Antarctic Treaty Nations Meet in Rio De Janeiro; Adopt 10 Recommendations
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antarc tic [I OFTHE IIUNITED U STATES March 1988 National Science Foundation Volume XXIII—Number 1 Antarctic Treaty nations meet in Rio de Janeiro; adopt 10 recommendations Participation of observers at the meet- tica. The 17 acceding nations are those • Italy (changed status on 5 October ings, the need for an organizational nations which agree to abide by the treaty 1987) infrastructure, and human impact on the but do not participate in its operation. • Japan environment were three of the major is- As of October 1987, there are 20 con- • New Zealand sues discussed at the 14th Antarctic sultative nations: • Norway Treaty Consultative Meeting, hosted by • Argentina • Peoples Republic of China Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, 5-16 October • Australia • Poland 1987. • Belgium • Republic of South Africa Currently, 37 nations recognize the • Brazil • Union of Soviet Socialist Republics treaty. Treaty nations are designated as • Chile • United Kingdom either consultative parties or acceding • Federal Republic of Germany • United States of America nations. The consultative parties are the • France • Uruguay original 12 signatories to the treaty along • German Democratic Republic The 17 acceding nations including 5 with 8 other nations which conduct sub- (changed status on 5 October 1987) nations that have joined the other con- stantive research programs in Antarc- • India tracting parties since the last treaty meeting in 1985 are: • Austria (acceded 25 August 1987) • Bulgaria The Antarctic Peninsula. At the 14th meeting of the Antarctic Treaty consultative parties in October • Czechoslovakia 1987, representatives recommended that three sites in the Antarctic Peninsula region be des- • Democratic Peoples Republic of ignated new Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). The designation of these sites, as well Korea (acceded 21 January 1987) as discussions of a new special site category—marine sites of special interest—and of mans • Denmark impact on the environment, reflect the continuing concern of the consultative parties for the • Ecuador (acceded 15 September protection of the antarctic environment. 1987) • Finland NSF photo by William Curtsinger. • Greece (acceded 8 January 1987) In this issue . Antarctic Treaty nations meet in Rio de Janeiro: adopt 10 recommendations .............I 14th Consultative Meeting recommendations ............4 Annex to Recommendation XIV- 5 ..............................8 Annex to Recommendation XIV- 9 ..............................15 Largest high-altitude balloon ever launched in Antarctica retrieves supernova data ......16 Two killed in airplane crash in East Antarctica ................21 Foundation awards of funds for antarctic projects, 1 October to 31 December 1987 .............21 Weather at U.S. stations ........23 • Hungary Peoples Republic of Korea, Hungary, complete list is published in the report • The Netherlands Papua New Guinea, and the Republic of of the treaty meeting. Finally, the del- • Papua New Guinea Cuba) attended the 1987 meeting. The egates agreed to send copies of the rel- • Peru 8-person U.S. delegation was led by R. evant parts of the final report to various • Republic of Cuba Tucker Scully. specialized agencies of the United Na- • Republic of Korea (acceded 28 No- tions and other international organiza- vember 1986) tions to improve cooperation with these • Romania The 14th Antarctic Treaty bodies. Besides the organizations that • Spain Consultative Meeting rules of had been invited to participate in the • Sweden procedure/international organizations 1987 treaty meeting, these include the Before the opening of the 14th treaty The 1987 treaty meeting saw major U.N. Environmental Program, the In- meeting, the Seventh Special Consult- progress in making the Antarctic Treaty ternational Council of Scientific Unions ative Meeting was held to review appli- system more open and accessible. New (ICSU), the Intergovernmental Ocean- cations from Italy and the German rules of procedure were adopted; these ographic Commission (IOC), the Inter- Democratic Republic for consultative allow the participation of observers and national Telecommunications Union status. Both countries notified the con- experts from international organiza- (ITU), the International Civil Aviation sultative parties that they had been con- tions. Thus, for the first time at a treaty Organization (ICAO), and the Interna- ducting substantive research and meeting, representatives of outside or- tional Maritime Organization (IMO). considered themselves to be eligible for ganizations were allowed to attend and The delegates also discussed the pos- consultative party status. Both applica- participate in the sessions. sibility of producing a "white