International law and the preservation of underwater cultural heritage
In 1997, the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) directed the Secretary-General of that organisation to prepare the first draft of a convention on the protection of the underwater cultural heritage. At the submission of this thesis the draft is still under negotiation, and a fourth Meeting of Governmental Experts is to be convened in early 2001 to continue deliberations. This thesis seeks to achieve three objectives. Firstly, it seeks to critically evaluate the extent to which the structure and provisions of the UNESCO draft convention provide a basis for an effective, reasonable and enforceable preservation regime. Chapter 1 considers the value of the underwater cultural heritage to contemporary society, the regimes proposed to 'protect' these values and the conflict that has developed between the realisation of the economic and archaeological value of the underwater cultural heritage. Chapter 2 examines previous attempts to structure a preservation regime for underwater cultural heritage in international waters and introduces the UNESCO draft convention. It further critically evaluates the rationale for preservation expressed in the draft, the
Forrest, Craig J. S.
UNESCO; Convention; Nautical; Archaeological
International law and the preservation of underwater cultural heritage. In 1997, the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) directed the Secretary-General of that organisation to prepare the first draft of a convention on the protection of the underwater cultural heritage. At the submission of this thesis the draft is still under negotiation, and a fourth Meeting of Governmental Experts is to be convened in early 2001 to continue deliberations. This thesis seeks to achieve three objectives. Firstly, it seeks to critically evaluate the extent to which the structure and provisions of the UNESCO draft convention provide a basis for an effective, reasonable and enforceable preservation regime. Chapter 1 considers the value of the underwater cultural heritage to contemporary society, the regimes proposed to 'protect' these values and the conflict that has developed between the realisation of the economic and archaeological value of the underwater cultural heritage. Chapter 2 examines previous attempts to structure a preservation regime for underwater cultural heritage in international waters and introduces the UNESCO draft convention. It further critically evaluates the rationale for preservation expressed in the draft, the
international law preservation underwater cultural_heritage general conference united nations educational scientific cultural organisation unesco direct secretary general organisation prepare first draft convention protection underwater cultural_heritage submission draft still negotiation fourth meeting governmental continue deliberation seek_achieve objective firstly seek critically_evaluate extent structure provision unesco draft convention provide_basis effective reasonable preservation regime considers value underwater cultural_heritage contemporary_society regime propose protect value conflict develop realisation economic archaeological value underwater cultural_heritage examines previous_attempt structure preservation regime underwater cultural_heritage international water introduces unesco draft convention critically_evaluate rationale preservation express draft