§ Mr. Dodds-Parkerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conclusions the Government have reached on the United States of America's proposals for an international regime for the area of the sea bed beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of the Sea Bed.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleWe have examined the United States proposals put forward as a draft Convention in August, 1970, and have decided that we can support the concepts of a 200-metre depth limit to national jurisdiction and a trusteeship area, within which coastal States would have certain entrenched rights by international agreement. However, much detailed work remains to be done, and it is too early in the Committee's work to say what decision will eventually emerge. We consider it important that the eventual solution should be acceptable to the international community as a whole.