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Documents relatifs aux relations extérieures du Canada
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Volume #26 - 46. | |
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CHAPITRE I NATIONS UNIES ET AUTRES ORGANISATIONS INTERNATIONALES | |
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PREMIÈRE PARTIE NATIONS UNIES | |
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SECTION
B DROIT DE LA MER | |
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46. |
DEA/9456-RW-4-40 |
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Note du chef du Comité du Cabinet sur les eaux territoriales pour le premier ministre | |
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SECRET |
[Ottawa],
le 4 mars 1959 |
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LAW OF THE SEA | |
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I thought you might like to have a very brief report of developments on this subject. 2. A short while ago the United Kingdom sent a team of experts to Ottawa to discuss with Canadian officials the prospects for agreement being reached at the 1960 Conference on the Law of the Sea. The United Kingdom team requested Canadian Ministers to consider a suggestion designed to increase the saleability of the United States formula at the Geneva Conference, which, as you will recall, provided for recognition of "traditional fishery rights" in the outer 6 miles of the contiguous zone. The United Kingdom idea was that, these rights, instead of being unlimited as to amount - as was the case in the United States formula, could be subject to a quota or ceiling, based on an average annual catch over 5 years. The United Kingdom view was that if Canada were to campaign for this proposal, it might be able to succeed at the next Conference. (They were ready to admit that the United States formula at Geneva had little or no chance of winning at the 1960 Conference.) 3. The Cabinet Committee on Territorial Waters examined this proposal yesterday, in the light of various developments since the Geneva Conference - such as the United Kingdom-Iceland dispute, the unsatisfactory General Assembly debate and the number of states which have taken unilateral action - all of which seem to have led to a general hardening of the situation and a possible weakening of the general disposition to reach agreement. In the circumstances, my colleagues and I have come to the conclusion that the circumstances would not warrant our recommending to Cabinet that any change be made in the Canadian position. 4. I have asked Mr. Drew in London to inform the United Kingdom authorities of our decision. SIDNEY SMITH | |
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