Lanka explores possibility of extending continental shelf

by Manjula FERNANDO

A Sri Lankan team of officials armed with a comprehensive technical report to support its claim for the extension of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles is now in New York attending the informal working group of the UN Commission.

A senior official at the External Affairs Ministry said the working group is mandated to expedite the work of the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) which considers State submissions for extensions.

The Sri Lankan team comprises five officials representing the Strategic Enterprise Management Agency, External Affairs Ministry and the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau.

They will attend a state Parties Meeting subsequent to the informal working group.

"Sri Lanka's claim for the extension of the outer limit of the continental shelf overlaps with a number of neighbouring countries in the region.

We intend to maintain a dialogue with them", the official added.

The official said Sri Lanka's proposal, though well timed, will be taken up in 2025 for consideration due to the long queue of applications received.

The working group has been established to expedite the process.

Sri Lanka submitted the information on the limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline to the CLCS on May 8, 2009.After considering the submissions, the Commission will make recommendations on the limits of the continental shelf in accordance with Article 76 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 to which Sri Lanka was an original State party.