Message to the Senate Transmitting the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990, With Annex

To the Senate of the United States:

I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990, with Annex, adopted at London November 30, 1990. I also transmit, for the information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State with respect to the Convention.

The Exxon Valdez experience demonstrated that catastrophic oil spills have the potential to overwhelm the resources of any single nation. The Convention is an important new international environmental agreement that establishes a global framework for cooperation among nations whose resources, knowledge, and expertise are available to share in preparing for and combatting such spills.

The Convention, which was signed by the United States on November 30, 1990, subject to ratification, was developed in response to a U.S. initiative at the Paris Economic Summit in July 1989. When in force, the global response coordination mechanism created by the Convention will make a significant contribution to minimizing damage from major oil pollution incidents and to the protection of the marine environment. I therefore recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to the Convention and give its advice and consent to ratification.

George Bush

The White House,

August 1, 1991.