HC Deb 14 April 1976 vol 909 c541W
Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received about changes in the Informal Single Negotiating Text (ISNT) at the Law of the Sea Conference session in New York which have been proposed by the 49 landlocked and geographically disadvantaged States in order to protect their rights and interests; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Hattersley

The group of landlocked and geographically disadvantaged States have written to the President of the Conference stating that the Single Negotiating Texts do not take account of proposals submitted by the group. They have not as a group submitted specific amendments to the Single Negotiating Text, however. There have been informal discussions chaired by Mr. Evensen, the Norwegian delegation leader, to seek a reconciliation between the views of the States in the group of landlocked and geographically disadvantaged States and other States, in particular on the subject of access by landlocked and geographically disadvantaged States to the living resources in the exclusive economic zone.