Desarrollo de la Antártica

Brian Roberts I INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR ANTARcrIC ••• their pro,posed scÍentific work with others active in the same region Ilhrou.gh SCAR. ln a rather different category is the case of Italy, from which ::t privately-sponsored expedition established a base last year, also on King George Island. In this case there was no consultation with others who are active in the same area either through formal or in– formal channels. The Italian Government have not yet acceded to the Treaty. During the past two years, West Germany has been underta– king a major marine researah programme relating tO' fishing possi– bilities in the Southern Ocean. They have not yet acceded to tlhe Treaty, but, have in fact co-operated dosely willh others having similar interests. They llave províded full infO'fmation about their plans and the result of their researches. NaturaUy, they will wish for consultative status if the Treaty forum ís to ,b~ used to set up maohinery to regula te t'heir activities. It would be most unfonunate if we do not make full use of their expert knowledge and experiea– ce. Brazil acceded to the Treaty in 1975 and has announced inten– tions to embark on an AntarctÍc ret:earch programme in the ncar future. If these projects mature, it seems to me quite essential !lha[ Brazilian scientists should be welcomed into the "club" and parti– cipate in the co-ordinated Antarctic programmes. There are sorne diffícult issues here which still await solution. Des– pite the basic need to keqp Consultative iMeetings small enough to be manageable, it is dear to me that the present Consultative Par– ties must expect sorne expansion of tJheir forum to include others who become engaged in Antarctic research. For the period while tJhese newcomers remain active in che Antarctic, they should be welcomed to take part in these consultations. Once a State has demonstrated its interest in die tAntarctic along the lines laid down, and has acceded to the Treaty, its seat at the following Consultative Meeting should be claimed as a right and should not be subject to a vote of the existing members of the Treaty The mandatory terms of Artide IX (2) were adopted when the Treaty was being negotiated in 1959 because we wanted to make it clear that the Treaty must ensllre, so far as possible, that all tJhe Slates which were or might become active in the Antarctic shO'uld be involved in the consultative procedures under the Treaty. The effect of t'his mandatory provision un the present Contracting !Par– ties is that the need to ensure llhe participation of an acceding state 35 1