A/RES/70/235
Oceans and the law of the sea
7.
Notes, in this regard, the ongoing efforts of the Secretary-General to
improve the existing geographic information system for the deposit by States of
charts and geographical coordinates concerning maritime zones, including lines of
delimitation, submitted pursuant to the Convention, and to give due publicity
thereto, as requested in paragraph 6 of resolution 59/24 of 17 November 2004, as
well as the ongoing cooperation with the International Hydrographic Organization to
develop the technical standards for the collection, storage and dissemination of the
information deposited, in order to ensure compatibility among geographic
information systems, electronic nautical charts and other systems, and emphasizes
the importance of the prompt completion of these efforts;
8.
Urges all States to cooperate, directly or through competent international
bodies, in taking measures to protect and preserve objects of an archaeological and
historical nature found at sea, in conformity with the Convention, and calls upon
States to work together on such diverse challenges and opportunities as the
appropriate relationship between salvage law and scientific management and
conservation of underwater cultural heritage, increasing technological abilities to
discover and reach underwater sites, looting and growing underwater tourism;
9.
Acknowledges the recent deposit of instruments of ratification and
acceptance of the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural
Heritage, 21 calls upon States that have not yet done so to consider becoming parties
to that Convention, and notes in particular the rules annexed to that Convention,
which address the relationship between salvage law and scientific principles of
management, conservation and protection of underwater cultural heritage among
Parties, their nationals and vessels flying their flag;
II
Capacity-building
10. Emphasizes that capacity-building is essential to ensure that States,
especially developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and
small island developing States, as well as coastal African States, are able to fully
implement the Convention, benefit from the sustainable development of the oceans
and seas and participate fully in global and regional forums on ocean affairs and the
law of the sea;
11. Recalls, in this regard, that in “The future we want”, 10 States recognized
the importance of building the capacity of developing countries to be able to benefit
from the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and seas and their
resources, and in this regard emphasized the need for cooperation in marine
scientific research to implement the provisions of the Convention and the outcomes
of the major summits on sustainable development, as well as for the transfer of
technology, taking into account the Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of
Marine Technology adopted by the Assembly of the Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization at its twenty-second session, in 2003;
12. Emphasizes the need for international cooperation for capacity-building,
including cross-sectoral cooperation, at national, regional and global levels, to
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21
8/53
Ibid., vol. 2562, No. 45694.