51. One government observer suggested that there could be problems in attempting to transfer indigenous land Systems, inciuding concepts of collective ownership, custodianship and inheritance, into a System of legally enforceable rights and obligations in national légal Systems, which are based on différent concepts. 52. The Chairman/Rapporteur notes that a similar principle appears in ILO Convention No. 169, article 17 (1), and that in some fédéral States or in States with ethnically-distinct régions, différent forms of land tenure exist side-by-side. The problem would appear largely to be one of documenting indigenous land law. Draft article 14 "The right to spécial measures to ensure their ownership and control over surface and substance of resources pertaining to the territories they have traditionally occupied or otherwise used inciuding fiera and faima, waters and ice sea." 53. Many indigenous observers stressed the importance they attach to the use of the term "territories", which implies a common history, language, and way of life, and boundaries within which lay lands and natural resources. They urged that the déclaration clearly protect indigenous ancestral and légal ownership and control of both surface and subsurface, renewable and non-renewable resources. One indigenous observer proposed inciuding an explicit référence to "geothermal and other, minerai rights, reef resources and the resources of the océan crusts". 54. Participants in the indigenous peoples' preparatory meeting were of the view that this draft article must include clearer language to protect indigenous peoples' ownership and control of subsurface resources. Indigenous peoples have an ancestral right under their own traditional légal Systems to subsurface resources in the same manner as the surface of the land. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1990/39 page 12 55. The Chairman/Rapporteur underlines that the term "territories" was employed in ILO Convention No. 169» article 13, to suggest the "total environment" used by indigenous peoples, including resources they use on lands 
**Analysis**
This text appears to be discussing the rights of indigenous peoples to their traditional lands and natural resources, including the need for explicit recognition of their ownership and control over these resources. The text also mentions specific types of resources, such as geothermal and mineral rights, and the need for clearer language to protect indigenous peoples' ownership and control of subsurface resources.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, Culture