Desarrollo de la Antártica

Brian Roberts I INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR ANTARCTIC __ _ III _ WHAT ARE THE MO'ST O'BVIOUS CONSEQUENT O'UTSTANDING PO'LITl– CAL ISSUES? II was inevitable that those who negotiated me Antarctic Treaty shauld have hesitated to ímperil such a fraH alliance by raisíng pre– maturely some of the ultimate íssues of a highly controversial na– ture. It was not that the negotiators failed to foresee uhese difficul– ties; it was rather, that while the whole situation remained 50' ex– tremely delicate, it was essential to keep disputes between l'hemsel· ves to a minimum. The governmems cancerned were o-bliged to COll– sider their own rights and interests, yet they were fully aware that more important than any national desires was theír common inte– rest in peaceful co-operation. It w:-tS for this reason that the Treaf.y contains no mention of severa1 subjects which have now become of paramount importance to the survival of the Treaty. Consideratíon of some of these can no longer be postponed. At the moment ir seems to me that there are five outstanding Ant– "rctic political matters which should be receiving he highest pOS4 sible priority in international discussions: l. Tille regulation of marine fisheries in the Southern Ocean (es– pecially krill) ; 2. The regulation of mineral exploration and exploitation; 3. The study of man's impact on the l<\ntarctic environment ana continued develolPment of conservatian measures; 4. The effects of tourists and non-governmental expeditions to the Treaty Area; :5. The rights and duties of states which accede to the Antarctic Treaty and the acquisition of 'consultative status', Of these, it seems lO me that fisl1eries and minerals are the most urgent and most difficult. IV. THE RIGHTS AND nUTlES OF STATES WHIOH AOCEDE TO mE ANT· AReTIC TRlilATY AND THE ACQUISITlO'N OF 'OONSULTATIVE STATUS' Article IX of the Treaty says that states whioh accede to t'he Treaty shall be entitled to participate in Consultative Meetings "during sueh time as that Contracting Party demonstrates its interest in Ant. arctica by conducting substantial scientific researchactivity there, such as the establishment of a scientific statÍon or the despatoh of a scientific expedition". Since the Treaty carne into force, seven more governments have 349