United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in the United States

SECTION 2. INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION

Article 270
Ways and means of international co-operation

International co-operation for the development and transfer of marine
technology shall be carried out, where feasible and appropriate, through
existing bilateral, regional or multilateral programmes, and also through
expanded and new programmes in order to facilitate marine scientific
research, the transfer of marine technology, particularly in new fields,
and appropriate international funding for ocean research and development.

Article 271
Guidelines, criteria and standards

States, directly or through competent international organizations, shall
promote the establishment of generally accepted guidelines, criteria and
standards for the transfer of marine technology on a bilateral basis or
within the framework of international organizations and other fora, taking
into account, in particular, the interests and needs of developing States.

Article 272
Co-ordination of international programmes

In the field of transfer of marine technology, States shall endeavour to
ensure that competent international organizations co-ordinate their
activities, including any regional or global programmes, taking into
account the interests and needs of developing States, particularly
land-locked and geographically disadvantaged States.

Article 273
Co-operation with international organizations and the
Authority

States shall co-operate actively with competent international organizations
and the Authority to encourage and facilitate the transfer to developing
States, their nationals and the Enterprise of skills and marine technology
with regard to activities in the Area.

Article 274
Objectives of the Authority

Subject to all legitimate interests including, inter alia, the rights and
duties of holders, suppliers and recipients of technology, the Authority,
with regard to activities in the Area, shall ensure that:

(a) on the basis of the principle of equitable geographical distribution,
nationals of developing States, whether coastal, land-locked or
geographically disadvantaged, shall be taken on for the purposes of
training as members of the managerial, research and technical staff
constituted for its undertakings;
(b) the technical documentation on the relevant equipment, machinery,
devices and processes is made available to all States, in particular
developing States which may need and request technical assistance in
this field;
(c) adequate provision is made by the Authority to facilitate the
acquisition of technical assistance in the field of marine technology
by States which may need and request it, in particular developing
States, and the acquisition by their nationals of the necessary
skills and know-how, including professional training;
(d) States which may need and request technical assistance in this field,
in particular developing States, are assisted in the acquisition of
necessary equipment, processes, plant and other technical know-how
through any financial arrangements provided for in this Convention.

SECTION 3. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL MARINE
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CENTRES

Article 275
Establishment of national centres

1. States, directly or through competent international organizations and
the Authority, shall promote the establishment, particularly in developing
coastal States, of national marine scientific and technological research
centres and the strengthening of existing national centres, in order to
stimulate and advance the conduct of marine scientific research by
developing coastal States and to enhance their national capabilities to
utilize and preserve their marine resources for their economic benefit.

2. States, through competent international organizations and the Authority,
shall give adequate support to facilitate the establishment and
strengthening of such national centres so as to provide for advanced
training facilities and necessary equipment, skills and know-how as well as
technical experts to such States which may need and request such
assistance.

Article 276
Establishment of regional centres

1. States, in co-ordination with the competent international organizations,
the Authority and national marine scientific and technological research
institutions, shall promote the establishment of regional marine scientific
and technological research centres, particularly in developing States, in
order to stimulate and advance the conduct of marine scientific research by
developing States and foster the transfer of marine technology.

2. All States of a region shall co-operate with the regional centres
therein to ensure the more effective achievement of their objectives.

Article 277
Functions of regional centres

The functions of such regional centres shall include, inter alia:

(a) training and educational programmes at all levels on various aspects
of marine scientific and technological research, particularly marine
biology, including conservation and management of living resources,
oceanography, hydrography, engineering, geological exploration of the
sea-bed, mining and desalination technologies;
(b) management studies;
(c) study programmes related to the protection and preservation of the
marine environment and the prevention, reduction and control of
pollution;
(d) organization of regional conferences, seminars and symposia;
(e) acquisition and processing of marine scientific and technological
data and information;
(f) prompt dissemination of results of marine scientific and
technological research in readily available publications;
(g) publicizing national policies with regard to the transfer of marine
technology and systematic comparative study of those policies;
(h) compilation and systematization of information on the marketing of
technology and on contracts and other arrangements concerning
patents;
(i) technical co-operation with other States of the region.

SECTION 4. CO-OPERATION AMONG INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS

Article 278
Co-operation among international organizations

The competent international organizations referred to in this Part and in
Part XIII shall take all appropriate measures to ensure, either directly or
in close cooperation among themselves, the effective discharge of their
functions and responsibilities under this Part.

PART XV
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

SECTION 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 279
Obligation to settle disputes by peaceful means

States Parties shall settle any dispute between them concerning the
interpretation or application of this Convention by peaceful means in
accordance with Article 2, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United
Nations and, to this end, shall seek a solution by the means indicated in
Article 33, paragraph 1, of the Charter.

Article 280
Settlement of disputes by any peaceful means chosen by the parties

Nothing in this Part impairs the right of any States Parties to agree at
any time to settle a dispute between them concerning the interpretation or
application of this Convention by any peaceful means of their own choice.

Article 281
Procedure where no settlement has been reached by the parties

1. If the States Parties which are parties to a dispute concerning the
interpretation or application of this Convention have agreed to seek
settlement of the dispute by a peaceful means of their own choice, the
procedures provided for in this Part apply only where no settlement has
been reached by recourse to such means and the agreement between the
parties does not exclude any further procedure .

2. If the parties have also agreed on a time-limit, paragraph 1 applies
only upon the expiration of that time-limit.