SEABED AUTHORITY CONCLUDES TWELFTH SESSION
The International Seabed Authority has agreed on the drafting of separate rules and regulations for prospecting and exploration for polymetallic sulphides and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in the international seabed Area in the light of new information made available during the organization’s twelfth session which concluded on Thursday, 17 August, a day earlier than scheduled. It was decided that the Legal and Technical Commission should give priority to drafting regulations relating to polymetallic sulphides so that the Authority’s executive Council could consider them at the 13th session scheduled for 9-20 July 2007.
In other decisions during the two-week session, the Authority adopted a US$11,782,400 budget for its operations in the 2007- 2008 biennium, along with a scale of assessment of members’ contributions based on a United Nations model. (A US$10,816,700 budget was adopted in 2004 for the organization’s work in 2005-2006). The Authority decided to establish a special endowment fund for marine research in the international seabed Area.
Duodécimas noticias de la Sesión en inglés y francés.