book," a tions were approved. Representatives from the World Me- publication that would summarize and All of the treaty nations except four of teorological Organization (WMO), the highlight the accomplishments of the the acceding parties (the Democratic Scientific Committee on Antarctic Re- Antarctic Treaty over the past quarter of search (SCAR), and the International a century. Most countries, including the Union for the Conservation of Nature United States, agreed with the need for and Natural Resources (IUCN) were in- highlighting the Treatys accomplish- vited to participate in discussions about ments, but raised questions about cost, issues within their areas of expertise. The acceptability to all parties, distribution, delegates also heard reports from sev- and related problems. The United States eral international organizations on how emphasized that the treaty nations should to improve coordination within the Ant- continue to ensure the public availability arctic Treaty system, in accordance with of accurate information about the Ant- Recommendation XIII-2. These organi- arctic Treaty system. Chile indicated that zations included representatives from the it would seek to prepare an illustrative Convention on the Conservation of Ant- draft by the next treaty meeting, but it arctic Marine Living Resources was agreed in the final report that rather (CCAMLR), SCAR, and the Convention than concentrating upon a collective for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals. publication, parties should emphasize Editor. Winifred Reuning In addition, reports of activities were national efforts to draw attention to the provided on the antarctic minerals re- accomplishments of the system. Antarctic Journal of the United source negotiations by New Zealand, States, established in 1966, reports antarctic issues in the United Nations by on U.S. activities in Antarctica and Australia, and the status of treaty rec- related activities elsewhere, and on trends in the U.S. Antarctic Research ommendations by the United States. Organizational issues Program. It is published quarterly The need to consider some type of (March, June, September, and De- infrastructure generated much discus- cember) with a fifth annual review sion. To address the question of whether issue by the Division of Polar Pro- Availability of information or not such an organizational structure grams, National Science Foun- dation, Washington, D.C. 20550. The delegates of the 1987 treaty meet- is needed, the United States submitted Telephone: 202/357-7817. ing took steps to improve the public a working paper on the functions nec- availability of documents. They agreed essary to support the Antarctic Treaty The Antarctic Journal is sold by the that all documents from treaty meetings consultative mechanism. The four major copy or on subscription through the IV—VII would no longer be treated as areas of concern were support for meet- U.S. Government Printing Office. Re- confidential and that documents from ings, archives and information, coordi- quests for prices of individual issues treaty meetings VII—XIV would be re- nation and interaction with other and subscriptions, address changes, viewed for release at the next meeting. organizations, and financial administra- and information about other subscrip- Further, they agreed that in the future tion. tion matters should be sent to the the public availability of documents from Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Several countries suggested that the Government Printing Office, Washing- the immediately preceding treaty meet- Antarctic Treaty system has expanded ton, D.C. 20402. ing would be considered by each sub- to the point where some type of small sequent treaty meeting. Additionally, the or modest secretariat or office is neces- The Director of the National Science delegates ruled that at future meetings sary (i.e., possibly one person, plus sec- Foundation has determined that the it would be assumed that all documents retarial support). While most countries publication of this periodical is nec- were public unless they are otherwise agreed that a treaty system that has essary in the transaction of the marked (Recommendation XIV-1). This grown from 12 to 37 countries might need public business required by law of decision reverses the previous practice. some type of permanent organization, this agency. Use of funds for print- In a related action, the delegates also ing this periodical has been approved several countries spoke against the need by the director of the Office of Man- agreed to improve the availability of in- for, or establishment of, such an orga- agement and Budget through 31 formation about the Antarctic Treaty nization. These parties pointed out that March 1991. system by compiling a list of national the treaty has been very successful to contact points to whom interested