SEA/1528

LENNOX BALLAH, OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, ELECTED PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL OF SEABED AUTHORITY

KINGSTON, 14 August -- The Council of the International Seabed Authority this morning elected by acclamation Lennox Ballah (Trinidad and Tobago) as its first President. He is the former Chairman of Special Commission 2 of the Preparatory Commission for the International Seabed Authority and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

Mr. Ballah, the nominee of the Latin American and Caribbean Group of States, was elected after an informal, indicative vote last night involving the other candidate, Joachim Koch (Germany), who was nominated by the Group of Western European and Other States.

Hasjim Djalal (Indonesia), who had served as Acting President of the Council until the election of Mr. Ballah, expressed his deep appreciation to the Western European Group for its "tremendous sense of responsibility and cooperation" in arriving at a consensus candidate.

Mr. Ballah, following his election, also expressed his appreciation to Mr. Koch, whom he characterized as an equally qualified candidate. He also expressed appreciation to Mr. Djalal for his conduct of the indicative vote.

Continuing, Mr. Ballah said he was a little saddened, and a bit disconcerted, "that anyone would suggest that I would take positions against the interests of any regional group." He added that his track record, as Chairman of Special Commission 2 of the Preparatory Commission, proved that he handled his responsibilities in an objective and dispassionate manner.

Mr. Ballah went on to outline a number of issues that must be addressed immediately by the Council, such as workshops on the environmental impact of deep seabed mining and the current status of mining activities. Also, the Council should review the implementation of the obligations of registered pioneer investors, including the relinquishment of deep seabed areas to the Authority and the provision of training to those designated by it. However, the immediate task facing the Council was the approval of the 1997 budget of the Authority as soon as the Finance Committee had made its recommendations, he added.

- 2 - Press Release SEA/1528 14 August 1996

The representative of Nigeria, congratulating the President, expressed the hope that the Finance Committee would conduct its business in a transparent manner and in good faith.

According to the Authority's draft provisional rules of procedure, the President of the Council serves for a one-year term, or until a successor is elected. The rules also call for a rotation of the presidency between regional groups. The Council, which Mr. Ballah described as the cabinet of the Authority, has wide-ranging powers, including direct control over its budgetary and financial arrangements. It also reviews and approves contracts for the exploration and eventual mining of the deep seabed.

Statements congratulating Mr. Ballah were also made by the representatives of Jamaica, on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean States; Cameroon, on behalf of the African States; Australia, on behalf of the Western European and Other States; Poland, on behalf of the Eastern European States; the Philippines, on behalf of the Asian States; and Kenya.

The Council will meet again at a date to be announced.

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