SEABED COUNCIL ELECTS PRESIDENT FOR 2002

SEABED COUNCIL ELECTS PRESIDENT FOR 2002

(Reissued as received.)

KINGSTON, 7 August (International Seabed Authority) -- The Council of the International Seabed Authority, at a brief meeting this morning in Kingston, elected by acclamation Fernando Pardo Huerta, Permanent Representative of Chile to the Authority, as Council President for this year.

Mr. Pardo Huerta was nominated by Argentina on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, whose turn it is to propose the Council President for 2002.  (A biographical note will be issued as press release SB/8/6.)

The Council is scheduled to begin its substantive work on Monday, 12 August, when it will take up the proposed budget and scale of assessments of the Authority for 2003-04, and the report of the Legal and Technical Commission.  The Assembly is due to meet next on Friday,

 9 August, to discuss the annual report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Authority.

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