26. Mr. John H. Osborneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the dispute between Great Britain, France and Eire concerning definition of national areas where there is no dispute about the medians drawn up for oil exploration and extraction following the Continental Shelf Convention of 1968; and if he will place a map in the Library clearly indicating the areas in dispute and the claims of each country which are now the subject of a decision by the Court of Justice in the Hague.
§ Dr. OwenUnder a bilateral agreement of 10th July 1975 a court of arbitration was set up in Geneva with the purpose of delimiting the Continental Shelf between the United Kingdom and France West of 0°30[...] West. The crucial oral hearings before the court are due to begin on 26th January and the court is expected to deliver its verdict later this year.
United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland officials have been in touch about the delimitation of the Continental Shelf boundary between the United Kingdom and the Republic.
I am unable at this stage to place in the Library a map showing the respective claim lines, since this would infringe the confidentiality of the proceedings of the court of arbitration and of Her Majesty's Government's discussions with the Republic of Ireland.