Annual Antarctic Treaty Conference Opens Monday in Uruguay
Uruguay is hosting two Antarctic Treaty meetings which will officially be opened Monday May 3 in Punta del Este by Foreign Affairs minister Luís Almagro. Uruguayan authorities expect an attendance of over 350 foreign officials at the Thirty three Antarctic Treaty Consultative and the Thirteenth Committee on Environmental Protection meetings.
According to the official release from the Uruguayan Antarctic Institute, delegates from the 48 Antarctic Treaty member countries, plus one guest and 16 international and inter-government organizations will be present during the event, which is scheduled to last until May 14.
The Consultative Meeting is the official deliberation forum of the Antarctic Treaty and holds annual meetings, last year in the United States and in 2011 in Argentina.
The meeting in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, is likely to be high level, as some hanging issues involve national interests. The Treaty internationalized and demilitarized the frozen continent for cooperative exploration and use. However it did not foresee the increasing and rival demands on the territory or the impact of tourism and the consequences of climate change are most visible in this pristine landscape.
Eleven countries have claimed sovereignty over slices of Antarctica to secure contiguous offshore oil, gas and mineral rights. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) confers on all coastal states sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting the natural resources of its continental shelf. In the Treaty—which was ratified on 23 Jun 1961 by 48 countries—Antarctica is defined as all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees south latitude.
A new report shows that the ice shelves are shrinking leaving more sea bed to fight over. With dozens of claims before it covering both the Arctic and Antarctic, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf has become swamped with work, and it could take decades for it to finish reviewing the rival claims.
The conference that begins Monday in Punta del Este will also continue to explore ways to protect the vulnerable Antarctic environment from increasing tourism.
More information: http://www.atcm2010.gub.uy/
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It's probably down to childish geography again, i.e. the Antartic is closer to us than you!
Of course Argentina has declined 4 offers by the UK to take the matter to the ICJ. Even with no resident populations to upset, they still know that the Argentine case is so weak it would get laughed out of the court !
Reffering to your 4 declined offers by the UK to take the matter to the ICJ... Well, what can I say... I'll explain something to you. States don't take these issues to the ICJ because of the simple fact that there's a treaty (the one that is mentioned in this article, the same one you have no clue about) wich says that these issues are frozen, the only thing every State could do was to claim sovereignty by submitting it. By the way, every country can settle bases in the antartica. Which is true is that probably Argentina doesn't have more rights than UK or Chile, however Argentina doesn't have less rights either... It's not over discussion until the treaty unfroze these subjects. I kindly invite you to read this document and not to give opinions as if you were in a soccer match.
So I guess that means that Argentina has a weather station on Laurie Island built by a Scottish, i.e. British, expedition and then given to it.
Argentina lays claim spuriously to South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and a large portion of the UK's claim in Antartica. These disputes were subject of an offer by the UK not only to take them to the ICJ but the UK agreed in advance to abide by any decision the ICJ made. Argentina turned tail and ran.
And it is important. The current moratorium on the Antartic will not remain forever, particularly as natural resources become increasing difficult to find. The ice pack is retreating and more sea bed is becoming available for exploration. The Antaric is likely to be the next international war zone and it would be better if the disputes could be sorted before more warlike action arises.
And, geography is not much of an argument. It has no standing in international law and will not be seen as a factor when the Antartic is finally carved up!
Go back and watch your soccer match .... it's as much as you can cope with ...
1. The Atlantic TReaty has only 47 signatories and came into force in 1961, 7 years after Britains last attempt to settle its dispute with Argentina at the ICJ
2. Article 4 clearly states that the treaty does not recognize, dispute, nor establish territorial sovereignty claims; no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force. In other words, territorial disputes remain just that!
3. The British claim was made in 1908. Argentina, as usual, came in late in 1942.
Just for your information.
I do try to be factual, and am willing to accept a reasoned challenge!
www.historytoday.com/MainArticle.aspx?m=13069&amid=13069
A little known bit of hidden history.......
As For Orcadas base, I think that demonstrates little more than the fact Argentina owns a base in Antarctica, congratulations.
As for the other 50,000 km2 of British territory good luck in trying to find something that overrides the 1918 and 1934 letters of patent, submitted without even a whimper of protest from Argentina.
So then what does that leave Argentina with a tiny hut and a quirk of geographic proximity.
Argentina is just embarrassing itself !
quote “ Argentina doesn't have more rights than UK or Chile” right now Antartic belong to the world
post scriptum: the treaty is on internet
Much as it would be nice to believe that the Antartic belonged to the world I suspect you would be naive if you actually believed that. A future war zone I believe!
1. Nothing contained in the present Treaty shall be interpreted as:
a. a renunciation by any Contracting Party of previously asserted rights of or claims to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica;
b. a renunciation or diminution by any Contracting Party of any basis of claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica which it may have whether as a result of its activities or those of its nationals in Antarctica, or otherwise;
c. prejudicing the position of any Contracting Party as regards its recognition or non-recognition of any other State‚s rights of or claim or basis of claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica.
2. No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica. No new claim, or enlargement of an existing claim, to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica shall be asserted while the present Treaty is in force.
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