# § 9162. International negotiations
The Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Administrator and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, shall seek effective international action and cooperation in support of the policy and purposes of this chapter and may initiate and conduct negotiations for the purpose of entering into international agreements designed to guarantee noninterference of ocean thermal energy conversion facilities and plantships with the thermal gradients used by other such facilities and plantships, to assure protection of such facilities and plantships and of navigational safety in the vicinity thereof, and to resolve such other matters relating to ocean thermal energy conversion facilities and plantships as need to be resolved in international agreements.
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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 96–320, title IV, § 402, Aug. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 998.)
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , known as the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Transfer of Functions
For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under .