The exclusive economic zone
Abstract The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) derives from the 1945 Truman proclamation on the continental shelf, though it has earlier antecedents. The new placement of about one-third of the sea under national jurisdiction has enormous implications. The benefits of the new maritime zone, for example, will not be shared equally by all coastal states, and the land-locked states lose completely resources to which they once had free access. The rights of the coastal state within its EEZ are considerable, and its obligations much fewer. The EEZ provisions in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III) represent a balancing of interests, as does the system of dispute settlement specified in the Convention. The United States has not signed the Treaty on the grounds, among others, that the common heritage principle, which calls for sharing the resources under the high seas, goes against the fundamental principles of free enterprise, and that US corporations would have to give up potential profits without gaining any advantage in return. Such criticism is unsound for a number of reasons. The US claims that all of the Treaty's provisions, except for those on seabed mining, are already customary international law, but even if this were true in principle, the particular detailed provisions are probably binding only by agreement. The US cannot claim rights under the Treaty if it refuses to become a party to it, including the EEZ.
The new law of the sea and the pacific basin
Abstract The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is indispensable for the well‐being of the states, especially the new island states, of the Pacific Basin. Since the Treaty will be signed at Caracas in December 1982, it is important to anticipate its impact in the Pacific Region area. The article examines the need for a new ocean law to replace the old law of the Geneva Conventions. It argues that exploitation of manganese nodules in the “Area”; will be legal only under the rules of Part XI of the Convention and that the principles of the Common Heritage of Mankind are now part of customary law. Finally, the seaward expansion of Pacific states authorized in the new treaty both necessitates, and provides an opportunity for, coordinated planning for the management of ocean resources and usages.
Le nouveau droit de la mer
Le nouveau droit de la mer, par Guy de Lacharriere ; Des l'ouverture de la Conference de l'ONU sur le droit de la mer, le Tiers-Monde a manifeste le desir d'attenuer la suprematie des pays developpes. Le clivage s'etablit entre pays dotes et pays depourvus de littoral. L'une des propositions les plus importantes concerne l'extension des frontieres maritimes nationales. Tout en favorisant les pays du Tiers-Monde, auxquels elle assure le droit d'extraire les ressources des fonds marins, elle garantit en contrepartie aux puissances industrialisees la liberte de navigation civile et militaire dans les zones elargies. La Conference a egalement decide de creer une organisation chargee de gerer les fonds marins internationaux qualifies de "patrimoine commun de l'humanite". L'une des tâches de cette organisation sera de veiller a limiter l'arrivee de matieres premieres d'origine marine sur le marche international. Mais la Conference n'a toujours pas adopte de projet officiel de convention. En attendant, les pays industrialises reaffirment leur droit a exploiter la zone des fonds marins internationaux.