LAW OF THE SEA CONFERENCE (Hansard, 19 July 1977)

§ Lord BROCKWAY
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ Lord PEART
My Lords, during this session, which concluded on 15th July, detailed informal discussions were held on the main subjects on which agreement was still outstanding. On the issue of the régime for the exploitation of the deep seabed, there was little sign of a narrowing of the gulf between the developing countries and the industrialised countries.
It had been hoped that in the course of the session, the president of the conference would issue a new informal composite negotiating text. This text would be intended to replace the present negotiating text as the basis for negotiation at the next session. Unfortunately, it could not be got ready before the end of the session and is now expected towards the end of this week. I shall arrange for copies to be placed in the Library when it becomes available.

§ Lord BROCKWAY
My Lords, I thank my noble friend the Leader of the House for that Answer. Is it not the case that the text which is to be prepared is not a text of agreement but a text classifying disagreements about which compromises may be reached? Is this not a very disappointing result of a conference which has gone on for nearly four years and which still indicates that the nations are competing against each other to control the minerals under the sea?

§ Lord PEART
My Lords, I hope my noble friend will wait until he has seen what is in the Library. I understand his comments. This is of course a very difficult matter and many problems exist here which involve not only fisheries and mineral development; but I hope that out of it will come something which will be creative in the best sense, and will be helpful.

§ Lord BROCKWAY
My Lords, does not the crucial question concern who is to exploit the millions of minerals which are in the rocks under the oceans and—as last weekend's conference of the Society of Chemical Industries showed—even present in seawaters? Who is to have these? Should these not be for the benefit of all the nations of the world rather than for the one nation which exploits them?

§ Lord PEART
My Lords, that is precisely the purpose of the conference. I am not in any way responsible for the delay here. The conference has adjourned, and it will meet again in Geneva in March next year. The British Government should not be blamed. All I am saying is that this is the way that we should try to get a good régime, and I hope we shall.

§ Baroness GAITSKELL
My Lords, does the noble Lord the Leader of the House agree, first, that in considering the delay here we must take into account the fact that a complex and difficult problem is involved, and, secondly, that we would fool ourselves if we were to think that this is a problem which we can solve quickly? It may take years to solve. If we minimise the problem, we should simply be on the wrong track.

§ Lord PEART
My Lords, I agree with my noble friend.

Lord CAMPBELL of CROY
My Lords, bearing in mind that the first three weeks of this session was by agreement devoted entirely to the question of an international authority for deep-sea mining of minerals well beyond the shores of the countries concerned, and that the noble Lord has said that no progress has been made on that, and since all the other matters on which there is some progress and agreement, such as navigation and control of pollution, depend upon a settlement of this question, will the Government now consult urgently the United States and other Governments? Will they see whether a way can be found of going ahead with the other subjects of the conference, while at the same time not holding up the mining of these minerals, which will never be available for anyone if the present delay continues?

§ Lord PEART
My Lords, I do not dissent from that, but I hope that noble Lords will wait to see what the document says when they have an opportunity to read it.

§ Lord KENNET
My Lords, will my noble friend, as co-ordinator of maritime policy in the British Government, consider visiting the conference next time it meets?

§ Lord PEART
Yes, my Lords, if I am asked; I do not dislike Geneva.

§ Lord RITCHIE-CALDER
My Lords, although we realise that this is a very complex subject, does my noble friend agree that time is not on our side, and from now on Governments will be taking the kind of unilateral action which we have seen in the case of the 200-mile limit, and which would apply equally to the minerals under the sea?

§ Lord PEART
My Lords, I accept the warnings of my noble friend, but I would ask noble Lords to look at the text of the document in the Library.