FIRST MEETING OF THE ADVISORY BODY OF EXPERTS ON THE LAW OF THE SEA ABELOS

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Restricted
Restricted
distribution
distribution
IOC/ABE-LOSI/14
IOC/ABE-LOSI/14
Agenda item 8
Paris,, 02 May 2001
Agenda item 8
Paris,, 02 May 2001
Original English
Original English
INTEROVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION
INTEROVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION
of UNESCO
of UNESCO
FIRST MEETING OF THE ADVISORY BODY OF EXPERTS ON
THE LAW
FIRST MEETING OF THE ADVISORY BODY OF EXPERTS ON
THE LAW
OF THE SEA (ABE-LOS)
OF THE SEA (ABE-LOS)
( Paris, 11 - 13
June
2001)
( Paris, 11 - 13
June
2001)
ABLOS MISSION AND POISSIBLE MECHANISM OF
CO-OPERATION
ABLOS MISSION AND POISSIBLE MECHANISM OF
CO-OPERATION
WITH ABE-LOS
WITH ABE-LOS
by
by
CHRIS CARLETON
CHRIS CARLETON
CHAIRMAN OF ABLOS
CHAIRMAN OF ABLOS
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The authors are responsible for the choice and
presentation of the facts contained in this repo
rt and for the opinions expressed therein,
which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do
not commit the Organization. The designations emp
loyed and the presentation of material throughout
this publication do not imply the expression of
any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO
concerning the legal status of any country,
territory, city or area or of its authorities,
or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers
or boundaries.
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FIRST MEETING OF THE ADVISORY BODY OF EXPERTS ON
THE LAW OF THE SEA (ABE-LOS)
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• 11 - 13 June 2001
• UNESCO Headquarters, Paris
• CHRIS CARLETON, CHAIRMAN, ABLOS

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ABLOS
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• The IHO/IAG/IOC Advisory Board on Hydrographic,
  Geodetic and Marine Geo-Scientific Aspects of the
  Law of the Sea

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These aspects consist of
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• the review of State practice and jurisprudence on
  law of the sea matters.
  
• advice and guidance of hydrographic, geodetic and
  marine geo-scientific aspects of the Law of the
  Sea.

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• study, promote and encourage the development of
  appropriate techniques in geodetic and
  hydrographic aspects of the law of the sea.

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ABLOS ACITIVITIES
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• maintain close contact with the UN Division for
  Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS).
  
• Review and update the IHO Special Publication No.
  51
  
• A Manual on Technical Aspects of the United
  Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea - 1982.

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• Convene business meetings once per year.
• Convene technical conferences related to UNCLOS
  biannually - open to everyone.
  
• Publish proceedings of meetings and technical
  conferences.
  
• maintain an ABLOS web site at
• www.gmat.unsw.edu.au/ablos

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HISTORY OF ABLOS
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• 1994 - Formally established during the INSMAP94
  meeting in Hanover, Germany.
  
• 4 members appointed from IHO
• 4 members appointed from IAG
• 1 ex-officio member appointed from DOALOS

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• there can be any number of corresponding members
  appointed by the parent organisations. These
  corresponding members may attend meetings as
  observers with no vote.

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• 1995 - 1998 - Meetings held on a yearly basis
  at
  
• Monaco (1995)
• Auckland, New Zealand (1996)
• Monaco (1997)
• Frederiction, Canada (1998)

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1999 - ABLOS reorganised
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• at the 6th technical meeting in Monaco the IOC
  became formally part of ABLOS
  
• Now
• 3 members appointed from IHO
• 3 members appointed from IAG
• 3 members appointed from IOC
• 1 ex-officio member appointed from DOALOS

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IAG
IHO
IOC
GALOS
ABLOS
TECHNICAL
SCIENTIFIC
TALOS Manual
REGULATORY
Commission Guidelines
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following this technical meeting, the first ABLOS
Conference was held in Monaco under the title
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• Technical Aspects of Maritime Boundary
  Delineation and Delimitation, Including UNCLOS
  Article 76 Issues.
  
• 2000 Meeting held at DOALOS in New York.

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IOC Expertise within ABLOS
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• The IOC members are all experts in the field of
  geo-science. The present IOC members are
  
• Mr Ron MacNab (Canada) (Vice Chairman, ABLOS)
• Mr Samual Betah (Cameroon)
• Mr Xianglong Jin (China)

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THE NEXT ABLOS CONFERENCE
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• 18-19 October 2001 at the IHB Headquarters in
  Monaco under the title
  
• Accuracies and Uncertainties in Maritime
  Boundaries and Outer Limits
  
• Details can be found on the ABLOS Web site.

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ABLOS - ABE-LOS
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• It is unfortunate that the IOC General Assembly
  chose the ABE-LOS acronym.
  
• Confusion is already apparent in the
  international community between the two Advisory
  Boards.

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Possible Mechanisms for Co-operation
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• The geo-science discipline of the 3 IOC members
  of ABLOS is already highly regarded within the
  Advisory Board.
  
• Invaluable in the difficult issues concerning
  article 76 of UNCLOS - the outer limit of the
  continental shelf.
  

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Already Achieved
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• The IOC/IHO sponsored book
• Continental Shelf Limits The Scientific and
  Legal Interface
  
• Edited by
• Peter Cook (IOC) Chris Carleton (IHO)
• Published by
• Oxford University Press

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Future Areas of Co-operation
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• ABLOS would be delighted to offer technical
  advice to members of ABE-LOS, should it be
  required, in the following areas
  
• Technical interpretation of the territorial sea
  baseline
  
• normal, including low-tide elevations, bays,
  river mouths etc.
  
• straight
• archipelagic

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• Questions concerning horizontal geodetic datums
• Questions concerning vertical datums
• Questions concerning the limits of
• Internal Waters
• Territorial Sea
• Contiguous zones
• Exclusive Economic Zones
• Extended Fishery Zones

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• and the outer limits of the continental shelf in
  accordance with the Technical Guidelines laid
  down by the UN Commission on the Limits of the
  Continental Shelf (CLCS).
• Questions concerning position on the spheroid.
• Questions concerning agreed international
  maritime boundaries.

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CONCLUSION
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• I am sure that ABLOS and ABE-LOS will be able to
  work together within their own areas of
  expertise.
  
• Lines of communication will need to be
  established between the IOC, on behalf of ABE-LOS
  and IHO, on behalf of ABLOS.

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• ABLOS is already an internationally recognised
  centre of excellence in the technical aspects of
  UNCLOS. Members of ABE-LOS should feel free to
  request advice from ABLOS at any time via the
  IHO.