Executive Office of the President signals interest in ratifying Law of the Sea Treaty

This weekend, the Executive Office of the President sent its first signal of support for US ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty.

Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, joined by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Jane Lubchenco and Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen published an article in the Seattle times on the topic of stewardship of the Oceans in which they strongly endorsed the ratification of the treaty:

"We strongly support ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. The oceans have been called, "the last global commons," and their sustained global health can best be maintained by a stable, universally accepted convention that promotes the key interests of the United States, its allies and its trading partners. Ratification would ensure our ability to participate in interpreting and applying the convention to the changing realities of the global maritime environment and preserves our ability to protect our domestic interests, including our extended continental shelf claims."

In justifying their support for the treaty, they go on to talk about burgeoning economic and research opportunities for the United States in the Arctic / near Alaska. The best way to promote and maintain U.S. interests in those areas is by agreeing to a globally agreed standard on their use, as is contained in the Law of the Sea Treaty.

The article also emphasized that American involvement in the region will be a long-term exercise, so it was critical to have governance agreements on long-term issues such as the sustainability of the area, as well as agreements concerning safety and research-sharing. The Law of the Sea Convention would provide a framework for such agreements.