabed provisions) of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and would soon deposit its instrument of accession with the Authority.

At the suggestion of Secretary General Satya N. Nandan, the Council meeting originally scheduled for Friday, 9 August, to consider polymetallic sulphides and cobalt-rich crusts was deferred to Monday, 12 August, to allow the Council to benefit from the Legal and Technical Commission's work on this topic this week.

The Assembly’s agenda for the 2002 session (ISBA/8/A/L.1) also includes the election of vice-presidents to represent each regional group -- postponed this morning to allow regional groups time to select their candidates—as well as elections to fill vacancies on the Council, the annual report of the Secretary-

General on the work of the Authority, and adoption of the budget and scale of assessment of contributions for 2003-04.  The Assembly is also to consider the formal adoption of the official emblem and flag of the Authority. With regard tothe election of the Council members, the President this morning invited representatives to consult informally, to prepare for the elections on Monday, 12 August.

At the top of the Council’s agenda is the election of the President and Vice-Presidents. Under an agreement reached last year, the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States will nominate the President. The Group is meeting this afternoon to decide on its candidate. Acting President Hasjim Djalal (Indonesia) presided over this morning’s meeting. 

Next week, the Council, and then the Assembly, will consider the budget of the Authority and the scale of assessment for contributions to the budget.  The Finance Committee will deal with these matters during closed meetings this week.

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