Progress reported on plans for Sea-Bed Authority.

"Encouraging progress" marked the four-week session (11 March-4 April) of the Preparatory Commission for the International Sea-Bed Authority and for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, according to its Chairman, Joseph Warioba (United Republic of Tanzania).

Four special commissions--subsidiary bodies of the Preparatory Commission--continued work in Kingston, Jamaica, on problems of developing land-based producer States resulting from sea-bed mining; operation of the Enterprise, the sea-bed mining arm of he proposed Sea-Bed Authority; a sea-bed mining code to regulate prospecting, exploration and exploitation of polymetallic nodules in the deep sea-bed mining area; and rules for the International Tribunal.

Also discussed were questions relating to overlapping claims of applicants for the status of "pioneer investors".

The Preparatory Commission decided its next sexxion will be held in Geneva from 12 August to 5 September.

The Law of the Sea Convention, adopted on 30 April 1982, called for the establishment of the Authority to govern and regulate sea-bed mining in areas designated as the common heritage of mankind. Sea-bed mining would take place under a "parallel system" involving the Authority's own Enterprise and private and State-run enterprises.

The Authority would have an Assembly, made up of all States which ratified or acceded to the Law of Sea Convention, to set general policy and to elect members to a 36-member Council, representing regions and special interests, which closely oversees the operations of the Enterprise. The Tribunal would deal with disputes.

A second reading of the draft rules of procedure for the Assembly had begun at the session, Chairman Warioba said. Rules provisionally approved dealt with date and place of sessions, special sessions and their provisional agenda, time-limit of speeches, and adjournment and closure of debate.

The status of observers and the establishment of main committees for the Assembly had yet to be decided, the Chairman reported. There was broad agreement on the need of the Convention and to accord observers meaningful participation in the Assembly. The plenary, however, had to decide on status of particular observers and had to define 'meaningful participation".

Pioneer investors

Resolution II of the Conference established a special regime to protect the preparatory investment made by countries and enterprises technologically capable of carrying out sea-bed mining or who...