§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal what progress is being made with the negotiations in the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference; what principal issues remain unresolved; and what is the United Kingdom position on them.
§ Mr. Luce:Considerable progress was made at the resumed ninth session of the conference, especially on the question of voting procedures in the Council of the proposed international sea-bed authority. The conference identified three principal issues for discussion at the tenth session: participation in the convention; the preparatory commission; and the treatment of investments in deep sea-bed mining made before the convention enters into force. We consider it important that satisfactory solutions are found to these questions, including a suitable provision for participation in the convention by the European Community.
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