LAW OF THE SEA GAME

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R000800140039-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 12, 2003
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: March 14, 1974
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For RRelease 2003/03/28: CIA-RDP80B0149?W0080014000339--7
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
1. 0PR recently conducted
a politica game simulating the upcoming Law of the Sea conference.
This was as a partial response to a request from OBGI, and with the
cooperation of OTR. OBGI
furnished some factual material for the game and stu ents in an Informa-
tion Science course served as participants.
2. The students were each asked to represent the interests of
a country or group of countries in the negotiations. Our previous
experience with similar Community-wide classes helped determine the
scope and depth of the reading material and produced a considered
compromise between too little and too much. material. It was intended
to produce country familiarity, not expertise, along with a solid
understanding of the major issues of the conference. The students
were given the following to read: basic information on their countries,
a description of the game mechanics, a game scenario which included
an outline of the LOS issues, and a few articles on the LOS. The LOS
topics emphasized in this game were the territorial sea and the problem
of straits, the exploitation of seabed resources, the extent of the
economic zone, and the degree of control over fishing, pollution, and
scientific research in the economic zone.
3. The game consisted of four sessions over a period of two
weeks. The first was taken up by a discussion of the mechanics and
the issues, and the assignment of countries. The second and third
were designed to assure a general level of participation and under-
standing by having the students meet in: discussion groups of changing
membership to consider regional interests, maritime interests, and the
various specific LOS issues. At the end of the third session, students
were asked to form groups baser on t eir perceived interests-and
draft proposals treating the major issues. The fourth session- involved
voting, with some debate, on the draft proposals. QILen all the
pr2posals.,.were defeated, an eleventh-hour compromise- emergerand
passed, after much amendment and over the opposition of the US delegate
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Approved For Release 2003/03/28 : CIA-RDP80BO1495R000800140039-7
 Approved Forlease 2003/03/28: CIA-RDP80B014W00800140039-7
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
and the abstention of the Russian delegate.) The rest of the
fourth session was spent in evaluation and discussion, including
a presentation by representatives of the Studies, Analysis, and
Gaming Agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which served to put
the students' experience in perspective.
4. The students responded very well to the gaming situation.
They sustained a high level of interest and interaction, learned the
Law of the Sea issues well, and all evinced an interest in future
gaming related to their work or interests. The responses on an
evaluation form were quite positive, including some constructive
suggestions which have been used to refine the game.-
5. As the game progressed, the students recorded their
perceptions of their countries' interests and objectives, and this
information serves as the basic output of the game. Upon careful
consideration, we feel that, for-analytic puroses,rthe information
from this exercise_ is of marginal, ma
lue
.only. Under different
cir`rccumsfa ces the game would probably provide insights into country
behavior which would be valuable to someone trying to anticipate a
country's actions in the conference. As it is,.the information will-
be kept in OPR, and will be available for review by offices such as
OBGI, but will not be presented as a significant indicator of country
behavior.
6. The primary limitation of this exercise was the lack of
expert country" knowledge by__the participants., Much of the available
time was absorbed iii- learning to play the appropriate roles; very little
negotiating and bargaining took place until the final session. If the
game were repeated using experienced country analysts as participants,
the reading material could be focused entirely on LOS issues, negotia-
tion and the drafting of proposals could begin much earlier, country
stances would have a chance to become more polarized, and far more
significant results would certainly be achieved.
OFFICIAL. USE ONLY
Approved For Release 2003/03/28 : CIA-RDP80B01495R000800140039-7
 Approved For Rpase 2003/03/28: CIA-RDP80B01495R0 0800140039-7
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
7. As a result of the exercise,
has furthered its working relationship with
and experimented with a method which has a
e finite, though limited, use in political research. If an
opportunity or need arises, we will be able to undertake a
political game on reasonable notice. In addition, the game
situation and data for the Law of the Sea conference are
available for reuse should a priority interest arise suffi-
cient to justify the use of country analysts.
STAT
- 3. -
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Approved For Release 2003/03/28 : CIA-RDP80BO1495R000800140039-7
 Approved For Release 2003/03/28 : CIA-RDP80BO1495R000800140039-7
MEMORANDUM FOR: -~Z
ul
1I -aP
Attached is a'b rief description byl
the newest member of our
I on the Law-of-the-Sea gaming
experiment he recently completed. No startling
substantive results -- but you'll be pleased to see
how we're building our ca abilities for using such
Techniques. Meanwhile, is pressing
along with her paper on the main LOS issues and
potential trade-offs.
(DATE)
FORM
NO -
54 I01 WHICH REPLACES
MAYF BEM US10-101
ED.
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
Approved For Release 2003/03/28 : CIA-RDP80BO1495R000800140039-7