extended tocovernavalwarfare through aspecific protocol. I...A/40/535 English Page86 G.Relation totheLawoftheSea 305.SomeStates havenotedthattheConvention ontheLawoftheSeaandthe Sea-Bed Treatyarenotentirely inaccord. AstheThirdReviewConference ofthe latterwilltakeplacenotearlier than1988andnotlaterthan1990,itmightbe appropriate forthatReviewConference togivenconsideration tothematter, witha Viewtodeciding whataction, ifany,shouldbetaken.Itisalsofor consideration thatanyfuturerelevant armslimitation andlordisarmament agreements should beinharmony withtheUnitedNations Convention ontheLawof theSea. H.Appropriate forumsfornegotiations 306.TheGroupofE~perts notesthatinthepasttwoyearsseveral States havemade various suggestions concerning howprogress mightbestbemadeandinwhatforums discussions andnegotiations shouldproceed. Theseideashaveincluded the following: (a)Asafirststep,consideration couldbegiventotalksamongthemajor navalPowers, thenuclear-weapon Statesinparticular, possibly withthe participation ofarepresentative oftheSecretary-General attending thetalks, and later,aninternational conference, opentoallinterested States, couldbe convened; (b)AllmajornavalPowers andotherinterested Statesshouldtakepartin negotiations onthelimitation ofnavalactivities andnavalarmaments. Inthis conte~t, thepossibility couldbee~amined ofconducting suchnegotiations within theframework oftheConference onDisarmament atGeneva; (c)Itmightalsobepossible toholdseparate multilateral talksonthis comple~ ofquestions, although multilateral talksonlimiting navalactivities and navalarmaments should notserveasanobstacle toexamining thesequestions at talksbetween nuclear Powers; (d)Usecouldbemadeofallpotentialities ofaregional approach tothe limitation ofnavalactivities andnavalarmaments, e.g.bydiscussion atthe Conference onConfidence- andSecurity-building Measures andDisarmament inEurope atStockholm; (e)Thepossibility ofnegotiations couldbethesubject ofapreliminary analysis bytheUnitedNations Disarmament Commission forama~imum periodof twoyears, onthebasisofthiSstUdy. 307.TheUnitedNations, inaccordance WiththeCharter, hasacentral roleanda primary responsibility inthesphereofdisarmament. Itisrelevant tonotethat certain aspects discussed inthepreceding paragraphs arealready beingdiscussed elsewhere indifferent conte~ts. Intbefortieth session oftheGeneral Assembly, twoinitiatives ontheSUbject willbediscussed underseparate agendaitems.It wouldseemsensible toendeavour tobringtbetwoinitiatives together underone I...A/40/535 English Page87 itemand,ifpossible, toarriveatasinglecourseofaction. Separately, there arealsothosewhobelieve thattheagendaoftheConference onDisarmament and thatoftheDisarmament Commission arealready overburdened. Ontheotherhand,it isimportant thatactionshould betakentowards resolving someoftheissuesof thenavalarmsracedescribed inthepresent report. Suchactioncouldbetakenat aglobal, regional orsubregional level,andmUltilaterally, bilaterally oreven unilaterally. CHAPTER VIII SUMMARY ANDCONCLUSIONS 308.Incarrying outacomprehensive study,asrequested bytheGeneral Assembly in resolution 38/188 G,theGroupofExperts hashadtocoverabroadcompass. In essence, thisreportisanoverview ofaverywideandcomplex subject fromwhich several significant conclusions ofageneral nature maybedrawn. 309.Itisusefultorecallthatsome71percentoftheearth's surface isseaand overtwothirdsoftheworld's humanpopulation livewithin 300kilometres ofasea coast. Theimportance ofthesea,itsusesandresources, tothehumanracecannot beover-emphasized. Amajorproportion oftheworld's international tradegoesby sea;fisheries provide avitalsourceofprotein tomanyhundreds ofmillions of people; anincreasing amountoftheworld'S energysupplies arederived fromsea areas; andastechnology develops andexpands so,too,willthemeansoffurther developing themineral resources ofthesea-bed andtheseaitself. Theworld's oceans havealready played animportant roleinhumanexploration anddevelopment, anditcanbeexpected thattheroletheywillplayinthefuturewillbeofeven greater significance tomankind. 310.Thespecific valueoftheseatoanindiVidual Statevarieswidely from country tocountry according togeographical situation, extentofdevelopment, maritime outlook, economic dependence orindependence andmanyotherfactors. Some
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the importance of the sea and the need for international cooperation in managing its resources. It highlights the significance of the sea in global trade, energy production, and food security, as well as its potential for further development and exploitation. The text also mentions the need for disarmament and the role of the United Nations in promoting international cooperation and resolving conflicts.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, International trade