Desarrollo de la Antártica

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR ANTARCTIC DEVELOPMENT THE TEST FOR THE ANTARCTIC TREATY Brian Roberts, eMG Seott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge, England INTRODUC'IlON It has 'been suggested to me that I should take this opportunity to initiate discussion a'bout the Antarctic Treaty: in particular to review how far the Treaty is meeting our present practical needs. During the forty years or more during whidh I have becn associated with Antarctic affairs, 1 have seen sorne degree 01 inter– national order evolved out of chaos; harmony has replaced discord; many apparently insoluble problems have been resolved one after anot!her. 1 have seen lhat good co-operation and compromise can and have been achieved repeatedly wirhout any significant sacrifice of national autonomy and to the eommon advantage of all concerned. Now that 1 have retired from Polar Regions Section of the Foreign and Commonwealt'h Office in London, and have returned to my research appointment at the Seott Polar Research Institute in Cam– bridge University, 1 feel free to express sorne purely personal thoughts, based on the lessons which 1 have learnt. 1 shall therefore not be frightened tO' mentÍon controversial issues. 1. WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED so FAR? At this time the seven most important ties which unite the original signatories of fue Antarctic Treaty can be stated quite sim,ply. They are all embodied in the Treaty: l. Common interest in the use of the Antarctic for peaceful purposes only; 2. Our agreed determination to promO'te freedom of scientific investigatíon and international co-operation towards that end; 3. The free exchange of information about plans for scientific programmes and lhe results of sdentific research; 4. Complete freedom of access for scíentific and other purposes to the area south of lato 60 0 S. 5. The common desire to encourage co-operative working relatíons with the Specialized Agencies of the United Nations and other