UM Law School Professor Bernard H. Oxman's Letter to the Editor in the Wall Street Journal
The October 22, 2007 edition of the Wall Street Journal contains the following Letter to the Editor written by UM Law School Professor Bernard H. Oxman:
Reagan Supported Most of Law of the Sea Treaty
October 22, 2007; Page A17
William Clark and Edwin Meese doubtless have rich personal perceptions of President Reagan's attitudes ("Reagan and the Law of the Sea," editorial page, Oct. 8). But, as a man of his word, what counts for the rest of us is what he told the American people. Following a lengthy review of the draft convention on the law of the sea by his administration, on Jan. 29, 1982, President Reagan stated, "While most provisions of the draft convention are acceptable and consistent with U.S. interests, some major elements of the deep seabed mining regime are not acceptable." He then identified six objectives for the ensuing negotiations; all six related exclusively to the deep seabed mining regime. President Reagan unequivocally stated that if the negotiations could fulfill these "six key objectives," the "administration will support ratification" of the convention.
Although those six objectives were not fulfilled while Reagan was in office, his successor, George H.W. Bush, initiated new negotiations that eventually succeeded in doing just that. It is that package -- the agreement changing the deep seabed mining regime coupled with the text that Reagan deemed acceptable -- that his secretaries of state, Alexander Haig and George Shultz, as well as his chief of staff and secretary of the treasury, James Baker, urged the Senate to approve.
Bernard H. Oxman
Professor of Law
University of Miami
Miami
(The writer served as vice-chairman of the U.S. delegation to the Law of the Sea Conference during the Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan Administrations)
Recent Articles about Professor Oxman
- Professor Oxman Participates in International Conference on the Law of the Sea in Seoul, Korea
- Professor Oxman Testifies Before United State Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
- Professor Oxman is Interviewed in The Washington Times on the Law of the Sea Treaty
Related Links
posted 24-October-2007
