unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (08/29/89)
to decreased supply and increased demand, so there would be no need for
compensation.
The representative of Japan asked the Chair to clarify the implications
of the reference to "government policies", as it was vague.
The CHAIRMAN said the questions of government policies and general
economic conditions were included because of the world economic situation and
its effects on the developing land-based countries. Some countries might no
longer be concentrating on mining because of lower metal prices. Some
resources in land-based countries might also have been exhausted, but in any
case there would have been a fall in export earnings. Such a decline would
have nothing to do with general economic conditions for sea-bed mining, but it
would be a factor which would have to be investigated by the Authority if a
complaint was received about the adverse effects of sea-bed production.
The representative of Portugal said comments about the possible
exhaustion of mineral reserves were inaccurate as he had been advised by an
expert in mineral resources that many sites were untapped and undiscovered all
over the earth.
Regarding Japan's comments on the vagueness of the wording on government
policies, the representative of Zambia said he hoped Japan and other developed
countries would maintain that position as he did not want the phrase on
government policies included. The reference to exhaustion of land-based
resources should be removed because the Authority should not be given the
chance to deny possible future assistance to a country on those grounds.
Provisional Conclusion 15
Provisional conclusion 15 states that the Authority should study
bilateral trade agreements to examine whether cause and effect relationships
could be established in a relatively direct manner.
The representative of EEC said the text of the conclusion referred to
examining bilateral trade relationships, and in French and English was not
absolutely clear as to the exact meaning of "cause and effect".
The representative of Japan asked if the reference to trade agreements
included so-called barter trade agreements.
The representative of Pakistan said he understood conclusion 15 as
referring to the cause of bilateral trade and its effect on the metal market.
The representative of Zambia said he understood it to mean the effects on
the earnings from metals by the applicant country, which depended on the
effects of specific trade agreements and on the export earnings of a
particular country. The phrase obviously needed clarification, he said.
The representative of the Soviet Union said he agreed with those
delegations who had expressed doubts on the wording of the conclusion, which
was unclear. The situation could be described as one in which a developing
country would apply to the Authority because of problems stemming from the
lack of resources in its area. The Authority would then determine if the
State was so penalized and if sea-bed mining in its area would affect its
economic situation. Bilateral trade was important, so traditional export
relations would have to be taken into account in determining the most rational
ways of reducing unfavourable economic implications of sea-bed mining.
The representative of the Philippines said he agreed in principle with
conclusion 15, because most of the land-based producers now had bilateral
trade agreements, and when sea-bed mining was under way, they would be
affected. The Authority would determine what provision should be made for the
developing countries which were land-based producers.
The representative of EEC said conclusion 15 was in fact linked to
numbers 13 and 14, and since price and volume of export were included in 14,
the issues of 15 should be included as well.
The Chair said the bilateral trade agreements had not been adequately
discussed, and the Secretariat had been asked to prepare a paper on the
subject. They had requested that barter trade agreements be covered in that
paper, which would be hopefully ready for the Commission's next meeting.
Provisional Conclusion 16
Provisional conclusion 16 states that the Authority should quantify the
effects of sea-bed production on export earnings and economies of a developing
land-based producer State. While it might be relatively easier to quantify
the effects on export earnings, the Authority should make utmost efforts to
quantify the effects on economies as well.
The representative of the Soviet Union said Conclusions 16 and 17 were
closely interlinked, and the Authority should make efforts to quantify effects
* Origin: UNITEX --> Toward a United Species (1:107/501)
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Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations
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