Historical Agreement on International Seas

New York [US], March 6: The agreement on protection of the high seas shows that "the protection of nature and people can triumph over geopolitics".
After nearly two decades of negotiations, members of the United Nations have approved a historic agreement to protect the seas , a vital but fragile treasure that covers nearly half of the earth's surface.
"The ship has come ashore," conference chairperson Rena Lee told AFP at the United Nations headquarters in New York on March 5 amid a long standing ovation from delegates.
The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) stipulates the legal status of seven sea areas, of which five are under national jurisdiction (internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and shelf). continental shelf) and two international waters ( the high seas and the international seabed).
Accordingly, the high seas include "all sea areas not within the exclusive economic zone, territorial sea or internal waters of a State, or in the archipelagic waters of an archipelagic state".
The content of the agreement is unknown, but many consider it a breakthrough in protecting marine biodiversity after long discussions.
"This is a historic day for conservation and a sign that in a divided world, the protection of nature and people can triumph over geopolitics ," said environmental activist Laura Meller of the organization. Greenpeace office.
European Union (EU) Environment Commissioner VirginijusSinkevicius called the agreement a "major step towards the protection of marine life and biodiversity that is important to us and many generations to come". .
After two weeks of discussion, which included a session that lasted from the evening of March 4 to the morning of March 5, the delegates agreed on a text that will now no longer be subject to much revision. According to Ms. Lee, there will be no more review or discussion on the basis.
The agreement will be formally ratified later, once it has been proofread by lawyers and translated into the six official languages ​​of the United Nations, including Arabic, English, Russian, French, Spanish and Chinese.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commended the delegates, according to a spokesman, who described the agreement to protect the high seas as "a victory for multilateralism and for the global effort to combat trends." undermining ocean health".
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper