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IN THE CORRIDORS

The next round of the UN Secretary-General's informal consultations on Part XI of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (A/CONF.62/122) will be held from 2-6 August 1993 at UN Headquarters in New York. Part XI deals with the exploitation of sea-bed resources and the establishment of the International Sea-Bed Authority. Disagreement on this part of the Convention has delayed ratification by many States. At the last round of these informal consultations, the US stated that it is now ready to participate in negotiations to "repair" Part XI. If some agreement is reached in August, it is likely that an appropriate process will be found to commence accelerated negotiations on this section, making it possible for many countries to ratify the Convention. The Convention has been ratified by 56 of the 60 countries necessary for it to enter into force.