ABSTRACT
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea includes the words “region”, “subregion”, “regional” or “subregional” or some combination of these words in no fewer than 21 articles. Nowhere in the Convention, however, are these words defined. Furthermore, all references to regional or subregional cooperation or other action are permissive or hortatory in nature rather than mandatory. Thus, while the concept of “regional” activity and “region” as an arena of activity is paid due deference in the Convention, its imprecision must raise questions about its meaning and its long-term impact upon the Law of the Sea, man's uses of the sea and international relations in general.
