Office of the Historian

426. Telegram From the Department of State to the Delegation to the Conference on the Law of the Sea1

Washington, April 22, 1960—1:05 p.m.

2446. Law of the Sea. From Under Secretary for Ambassador Dean. Understood from Dean–Hager telecon2 there is widespread and rapidly crystalizing sentiment for some Conference provision on preferential rights for coastal states among number of delegations in addition Iceland and that this sentiment being fanned by hard-core 12-milers for divisive purposes in hope this would wreck Conference and thus prevent an agreement which would hold line against extremist proposals on territorial sea and fisheries.

We concur in US Del dislike for Icelandic and other such preferential rights proposals put forward by Cuba and Peru which would give coastal state right to move unilaterally in the first instance and which would accord special rights for situations defined in extremely loose language under which it would be most difficult to challenge validity unilateral action. Under circumstances we concur in need for immediately utilizing proposal in your 17203 which we understand acceptable to Canada and UK and other WE’s in order to head off extremist proposals and in order serve as rallying point for those willing work put across US-Canadian proposal.

You, therefore, authorized incorporate such provision in joint proposal in order help assure conference agreement on best terms possible US interests.

Herter
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 399.731/4–2060. Confidential; Niact. Drafted by Pender on April 21; cleared by Hager and Arneson (in draft) and with Interior, Navy, and Blow, who were advised of its contents; and approved by Dillon.↩
  2. See Document 424.↩
  3. Document 421.↩