Activating Law of Sea

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BEFORE the end of 1993, enough nations are expected to have ratified the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for it to come officially into effect.

But several key nations, possibly including the United States, will not be among the signatories.

American participation in the framing of UNCLOS from 1970 to 1982 was led by Elliot Richardson, former US Attorney General, US Ambassador to Britain, and holder of many other state and national posts.

Despite its leading role in framing the Sea Law, the US did not sign UNCLOS during the 12-year Republican administration of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush. Other Western …